§  73.1400   Transmission system monitoring and control.

   The licensee of an AM, FM, TV or Class A TV station is responsible for
   assuring that at all times the station operates within tolerances
   specified by applicable technical rules contained in this part and in
   accordance with the terms of the station authorization. Any method of
   complying with applicable tolerances is permissible. The following are
   typical methods of transmission system operation:

   (a) Attended operation. (1) Attended operation consists of ongoing
   supervision of the transmission facilities by a station employee or
   other person designated by the licensee. Such supervision may be
   accomplished by either:

   (i) Direct supervision and control of transmission system parameters by
   a person at the transmitter site; or

   (ii) Remote control of the transmission system by a person at the main
   studio or other location. The remote control system must provide
   sufficient transmission system monitoring and control capability so as
   to ensure compliance with § 73.1350.

   (2) A station may also be monitored and controlled by an automatic
   transmission system (ATS) that is configured to contact a person
   designated by the licensee in the event of a technical malfunction. An
   automatic transmission system consists of monitoring devices, control
   and alarm circuitry, arranged so that they interact automatically to
   operate the station's transmitter and maintain technical parameters
   within licensed values.

   (3) A hybrid system containing some remote control and some ATS
   features is also permissible.

   (4) In the case of remote control or ATS operation, not every station
   parameter need be monitored or controlled if the licensee has good
   reason to believe that its stability is so great that its monitoring
   and control are unnecessary.

   (b) Unattended operation. Unattended operation is either the absence of
   human supervision or the substitution of automated supervision of a
   station's transmission system for human supervision. In the former
   case, equipment is employed which is expected to operate within
   assigned tolerances for extended periods of time. The latter consists
   of the use of a self-monitoring or ATS-monitored and controlled
   transmission system that, in lieu of contacting a person designated by
   the licensee, automatically takes the station off the air within three
   hours of any technical malfunction which is capable of causing
   interference.

   [ 60 FR 55481 , Nov. 1, 1995, as amended at  65 FR 30003 , May 10, 2000]