[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 47, Volume 2] [Revised as of October 1, 2003] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 47CFR23.37] [Page 217-218] TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) PART 23--INTERNATIONAL FIXED PUBLIC RADIOCOMMUNICATION SERVICES--Table of Contents Sec. 23.37 Station identification. (a) General. Every radiotelegraph or radiotelephone station in the International Fixed Public or Fixed Public Press Service shall transmit, as provided below, the identifying call sign or other approved identification signal on each of its assigned frequencies below 30 MHz on which energy is being radiated. (b) When required. (1) The call sign assigned to each frequency shall be transmitted on that frequency at the beginning and end of each period of use of the frequency. (2) During regular operation on any freuency, the call sign or other approved identification signal shall be transmitted at least at hourly intervals within the period from 10 minutes before to 10 minutes after each hour. If identification during this period would require an interruption in the transmission of a radio-photo, a telephone conversation, an addressed program or a multiple addressed press message, or a break in the continuity of a ``conference'' or ``leased line'' type of service, the identifying signal shall be transmitted at the first break in, at the conclusion of, or simultaneously with, the particular transmission as described below. (c) Methods of transmission. (1) All identifying signals shall be transmitted in such a manner as to permit identification without special equipment other than communication type receivers, except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section. When emissions are being used which are not capable of identification without special equipment, the identifying signal shall be transmitted by one of the following methods: (i) By interrupting the transmission and transmitting the call sign in a manner which can be identified without special equipment. (ii) By superimposing the call sign or other approved identification signal on the emission being transmitted without interrupting the transmission as provided for by paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section. (d) Emissions to be used. (1) Except as otherwise provided, the following emissions shall be used for identification: (i) Radiotelegraph stations. The identifying call sign shall be transmitted by International Morse code at a speed not to exceed 25 words per minute and shall consist of the signal ``QRA de'' followed by the call sign. This transmission shall be made at least three times. (ii) Radiotelegraph stations using telephone type emissions. When telephone type emissions are being used in accordance with Sec. 23.11, identification may be made by voice and shall consist of announcing three times in English the call sign of the frequency being used (iii) Radiotelephone stations. The identifying transmission may be made utilizing either telegraph or telephone type emissions. When telegraph emission is used, the transmission shall be made in International Morse Code at a speed not to exceed 25 words per minute and shall consist of the signal ``QRA de'' followed by the call sign. This transmission shall be made at least three times. When telephone emission is used, the identification shall consist of announcing three times in English the call sign of the frequency being used, provided that all privacy or secrecy devices shall be removed from the circuit during such transmissions. (e) Superimposed identification. Radiotelegraph or radiotelephone stations identifying simultaneously with transmission of traffic: call signs or the general identification signal described in paragraph (f) of this section may be superimposed on the emission being transmitted by any method which will make identification possible with communication type receivers provided that approval of any such method shall first have been obtained from the Federal Communications Commission. [[Page 218]] (Approval by the Federal Communications Commission of any means of identification of complex emissions by superimposing identification of regular transmissions will be given upon satisfactory completion of coordinated tests thereof by the applicant and the Commission's Field Engineering Bureau.) Commission approval may be withdrawn if at any subsequent time harmful interference to adjacent frequencies is caused by the superimposed identification. When superimposed identification by call sign is used, the identifying signal shall consist of ``QTT de (call sign)'' transmitted at least three times in International Morse Code at a speed not to exceed 25 words per minute. (f) General identification signal. When an approved method of superimposed identification is used, the identification signal shall consist of ``QTT de (abbreviated name of company recorded with the Commission) (abbreviated name of station recorded with the Commission).'' (It is suggested that ``abbreviated company name'' consist of two to five letters such as the initials of the company name and that ``abbreviated name of station'' consist of two or three letters indicating the name of the city where the licensee's message center is located. Both of these abbreviations shall be notified to the Commission before being used for identification.) This general identification signal shall be transmitted in International Morse Code at a speed not to exceed 25 words per minute and may be transmitted continuously or intermittently as desired provided that it shall be transmitted for at least five minutes total time during the period from 10 minutes before to 10 minutes after each hour that energy is being radiated on the frequency. The same signal may be superimposed on all transmissions being made at a particular station: Provided, however, That licensed call signs shall be transmitted on the frequencies to which they are assigned as often as is practicable and reasonable or at least at the beginning and end of each period of use of each frequency. (g) Identification by printer. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section with respect to methods of transmission, when single channel start-stop 5 unit code printer equipment is being used, the identifying call sign may be transmitted by means of printer signals. When identification is made by printer signals, it shall consist of the call sign for the particular frequency being used and shall be made at least three times at a speed of approximately 60 words per minute.