Sec. 73.1635  Special temporary authorizations (STA).

    (a) A special temporary authorization (STA) is the authority granted 
to a permittee or licensee to permit the operation of a broadcast 
facility for a limited period at a specified variance from the terms of 
the station authorization or requirements of the FCC rules applicable to 
the particular class of station.
    (1) A request for a STA should be filed with FCC in Washington, DC 
at least 10 days prior to the date of the proposed operation.
    (2) The request is to be made by letter and shall fully describe the 
proposed operation and the necessity for the requested STA. Such letter 
requests shall be signed by the licensee or the licensee's 
representative.
    (3) A request for a STA necessitated by unforeseen equipment damage 
or failure may be made without regard to the procedural requirements of 
this section (e.g. via telegram or telephone). Any request made pursuant 
to this paragraph shall be followed by a written confirmation request 
conforming to the requirements of paragraph (a)(2) of this section. 
Confirmation requests shall be submitted within 24 hours. (See also 
Sec. 73.1680 Emergency Antennas).
    (4) An STA may be granted for an initial period not to exceed 180 
days. A limited number of extensions of such authorizations may be 
granted for additional periods not exceeding 180 days per extension. An 
STA necessitated by technical or equipment problems, however, may, in 
practice, be granted for an initial period not to exceed 90 days with a 
limited number of extensions not to exceed 90 days per extension. The 
permittee or licensee must demonstrate that any further extensions 
requested are necessary and that all steps to resume normal operation 
are being undertaken in an expeditions and timely fashion. The license 
of a broadcasting station that fails to transmit broadcast signals for 
any consecutive 12-month period expires as a matter of law at the end of 
that period, notwithstanding any STA or provision, term, or condition of 
the license to the contrary.
    (5) Certain rules specify special considerations and procedures in 
situations requiring an STA or permit temporary operation at variance 
without prior authorization from the FCC when notification is filed as 
prescribed in the particular rules. See Sec. 73.62, Directional antenna 
system tolerances; Sec. 73.157, Antenna testing during daytime; 
Sec. 73.158, Directional antenna monitoring points; Sec. 73.691, Visual 
modulation monitoring; Sec. 73.1250, Broadcasting emergency information; 
Sec. 73.1350, Transmission system operation; Sec. 73.1560, Operating 
power and mode tolerances; Sec. 73.1570, Modulation levels: AM, FM, and 
TV aural; Sec. 73.1615, Operation during modification of facilities; 
Sec. 73.1680, Emergency antennas; and Sec. 73.1740, Minimum operating 
schedule.
    (b) An STA may be modified or cancelled by the FCC without prior 
notice or right to hearing.
    (c) No request by an AM station for temporary authority to extend 
its hours of operation beyond those authorized by its regular 
authorization will be accepted or granted by the FCC except in emergency 
situations conforming with the requirements of Sec. 73.3542, Application 
for Emergency Authorization. See also Sec. 73.1250, Broadcasting 
Emergency Information.

[ 50 FR 30948 , July 31, 1985, as amended at  58 FR 51250 , Oct. 1, 1993;  60 FR 55482 , Nov. 1, 1995;  61 FR 28767 , June 6, 1996]