Goto Section: 1.923 | 1.925 | Table of Contents

FCC 1.924
Revised as of October 2, 2015
Goto Year:2014 | 2016
  § 1.924   Quiet zones.

   Areas implicated by this paragraph are those in which it is necessary to
   restrict radiation so as to minimize possible impact on the operations of
   radio  astronomy  or  other  facilities  that  are highly sensitive to
   interference. Consent throughout this paragraph means written consent from
   the  quiet zone, radio astronomy, research, and receiving installation
   entity. The areas involved and procedures required are as follows:

   (a) NRAO, NRRO. The requirements of this paragraph are intended to minimize
   possible interference at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory site
   located at Green Bank, Pocahontas County, West Virginia, and at the Naval
   Radio Research Observatory site at Sugar Grove, Pendleton County, West
   Virginia.

   (1) Applicants and licensees planning to construct and operate a new or
   modified station at a permanent fixed location within the area bounded by N
   39°15′0.4″ on the north, W 78°29′59.0″ on the east, N 37°30′0.4″ on the
   south, and W 80°29′59.2″ on the west must notify the Director, National
   Radio  Astronomy  Observatory, Post Office Box No. 2, Green Bank, West
   Virginia  24944,  in writing, of the technical details of the proposed
   operation. The notification must include the geographical coordinates of the
   antenna location, the antenna height, antenna directivity (if any), the
   channel, the emission type and power.

   (2) When an application for authority to operate a station is filed with the
   FCC, the notification required in paragraph (a)(1) of this section may be
   made prior to, or simultaneously with the application. The application must
   state the date that notification in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this
   section was made. After receipt of such applications, the FCC will allow a
   period  of  20  days  for  comments  or  objections in response to the
   notifications indicated. If an applicant submits written consent from the
   National Radio Astronomy Observatory for itself or on behalf of the Naval
   Radio Research Observatory, the FCC will process the application without
   awaiting the conclusion of the 20-day period. For services that do not
   require  individual station authorization, entities that have obtained
   written consent from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory for itself or
   on behalf of the Naval Radio Research Observatory may begin to operate new
   or modified facilities prior to the end of the 20-day period. In instances
   in  which  notification  has been made to the National Radio Astronomy
   Observatory prior to application filing, the applicant must also provide
   notice to the quiet zone entity upon actual filing of the application with
   the  FCC. Such notice will be made simultaneous with the filing of the
   application and shall comply with the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of
   this section.

   (3) If an objection is received during the 20-day period from the National
   Radio Astronomy Observatory for itself or on behalf of the Naval Radio
   Research Observatory, the FCC will, after consideration of the record, take
   whatever action is deemed appropriate.

   (b) Table Mountain. The requirements of this paragraph are intended to
   minimize possible interference at the Table Mountain Radio Receiving Zone of
   the Research Laboratories of the Department of Commerce located in Boulder
   County, Colorado.

   (1) Licensees and applicants planning to construct and operate a new or
   modified station at a permanent fixed location in the vicinity of Boulder
   County,  Colorado  are  advised to give consideration, prior to filing
   applications, to the need to protect the Table Mountain Radio Receiving Zone
   from interference. To prevent degradation of the present ambient radio
   signal level at the site, the Department of Commerce seeks to ensure that
   the field strengths of any radiated signals (excluding reflected signals)
   received  on  this  1800  acre  site  (in  the vicinity of coordinates
   40°07′49.9″ North Latitude, 105°14′42.0″ West Longitude) resulting from new
   assignments  (other  than mobile stations) or from the modification or
   relocation of existing facilities do not exceed the values given in the
   following table:

   Field Strength Limits for Table Mountain^1
   Frequency range Field strength
   (mV/m) Power flux density
   (dBW/m^2)
   Below 540 kHz 10 −65.8
   540 to 1600 kHz 20 −59.8
   1.6 to 470 MHz 10 −65.8
   470 to 890 MHz 30 −56.2
   890 MHz and above 1 −85.8

   ^1Note: Equivalent values of power flux density are calculated assuming free
   space characteristic impedance of 376.7Ω (120πΩ).

   (2) Advance consultation is recommended, particularly for applicants that
   have no reliable data to indicate whether the field strength or power flux
   density figures in the above table would be exceeded by their proposed radio
   facilities. In general, coordination is recommended for:

   (i) Stations located within 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) of the Table Mountain
   Radio Receiving Zone;

   (ii) Stations located within 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) transmitting with 50
   watts  or  more effective radiated power (ERP) in the primary plane of
   polarization  in  the  azimuthal direction of the Table Mountain Radio
   Receiving Zone;

   (iii) Stations located with 16 kilometers (10 miles) transmitting with 1 kW
   or more ERP in the primary plane of polarization in the azimuthal direction
   of Table Mountain Radio Receiving Zone;

   (iv) Stations located within 80 kilometers (50 miles) transmitting with 25
   kW  or  more ERP in the primary plane of polarization in the azimuthal
   direction of Table Mountain Receiving Zone.

   (3) Applicants concerned are urged to communicate with the Radio Frequency
   Manager, Department of Commerce, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305; Telephone:
   303-497-4619, Fax: 303-497-6982, E-mail: frequencymanager@its.bldrdoc.gov,
   in advance of filing their applications with the Commission.

   (4)  The FCC will not screen applications to determine whether advance
   consultation has taken place. However, such consultation may avoid the
   filing of objections from the Department of Commerce or institution of
   proceedings to modify the authorizations of stations that radiate signals
   with a field strength or power flux density at the site in excess of those
   specified herein.

   (c)  Federal  Communications  Commission  protected field offices. The
   requirements  of  this  paragraph  are  intended  to minimize possible
   interference to FCC monitoring activities.

   (1) Licensees and applicants planning to construct and operate a new or
   modified station at a permanent fixed location in the vicinity of an FCC
   protected field office are advised to give consideration, prior to filing
   applications,  to  the  need  to avoid interfering with the monitoring
   activities of that office. FCC protected field offices are listed in § 0.121
   of this chapter.

   (2) Applications for stations (except mobile stations) that could produce on
   any channel a direct wave fundamental field strength of greater than 10 mV/m
   (−65.8  dBW/m2 power flux density assuming a free space characteristic
   impedance of 120π Ω) in the authorized bandwidth at the protected field
   office may be examined to determine the potential for interference with
   monitoring activities. After consideration of the effects of the predicted
   field strength of the proposed station, including the cumulative effects of
   the signal from the proposed station with other ambient radio field strength
   levels  at  the  protected  field  office, the FCC may add a condition
   restricting radiation toward the protected field office to the station
   authorization.

   (3) In the event that the calculated field strength exceeds 10 mV/m at the
   protected field office site, or if there is any question whether field
   strength levels might exceed that level, advance consultation with the FCC
   to discuss possible measures to avoid interference to monitoring activities
   should be considered. Prospective applicants may communicate with: Chief,
   Enforcement Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC 20554.

   (4) Advance consultation is recommended for applicants that have no reliable
   data to indicate whether the field strength or power flux density figure
   indicated would be exceeded by their proposed radio facilities. In general,
   coordination is recommended for:

   (i) Stations located within 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) of the protected
   field office;

   (ii) Stations located within 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) with 50 watts or more
   average effective radiated power (ERP) in the primary plane of polarization
   in the azimuthal direction of the protected field offices.

   (iii) Stations located within 16 kilometers (10 miles) with 1 kw or more
   average ERP in the primary plane of polarization in the azimuthal direction
   of the protected field office;

   (iv) Stations located within 80 kilometers (50 miles) with 25 kw or more
   average ERP in the primary plane of polarization in the azimuthal direction
   of the protected field office;

   (v) Advance coordination for stations transmitting on channels above 1000
   MHz is recommended only if the proposed station is in the vicinity of a
   protected field office designated as a satellite monitoring facility in
   § 0.121 of this chapter.

   (vi) The FCC will not screen applications to determine whether advance
   consultation has taken place. However, such consultation may serve to avoid
   the need for later modification of the authorizations of stations that
   interfere with monitoring activities at protected field offices.

   (d)  Notification to the Arecibo Observatory. The requirements in this
   section  are intended to minimize possible interference at the Arecibo
   Observatory  in Puerto Rico. Licensees must make reasonable efforts to
   protect the Observatory from interference. Licensees planning to construct
   and operate a new station at a permanent fixed location on the islands of
   Puerto  Rico,  Desecheo, Mona, Vieques or Culebra in services in which
   individual station licenses are issued by the FCC; planning to construct and
   operate a new station at a permanent fixed location on these islands that
   may cause interference to the operations of the Arecibo Observatory in
   services in which individual station licenses are not issued by the FCC; or
   planning  a  modification of any existing station at a permanent fixed
   location on these islands that would increase the likelihood of causing
   interference to the operations of the Arecibo Observatory must notify the
   Interference Office, Arecibo Observatory, HC3 Box 53995, Arecibo, Puerto
   Rico 00612, in writing or electronically (e-mail address: prcz@naic.edu), of
   the technical parameters of the planned operation. Carriers may wish to use
   the interference guidelines provided by Cornell University as guidance in
   designing  facilities  to  avoid  interference to the Observatory. The
   notification must include identification of the geographical coordinates of
   the antenna location (NAD-83 datum), the antenna height, antenna directivity
   (if  any),  proposed  channel and FCC Rule Part, type of emission, and
   effective isotropic radiated power.

   (1) In the Amateur radio service:

   (i)  The  provisions  of paragraph (d) of this section do not apply to
   repeaters that transmit on the 1.2 cm or shorter wavelength bands; and

   (ii) The coordination provision of paragraph (d) of this section does not
   apply  to  repeaters  that  are located 16 km or more from the Arecibo
   observatory.

   (2) In services in which individual station licenses are issued by the FCC,
   the notification required in paragraph (d) of this section may be made prior
   to, or simultaneously with, the filing of the application with the FCC, and
   at  least 20 days in advance of the applicant's planned operation. The
   application  must  state the date that notification in accordance with
   paragraph (d) of this section was made. In services in which individual
   station licenses are not issued by the FCC, the notification required in
   paragraph (d) of this section should be sent at least 45 days in advance of
   the applicant's planned operation. In the latter services, the Interference
   Office must inform the FCC of a notification by an applicant within 20 days
   if the Office plans to file comments or objections to the notification.
   After  the  FCC receives an application from a service applicant or is
   informed  by  the Interference Office of a notification from a service
   applicant, the FCC will allow the Interference Office a period of 20 days
   for comments or objections in response to the application or notification.
   If an applicant submits written consent from the Interference Office, the
   FCC will process the application without awaiting the conclusion of the
   20-day  period.  For  services  that do not require individual station
   authorization,  entities  that  have obtained written consent from the
   Interference Office may begin to operate new or modified facilities prior to
   the end of the 20-day period. In instances in which notification has been
   made to the Interference Office prior to application filing, the applicant
   must also provide notice to the Interference Office upon actual filing of
   the application with the FCC. Such notice will be made simultaneous with the
   filing  of  the  application and shall comply with the requirements of
   paragraph (d) of this section.

   (3) If an objection to any planned service operation is received during the
   20-day period from the Interference Office, the FCC will take whatever
   action is deemed appropriate.

   (4)  The  provisions  of paragraph (d) of this section do not apply to
   operations that transmit on frequencies above 15 GHz.

   (e) 420-450 MHz band. Applicants for pulse-ranging radiolocation systems
   operating in the 420-450 MHz band along the shoreline of the conterminous
   United States and Alaska, and for spread spectrum radiolocation systems
   operating in the 420-435 MHz sub-band within the conterminous United States
   and Alaska, should not expect to be accommodated if their area of service is
   within:

   (1) Arizona, Florida, or New Mexico;

   (2) Those portions of California and Nevada that are south of latitude
   37°10′ N.;

   (3) That portion of Texas that is west of longitude 104° W.; or

   (4) The following circular areas:

   (i) 322 kilometers (km) of 30°30′ N., 86°30′ W.

   (ii) 322 km of 28°21′ N., 80°43′ W.

   (iii) 322 km of 34°09′ N., 119°11′ W.

   (iv) 240 km of 39°08′ N., 121°26′ W.

   (v) 200 km of 31°25′ N., 100°24′ W.

   (vi) 200 km of 32°38′ N., 83°35′ W.

   (vii) 160 km of 64°17′ N., 149°10′ W.

   (viii) 160 km of 48°43′ N., 97°54′ W.

   (ix) 160 km of 41°45′ N., 70°32′ W.

   (f) 17.7-19.7 GHz band. The following exclusion areas and coordination areas
   are  established  to minimize or avoid harmful interference to Federal
   Government earth stations receiving in the 17.7-19.7 GHz band:

   (1) No application seeking authority for fixed stations, under parts 74, 78,
   or 101 of this chapter, supporting the operations of Multichannel Video
   Programming Distributors (MVPD) in the 17.7-17.8 GHz band or to operate in
   the 17.8-19.7 GHz band for any service will be accepted for filing if the
   proposed  station  is  located  within  20  km (or within 55 km if the
   modification application is for an outdoor low power operation pursuant to
   § 101.147(r)(14) of this chapter) of Denver, CO (39°43′ N., 104°46′ W.) or
   Washington, DC (38°48′ N., 76°52′ W.).

   (2) Any application for a new station license to provide MVPD operations in
   the 17.7-17.8 GHz band or to operate in the 17.8-19.7 GHz band for any
   service, or for modification of an existing station license in these bands
   which would change the frequency, power, emission, modulation, polarization,
   antenna  height or directivity, or location of such a station, must be
   coordinated  with  the  Federal Government by the Commission before an
   authorization will be issued, if the station or proposed station is located
   in whole or in part within any of the following areas:

   (i) Denver, CO area:

   (A)  Between  latitudes 41°30′ N. and 38°30′ N. and between longitudes
   103°10′ W. and 106°30′ W.

   (B)  Between  latitudes 38°30′ N. and 37°30′ N. and between longitudes
   105°00′ W. and 105°50′ W.

   (C)  Between  latitudes 40°08′ N. and 39°56′ N. and between longitudes
   107°00′ W. and 107°15′ W.

   (ii) Washington, DC area:

   (A)  Between  latitudes 38°40′ N. and 38°10′ N. and between longitudes
   78°50′ W. and 79°20′ W.

   (B) Within 178 km of 38°48′ N., 76°52′ W.

   (iii) San Miguel, CA area:

   (A)  Between  latitudes 34°39′ N. and 34°00′ N. and between longitudes
   118°52′ W. and 119°24′ W.

   (B) Within 200 km of 35°44′ N., 120°45′ W.

   (iv) Guam area: Within 100 km of 13°35′ N., 144°51′ E.

   Note to § 1.924(f): The coordinates cited in this section are specified in
   terms of the “North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).”

   (g)  GOES. The requirements of this paragraph are intended to minimize
   harmful interference to Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
   earth stations receiving in the band 1670-1675 MHz, which are located at
   Wallops Island, Virginia; Fairbanks, Alaska; and Greenbelt, Maryland.

   (1) Applicants and licensees planning to construct and operate a new or
   modified station within the area bounded by a circle with a radius of 100
   kilometers  (62.1  miles) that is centered on 37°56′44″ N, 75°27′37″ W
   (Wallops Island) or 64°58′22″ N, 147°30′04″ W (Fairbanks) or within the area
   bounded by a circle with a radius of 65 kilometers (40.4 miles) that is
   centered on 39°00′02″ N, 76°50′29″ W (Greenbelt) must notify the National
   Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the proposed operation. For
   this  purpose,  NOAA  maintains  the  GOES  coordination  Web  page at
   http://www.osd.noaa.gov/radio/frequency.htm, which provides the technical
   parameters  of  the  earth  stations  and the point-of-contact for the
   notification. The notification shall include the following information:
   Requested frequency, geographical coordinates of the antenna location,
   antenna height above mean sea level, antenna directivity, emission type,
   equivalent  isotropically  radiated power, antenna make and model, and
   transmitter make and model.

   (2) Protection. (i) Wallops Island and Fairbanks. Licensees are required to
   protect the Wallops Island and Fairbanks sites at all times.

   (ii) Greenbelt. Licensees are required to protect the Greenbelt site only
   when  it is active. Licensees should coordinate appropriate procedures
   directly with NOAA for receiving notification of times when this site is
   active.

   (3) When an application for authority to operate a station is filed with the
   FCC, the notification required in paragraph (f)(1) of this section should be
   sent at the same time. The application must state the date that notification
   in accordance with paragraph (f)(1) of this section was made. After receipt
   of such an application, the FCC will allow a period of 20 days for comments
   or objections in response to the notification.

   (4) If an objection is received during the 20-day period from NOAA, the FCC
   will, after consideration of the record, take whatever action is deemed
   appropriate.

   Note  to § 1.924: Unless otherwise noted, all coordinates cited in this
   section are specified in terms of the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).

   [ 63 FR 68924 , Dec. 14, 1998, as amended at  67 FR 6182 , Feb. 11, 2002;  67 FR 13224 , Mar. 21, 2002;  67 FR 41852 , June 20, 2002;  67 FR 71111 , Nov. 29,
   2002;  69 FR 17957 , Apr. 6, 2004;  70 FR 31372 , June 1, 2005;  71 FR 69046 ,
   Nov. 29, 2006;  73 FR 25420 , May 6, 2008;  75 FR 62932 , Oct. 13, 2010;  80 FR 38823 , July 7, 2015]

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