Goto Section: 73.88 | 73.127 | Table of Contents
FCC 73.99
Revised as of October 1, 2007
Goto Year:2006 |
2008
Sec. 73.99 Presunrise service authorization (PSRA) and postsunset service
authorization (PSSA).
(a) To provide maximum uniformity in early morning operation compatible with
interference considerations, and to provide for additional service during
early evening hours for Class D stations, provisions are made for presunrise
service and postsunset service. The permissible power for presunrise or
postsunset service authorizations shall not exceed 500 watts, or the
authorized daytime or critical hours power (whichever is less). Calculation
of the permissible power shall consider only co-channel stations for
interference protection purposes.
(b) Presunrise service authorizations (PSRA) permit:
(1) Class D stations operating on Mexican, Bahamian, and Canadian priority
Class A clear channels to commence PSRA operation at 6 a.m. local time and
to continue such operation until the sunrise times specified in their basic
instruments of authorization.
(2) Class D stations situated outside 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave contours of
co-channel U.S. Class A stations to commence PSRA operation at 6 a.m. local
time and to continue such operation until sunrise times specified in their
basic instruments of authorization.
(3) Class D stations located within co-channel 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave contours
of U.S. Class A stations, to commence PSRA operation either at 6 a.m. local
time, or at sunrise at the nearest Class A station located east of the Class
D station (whichever is later), and to continue such operation until the
sunrise times specified in their basic instruments of authorization.
(4) Class B and Class D stations on regional channels to commence PSRA
operation at 6 a.m. local time and to continue such operation until local
sunrise times specified in their basic instruments of authorization.
(c) Extended Daylight Saving Time Pre-Sunrise Authorizations:
(1) Between the first Sunday in April and the end of the month of April,
Class D stations will be permitted to conduct pre-sunrise operation
beginning at 6 a.m. local time with a maximum power of 500 watts (not to
exceed the station's regular daytime or critical hours power), reduced as
necessary to comply with the following requirements:
(i) Full protection is to be provided as specified in applicable
international agreements.
(ii) Protection is to be provided to the 0.5 mV/m groundwave signals of
co-channel U.S. Class A stations; protection to the 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave
contours of these stations is not required.
(iii) In determining the protection to be provided, the effect of each
interfering signal will be evaluated separately. The presence of
interference from other stations will not reduce or eliminate the required
protection.
(iv) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) (ii) and (iii) of
this section, the stations will be permitted to operate with a minimum power
of 10 watts unless a lower power is required by international agreement.
(2) The Commission will issue appropriate authorizations to Class D stations
not previously eligible to operate during this period. Class D stations
authorized to operate during this presunrise period may continue to operate
under their current authorization.
(d) Postsunset service authorizations (PSSA) permit:
(1) Class D stations located on Mexican, Bahamian, and Canadian priority
Class A clear channels to commence PSSA operation at sunset times specified
in their basic instruments of authorization and to continue for two hours
after such specified times.
(2) Class D stations situated outside 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave contours of
co-channel U.S. Class A stations to commence PSSA operations at sunset times
specified in their basic instruments of authorization and to continue for
two hours after such specified times.
(3) Class D stations located within co-channel 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave contours
of U.S. Class A stations to commence PSSA operation at sunset times
specified in their basic instruments of authorization and to continue such
operation until two hours past such specified times, or until sunset at the
nearest Class A station located west of the Class D station, whichever is
earlier. Class D stations located west of the Class A station do not qualify
for PSSA operation.
(4) Class D stations on regional channels to commence PSSA operation at
sunset times specified on their basic instruments of authorization and to
continue such operation until two hours past such specified times.
(e) Procedural Matters. (1) Applications for PSRA and PSSA operation are not
required. Instead, the FCC will calculate the periods of such operation and
the power to be used pursuant to the provisions of this section and the
protection requirements contained in applicable international agreements.
Licensees will be notified of permissible power and times of operation.
Presunrise and Postsunset service authority permits operation on a secondary
basis and does not confer license rights. No request for such authority need
be filed. However, stations intending to operate PSRA or PSSA shall submit
by letter, signed as specified in Sec. 73.3513, the following information:
(i) Licensee name, station call letters and station location,
(ii) Indication as to whether PSRA operation, PSSA operation, or both, is
intended by the station,
(iii) A description of the method whereby any necessary power reduction will
be achieved.
(2) Upon submission of the required information, such operation may begin
without further authority.
(f) Technical criteria. Calculations to determine whether there is
objectionable interference will be determined in accordance with the AM
Broadcast Technical Standards, Sec. Sec. 73.182 through 73.190, and applicable
international agreements. Calculations will be performed using daytime
antenna systems, or critical hours antenna systems when specified on the
license. In performing calculations to determine assigned power and times
for commencement of PSRA and PSSA operation, the following standards and
criteria will be used:
(1) Class D stations operating in accordance with paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(2),
(d)(1), and (d)(2) of this section are required to protect the nighttime 0.5
mV/m-50% skywave contours of co-channel Class A stations. Where a 0.5
mV/m-50% skywave signal from the Class A station is not produced, the 0.5
mV/m groundwave contour shall be protected.
(2) Class D stations are required to fully protect foreign Class B and Class
C stations when operating PSRA and PSSA; Class D stations operating PSSA are
required to fully protect U.S. Class B stations. For purposes of determining
protection, the nighttime RSS limit will be used in the determination of
maximum permissible power.
(3) Class D stations operating in accordance with paragraphs (d)(2) and
(d)(3) of this section are required to restrict maximum 10% skywave
radiation at any point on the daytime 0.1 mV/m groundwave contour of a
co-channel Class A station to 25 µV/m. The location of the 0.1 mV/m contour
of the Class A station will be determined by use of Figure M3, Estimated
Ground Conductivity in the United States. When the 0.1 mV/m contour extends
beyond the national boundary, the international boundary shall be considered
the 0.1 mV/m contour.
(4) Class B and Class D stations on regional channels operating PSRA and
PSSA (Class D only) are required to provide full protection to co-channel
foreign Class B and Class C stations.
(5) Class D stations on regional channels operating PSSA beyond 6 p.m. local
time are required to fully protect U.S. Class B stations.
(6) The protection that Class D stations on regional channels are required
to provide when operating PSSA until 6 p.m. local time is as follows.
(i) For the first half-hour of PSSA operation, protection will be calculated
at sunset plus 30 minutes at the site of the Class D station;
(ii) For the second half-hour of PSSA operation, protection will be
calculated at sunset plus one hour at the site of the Class D station;
(iii) For the second hour of PSSA operation, protection will be calculated
at sunset plus two hours at the site of the Class D station;
(iv) Minimum powers during the period until 6 p.m. local time shall be
permitted as follows:
Calculated power Adjusted minimum power
From 1 to 45 watts 50 watts.
Above 45 to 70 watts 75 watts.
Above 70 to 100 watts 100 watts.
(7) For protection purposes, the nighttime 25% RSS limit will be used in the
determination of maximum permissible power.
(g) Calculations made under paragraph (d) of this section may not take
outstanding PSRA or PSSA operations into account, nor will the grant of a
PSRA or PSSA confer any degree of interference protection on the holder
thereof.
(h) Operation under a PSRA or PSSA is not mandatory, and will not be
included in determining compliance with the requirements of Sec. 73.1740. To the
extent actually undertaken, however, presunrise operation will be considered
by the FCC in determining overall compliance with past programming
representations and station policy concerning commercial matter.
(i) The PSRA or PSSA is secondary to the basic instrument of authorization
with which it is to be associated. The PSRA or PSSA may be suspended,
modified, or withdrawn by the FCC without prior notice or right to hearing,
if necessary to resolve interference conflicts, to implement agreements with
foreign governments, or in other circumstances warranting such action.
Moreover, the PSRA or PSSA does not extend beyond the term of the basic
authorization.
(j) The Commission will periodically recalculate maximum permissible power
and times for commencing PSRA and PSSA for each Class D station operating in
accordance with paragraph (c) of this section. The Commission will calculate
the maximum power at which each individual station may conduct presunrise
operations during extended daylight saving time and shall issue conforming
authorizations. These original notifications and subsequent notifications
should be associated with the station's authorization. Upon notification of
new power and time of commencing operation, affected stations shall make
necessary adjustments within 30 days.
(k) A PSRA and PSSA does not require compliance with Sec. Sec. 73.45, 73.182 and
73.1560 where the operation might otherwise be considered as technically
substandard. Further, the requirements of paragraphs (a)(5), (b)(2), (c)(2),
and (d)(2) of Sec. 73.1215 concerning the scale ranges of transmission system
indicating instruments are waived for PSRA and PSSA operation except for the
radio frequency ammeters used in determining antenna input power.
(1) A station having an antenna monitor incapable of functioning at the
authorized PSRA and PSSA power when using a directional antenna shall take
the monitor reading using an unmodulated carrier at the authorized daytime
power immediately prior to commencing PSRA or PSSA operations. Special
conditions as the FCC may deem appropriate may be included for PSRA or PSSA
to insure operation of the transmitter and associated equipment in
accordance with all phases of good engineering practice.
[ 56 FR 64860 , Dec. 12, 1991; 57 FR 43290 , Sept. 18, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 27950 , May 12, 1993]
Goto Section: 73.88 | 73.127
Goto Year: 2006 |
2008
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