Biographical and Experience Summary

Joseph M. Davis, P.E.

Joseph Davis is President and founder of Chesapeake RF Consultants LLC, a Virginia corporation registered to provide engineering services.  The firm’s business generally deals with engineering regulatory matters encountered by television/radio broadcast and other telecommunications and technology facilities.  These services are provided to clients nationwide such as Gray Television, CBS Broadcasting, Hearst Television, Sarkes-Tarzian Inc, and many other commercial and public television and radio stations in large and small markets.

Joe received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology in 1982 from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and since 1980 has worked directly for and then served as a consultant to various television and radio stations in engineering capacities, including transmitter and tower site relocation, facility upgrade, signal propagation, interference evaluation, FCC technical regulatory matters, and in the evaluation of human exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields.

Professional services provided by Mr. Davis include radio and television channel allocation studies, upgrade analysis, RF exposure evaluation, waiver support, multiple ownership studies, engineering exhibit preparation, and microwave licensing. Due diligence services are provided related to the evaluation of prospective broadcast station acquisition and FCC spectrum auctions, including comparative coverage analysis and review of engineering-related licensing matters.

He has been involved in the digital television transition since 1996, providing consulting services to broadcasters in regard to the FCC’s technical requirements concerning evaluation of digital allotment tables, DTV station authorization, expansion, use of alternate channels, and preparation of technical exhibits for submission to the FCC. He prepared the technical specifications and applications that led to the FCC’s first grants of DTV station construction permits dating back to 1997. He has provided considerable licensing support of full-power, low-power, and Class A television stations throughout the transition to digital, including channel changes and maximization of post-transition operations.  He has directly advised FCC staff regarding potential challenges and costs for TV broadcasters subject to incentive auction channel repacking. Incentive auction activities involved planning and maximizing repack station channel assignments, interim facility planning and authorization, and identifying displacement channels for LPTV/translator stations. Post-auction television work includes maximizing and securing alternate channels for television stations that were not repacked and implementation of previously unbuilt Low Power Television stations.

Services regarding FM radio stations include channel studies to examine potential for upgrade, improvement, and site relocation. FM translator services include frequency availability analysis, facility design, interference modeling, and impact of the FCC’s translator interference procedures.

He has performed and supervised measurements of RF electromagnetic field for evaluation of exposure levels at publicly-accessible areas near transmitter sites and at on-tower locations to evaluate the possibility of worker exposure.  He has appeared in person before local governmental boards and the Federal Communications Commission staff regarding antenna siting matters and has briefed numerous attorneys, trade groups, and broadcasters on various technical issues. 

Joe is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia, where his residence and office are located.  He is a full member of the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers (AFCCE) and has served two terms as AFCCE’s president and one term as Chair of the AFCCE CDBS Technical Advisory Committee.  He is also a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE).  He is the Certification Chairman for the Hampton Roads VA chapter of the SBE and holds an FCC General Radiotelephone License (formerly First Class).  He is married with three grown children, three grandchildren, and enjoys leisure time in his garage working on home and yard improvements, spending time with his extended family, dog walking, and regular domestic beer.

Professional Resume

Education

B.S. Electrical Engineering Technology, Summa Cum Laude, 1982

Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA

Licenses, Certifications, and Awards

Registered Professional Engineer, Commonwealth of Virginia

Recipient of the prestigious Matti S. Siukola award by IEEE Broadcast Technology Society, 2016

Lifetime Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer, Society of Broadcast Engineers

FCC General Class Radiotelephone License (former First Class)

FCC Amateur Extra Class Radio License (W4YVA)

Professional Affiliations

Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers (President 1999-2001)

Society of Broadcast Engineers (Senior Member)

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

National Society of Professional Engineers

Virginia Society of Professional Engineers

Employment

Chesapeake RF Consultants LLC, President, consulting engineer services (2007-present)

Cavell Mertz & Davis Inc., Vice President and Managing Partner, consulting engineer services (1996-2007)

WETA-TV/FM, Chief Engineer (FM), 1987-1996 (Washington DC market)

WBMW(FM), Chief Engineer, 1985-1987 (Washington DC market)

Fine Tuning Associates, Field Project Broadcast Engineer, 1984-1985 (VA-MD-NC regional)

WHYW-FM/AM, Chief Engineer, 1982-1984 (Pittsburgh PA market)

WYVA-FM, Chief Engineer, 1981-1982 (Norfolk VA market)

Various freelance RF and studio projects at many stations, 1983-1996

Papers, Presentations, and Articles

“The Downward Path to Broadcast Engineering—No. 29” IEEE Broadcast Technology 4^th Quarter 2022 (PDF)

TV Repack Update: “Wait, and Hurry Up”

IEEE Broadcast Symposium October 2016 Hartford CT, (IEEE Slides 10-13-2016)

TV Repack: Post-Auction Transition Procedures

SC Broadcasters Assoc. January 2016 Columbia SC, (SCBA Slides 01-21-2016)

AFCCE Symposium October 2015 Rosslyn VA, expanded presentation (AFCCE Slides 10-30-2015)

IEEE Broadcast Symposium October 2015 Orlando FL (IEEE Slides 10-16-2015)

Challenges in Implementing Television Repacking, presented at various SBE chapters, 2014-2015

Co-Author of Widelity Television Repacking Report to FCC, December 2013 (Report, Public Notice)

Panelist at FCC’s Workshop on Television Repacking Costs and Resources, September 2013 (Public Notice)

Panelist at FCC’s Workshop on Electronic Filing, May 2010 (Public Notice)

Applications of the FCC’s DTV Interference Analysis Methodology OET Bulletin 69, Presented at IEEE Broadcast Technology Symposium, September 1998

207 Old Dominion Road

Yorktown, VA 23692

(703) 650-9600 main

(757) 951-1260 local

fax (703) 310-6095

www.RF-consultants.com

Joseph.Davis@RF-consultants.com

Updated May, 2023 © 2007-2023 Chesapeake RF Consultants, LLC