Goto Section: 74.1205 | 74.1232 | Table of Contents
FCC 74.1231
Revised as of October 1, 2008
Goto Year:2007 |
2009
Sec. 74.1231 Purpose and permissible service.
(a) FM translators provide a means whereby the signals of FM broadcast
stations may be retransmitted to areas in which direct reception of such FM
broadcast stations is unsatisfactory due to distance or intervening terrain
barriers.
(b) An FM translator may be used for the purpose of retransmitting the
signals of a primary FM radio broadcast station or another translator
station the signal of which is received directly through space, converted,
and suitably amplified. However, an FM translator providing fill-in service
may use any terrestrial facilities to receive the signal that is being
rebroadcast. An FM booster station or a noncommercial educational FM
translator station that is operating on a reserved channel (Channels
201–220) and is owned and operated by the licensee of the primary
noncommercial educational station it rebroadcasts may use alternative signal
delivery means, including, but not limited to, satellite and terrestrial
microwave facilities. Provided, however, that an applicant for a
noncommercial educational translator operating on a reserved channel
(Channel 201–220) and owned and operated by the licensee of the primary
noncommercial educational FM station it rebroadcasts complies with either
paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section:
(1) The applicant demonstrates that:
(i) The transmitter site of the proposed FM translator station is within 80
kilometers of the predicted 1 mV/m contour of the primary station to be
rebroadcast; or,
(ii) The transmitter site of the proposed FM translator station is more than
160 kilometers from the transmitter site of any authorized full service
noncommercial educational FM station; or,
(iii) The application is mutually exclusive with an application containing
the showing as required by Sec. 74.1231(b)(2) (i) or (ii) of this section; or,
(iv) The application is filed after October 1, 1992.
(2) If the transmitter site of the proposed FM translator station is more
than 80 kilometers from the predicted 1 mV/m contour of the primary station
to be rebroadcast or is within 160 kilometers of the transmitter site of any
authorized full service noncommercial educational FM station, the applicant
must show that:
(i) An alternative frequency can be used at the same site as the proposed FM
translator's transmitter location and can provide signal coverage to the
same area encompassed by the applicant's proposed 1 mV/m contour; or,
(ii) An alternative frequency can be used at a different site and can
provide signal coverage to the same area encompassed by the applicant's
proposed 1 mV/m contour.
Note: For paragraphs 74.1231(b) and 74.1231(h) of this section, auxiliary
intercity relay station frequencies may be used to deliver signals to FM
translator and booster stations on a secondary basis only. Such use shall
not interfere with or otherwise preclude use of these frequencies for
transmitting aural programming between the studio and transmitter location
of a broadcast station, or between broadcast stations, as provided in
paragraphs 74.531 (a) and (b) of this part. Prior to filing an application
for an auxiliary intercity relay microwave frequency, the applicant shall
notify the local frequency coordination committee, or, in the absence of a
local frequency coordination committee, any licensees assigned the use of
the proposed operating frequency in the intended location or area of
operation.
(c) The transmissions of each FM translator or booster station shall be
intended only for direct reception by the general public. An FM translator
or booster shall not be operated solely for the purpose of relaying signals
to one or more fixed received points for retransmission, distribution, or
further relaying in order to establish a point-to-point FM radio relay
system.
(d) The technical characteristics of the retransmitted signals shall not be
deliberately altered so as to hinder reception on conventional FM broadcast
receivers.
(e) An FM translator shall not deliberately retransmit the signals of any
station other than the station it is authorized to retransmit. Precautions
shall be taken to avoid unintentional retransmission of such other signals.
(f) A locally generated radio frequency signal similar to that of an FM
broadcast station and modulated with aural information may be connected to
the input terminals of an FM translator for the purpose of transmitting
voice announcements. The radio frequency signals shall be on the same
channel as the normally used off-the-air signal being rebroadcast.
Connection of the locally generated signals shall be made by any automatic
means when transmitting originations concerning financial support. The
connections for emergency transmissions may be made manually. The apparatus
used to generate the local signal that is used to modulate the FM translator
must be capable of producing an aural signal which will provide acceptable
reception on FM receivers designed for the transmission standards employed
by FM broadcast stations.
(g) The aural material transmitted as permitted in paragraph (f) of this
section shall be limited to emergency warnings of imminent danger and to
seeking or acknowledging financial support deemed necessary to the continued
operation of the translator. Originations concerning financial support are
limited to a total of 30 seconds an hour. Within this limitation the length
of any particular announcement will be left to the discretion of the
translator station licensee. Solicitations of contributions shall be limited
to the defrayal of the costs of installation, operation and maintenance of
the translator or acknowledgements of financial support for those purposes.
Such acknowledgements may include identification of the contributors, the
size or nature of the contributions and advertising messages of
contributors. Emergency transmissions shall be no longer or more frequent
than necessary to protect life and property.
(h) FM broadcast booster stations provide a means whereby the licensee of an
FM broadcast station may provide service to areas in any region within the
primary station's predicted, authorized service contours. An FM broadcast
booster station is authorized to retransmit only the signals of its primary
station which have been received directly through space and suitably
amplified, or received by alternative signal delivery means including, but
not limited to, satellite and terrestrial microwave facilities. The FM
booster station shall not retransmit the signals of any other station nor
make independent transmissions, except that locally generated signals may be
used to excite the booster apparatus for the purpose of conducting tests and
measurements essential to the proper installation and maintenance of the
apparatus.
Note: In the case of an FM broadcast station authorized with facilities in
excess of those specified by Sec. 73.211 of this chapter, an FM booster station
will only be authorized within the protected contour of the class of station
being rebroadcast as predicted on the basis of the maximum powers and
heights set forth in that section for the applicable class of FM broadcast
station concerned.
[ 35 FR 15388 , Oct. 2, 1970, as amended at 45 FR 37842 , June 5, 1980; 52 FR 31406 , Aug. 20, 1987; 53 FR 14803 , Apr. 26, 1988; 54 FR 35342 , Aug. 25,
1989; 55 FR 50695 , Dec. 10, 1990; 57 FR 41111 , Sept. 9, 1992; 58 FR 42026 ,
Aug. 6, 1993; 63 FR 33879 , June 22, 1998]
Goto Section: 74.1205 | 74.1232
Goto Year: 2007 |
2009
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