§  90.241   Radio call box operations.

   (a) The frequencies in the 72–76 MHz band listed in § 90.257(a)(1) may
   be assigned in the Public Safety Pool for operation of radio call boxes
   to be used by the public to request fire, police, ambulance, road
   service, and other emergency assistance, subject to the following
   conditions and limitations:

   (1) Maximum transmitter power will be either 2.5 watts plate input to
   the final stage or 1 watt output.

   (2) Antenna gain shall not exceed zero dBd (referred to a half-wave
   dipole) in any horizontal direction.

   (3) Only vertical polarization of antennas shall be permitted.

   (4) The antenna and its supporting structure must not exceed 6.1 m (20
   feet) in height above the ground.

   (5) Only A1D, A2D, F1D, F2D, G1D, or G2D emission shall be authorized.

   (6) The transmitter frequency tolerance shall be 0.005 percent.

   (7) Except for test purposes, each transmission must be limited to a
   maximum of two seconds and shall not be automatically repeated more
   than two times at spaced intervals within the following 30 seconds.
   Thereafter, the authorized cycle may not be reactivated for one minute.

   (8) All transmitters installed after December 10, 1970, shall be
   furnished with an automatic means to deactivate the transmitter in the
   event the carrier remains on for a period in excess of three minutes.
   The automatic cutoff system must be designed so the transmitter can be
   only manually reactivated.

   (9) Frequency selection must be made with regard to reception of
   television stations on channels 4 (66–72 MHz) and 5 (76–82 MHz) and
   should maintain the greatest possible frequency separation from either
   or both of these channels, if they are assigned in the area.

   (b) [Reserved]

   (c) Frequencies in the 450–470 MHz band which are designated as
   available for assignment to central control stations and radio call box
   installations in § 90.20(c) or § 90.20(d)(58) may be assigned in the
   Public Safety Pool for highway call box systems subject to the
   following requirements:

   (1) Call box transmitters shall be installed only on limited access
   highways and may communicate only with central control stations of the
   licensee.

   (2) Maximum transmitter power for call boxes will be either 2.5 watts
   input to the final amplifier stage or one watt output. The central
   control station shall not exceed 25 watts effective radiated power
   (ERP).

   (3) The height of a call box antenna may not exceed 6.1 meters (20
   feet) above the ground, the natural formation, or the existing man-made
   structure (other than an antenna supporting structure) on which it is
   mounted. A central station transmitting antenna, together with its
   supporting structure shall not exceed 15 m. (50 ft.) above the ground
   surface.

   (4) Only F1D, F2D, F3E, G1D, G2D, or G3E, emission may be authorized
   for nonvoice signaling, radiotelephony, and multiplexed voice and
   nonvoice use. The provisions in this part applicable to the use of F3E
   or G3E emission are also applicable to the use of F1D, F2D, G1D or G2D
   emission for call box transmitters.

   (5) The station identification required by § 90.425 shall be by voice
   and may be transmitted for the system from the central control station.
   Means shall be provided at each central control station location to
   automatically indicate the call box unit identifier when a call box
   unit is activated.

   (6) Call box installations must be so designed that their unit
   identifier is automatically transmitted when the handset is lifted.

   (7) Each application for a call box system must contain information on
   the nonvoice transmitting equipment, including the character structure,
   bit rate, modulating tone frequencies, identification codes, and the
   method of modulation (i.e., frequency shift, tone shift, or tone phase
   shift).

   (8) Call box installations may be used secondarily for the transmission
   of information from roadside sensors. Central control station
   transmitters may be used secondarily to interrogate call box roadside
   sensors and for the transmission of signals to activate roadside signs.

   (9) Each call box transmitter must be provided with a timer which will
   automatically deactivate the transmitter after 2 minutes unless the
   central control station operator reactivates the timer cycle.

   (10) The central control station must include facilities that permit
   direct control of any call box in the system.

   (11) Call box transmitter frequency tolerance shall be 0.001 percent.

   (12) Transmitters certificated under this part for use of F3E or G3E
   emission may be used for F1D, F2B, G2B or G2D emission provided that
   the audio tones or digital data bits are passed through the low pass
   audio filter required to be provided in the transmitter for F3E or G3E
   emission. The transmitter must be adjusted and operated so that the
   instantaneous frequency deviation does not exceed the maximum value
   allowed for F3E or G3E emission.

   (d) In addition to the frequencies available pursuant to § 90.20(c) the
   frequencies set forth in § 90.20(d)(58) may be used for central control
   station and call box installations in areas where such frequencies are
   available for fixed system use subject to the requirements and
   limitations of that section and subject to the provisions of paragraphs
   (c) (1), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), and (12) of this section.

   (e) In accordance with subpart Q of this part, the frequencies
   available pursuant to § 90.20(c) or § 90.20(d)(58) for central control
   station and call box installations may be assigned for developmental
   operation as part of a highway safety communication program which is
   designed to provide radio communications directly with motorists to and
   from their motor vehicles.

   [ 43 FR 54791 , Nov. 22, 1978;  44 FR 32219 , June 5, 1979;  49 FR 48712 ,
   Dec. 14, 1984;  50 FR 39680 , Sept. 30, 1985;  50 FR 40976 , Oct. 8, 1985;
    54 FR 38681 , Sept. 20, 1989;  54 FR 45891 , Oct. 31, 1989;  58 FR 44957 ,
   Aug. 25, 1993;  62 FR 18927 , Apr. 17, 1997;  63 FR 36610 , July 7, 1998;
    63 FR 68965 , Dec. 14, 1998;  72 FR 35195 , June 27, 2007]