[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR73.58]

[Page 25]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
                         COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 73_RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES--Table of Contents
 
                     Subpart A_AM Broadcast Stations
 
Sec.  73.58  Indicating instruments.

    (a) Each AM broadcast station must be equipped with indicating 
instruments which conform with the specifications described in Sec.  
73.1215 for determining power by the direct and indirect methods, and 
with such other instruments as are necessary for the proper adjustment, 
operation, and maintenance of the transmitting system. However, 
auxiliary transmitters with a nominal power rating of 100 watts or less 
are not required to be equipped with instruments to determine power by 
the indirect method provided that the licensee can determine the antenna 
input power at all times.
    (b) Since it is usually impractical to measure the actual antenna 
current of a shunt excited antenna system, the current measured at the 
input of the excitation circuit feed line is accepted as the antenna 
current.
    (c) The function of each instrument shall be clearly and permanently 
shown on the instrument itself or on the panel immediately adjacent 
thereto.
    (d) In the event that any one of these indicating instruments 
becomes defective when no substitute which conforms with the required 
specifications is available, the station may be operated without the 
defective instrument pending its repair or replacement for a period not 
in excess of 60 days without further authority of the Commission. If the 
defective instrument is the antenna current meter of a nondirectional 
station which does not employ a remote antenna ammeter, or if the 
defective instrument is the common point meter of a station which 
employs a directional antenna and does not employ a remote common point 
meter, the operating power shall be determined by a method described in 
Sec.  73.51(a)(1) or Sec.  73.51(d) during the entire time the station 
is operated without the antenna current meter or common point meter. 
However, if a remote meter is employed and the antenna current ammeter 
or common point meter becomes defective, the remote meter can be used to 
determine operating power pending the return to service of the regular 
meter.
    (e) If conditions beyond the control of the licensee prevent the 
restoration of the meter to service within the above allowed period, 
information requested in accordance with Sec.  73.3549 may be filed by 
letter with the FCC in Washington, DC, Attention: Audio Division, Media 
Bureau, to request additional time as may be required to complete 
repairs of the defective instrument.

[41 FR 36817, Sept. 1, 1976, as amended at 48 FR 38477, Aug. 24, 1983; 
49 FR 49850, Dec. 24, 1984; 50 FR 32416, Aug. 12, 1985; 51 FR 2707, Jan. 
21, 1986; 53 FR 2498, Jan. 28, 1988; 63 FR 33876, June 22, 1998; 66 FR 
20755, Apr. 25, 2001; 67 FR 13231, Mar. 21, 2002]