§  5.203   Experimental authorizations for licensed broadcast stations.

   (a) Licensees of broadcast stations (including TV Translator, LPTV, and
   TV Booster stations) may obtain experimental authorizations to conduct
   technical experimentation directed toward improvement of the technical
   phases of operation and service, and for such purposes may use a signal
   other than the normal broadcast program signal.

   (b) Experimental authorizations for licensed broadcast stations may be
   requested by filing an informal application with the FCC in Washington,
   DC, describing the nature and purpose of the experimentation to be
   conducted, the nature of the experimental signal to be transmitted, and
   the proposed schedule of hours and duration of the experimentation.

   (c) Experimental operations for licensed broadcast stations are subject
   to the following conditions:

   (1) The authorized power of the station may not be exceeded more than 5
   percent above the maximum power specified, except as specifically
   authorized for the experimental operations.

   (2) Emissions outside the authorized bandwidth must be attenuated to
   the degree required for the particular type of station.

   (3) The experimental operations may be conducted at any time the
   licensed station is authorized to operate, but the minimum required
   schedule of programming for the class and type of station must be met.
   AM stations also may conduct experimental operations during the
   experimental period (12 midnight local time to local sunrise) and at
   additional hours if permitted by the experimental authorization
   provided no interference is caused to other stations maintaining a
   regular operating schedule within such period(s).

   (4) If a licensed station's experimental authorization permits the use
   of additional facilities or hours of operation for experimental
   purposes, no sponsored programs or commercial announcements may be
   transmitted during such experimentation.

   (5) The licensee may transmit regularly scheduled programming
   concurrently with the experimental transmission if there is no
   significant impairment of service.

   (6) No charges may be made, either directly or indirectly, for the
   experimentation; however, normal charges may be made for regularly
   scheduled programming transmitted concurrently with the experimental
   transmissions.

   (d) The FCC may request a report of the research, experimentation and
   results at the conclusion of the experimental operation.

   [ 78 FR 25162 , Apr. 29, 2013, as amended at  84 FR 2758 , Feb. 8, 2019]