[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: 47CFR78.105]

[Page 774-775]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
                         COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 78_CABLE TELEVISION RELAY SERVICE--Table of Contents
 
                     Subpart D_Technical Regulations
 
Sec.  78.105  Antenna systems.

    (a) For fixed stations operating in the 12.7-13.2 GHz and 17.7-19.7 
GHz bands, the following standards apply:
    (1) Fixed CARS stations shall use directional antennas that meet the 
performance standards indicated in the following table.
    (i) Stations must employ an antenna that meets the performance 
standards for Category B. In areas subject to frequency congestion, 
where proposed facilities would be precluded by continued use of a 
Category B antenna, a Category A antenna must be employed. The 
Commission may require the use of a high performance antenna where 
interference problems can be resolved by the use of such antennas.
    (ii) Upon adequate showing of need to serve a larger sector, or more 
than a single sector, greater beamwidth or multiple antennas may be 
authorized. Applicants shall request and authorization for stations in 
this service will specify the polarization of each transmitted signal.
    (iii) Licensees shall comply with the antenna standards table shown 
in this paragraph in the following manner:
    (A) With either the maximum beamwidth to 3 dB points requirement or 
with the minimum antenna gain requirement; and
    (B) With the minimum radiation suppression to angle requirement.

                                                                    Antenna Standards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Maximum                   Minimum radiation suppression to angle in degrees from
                                                                 beamwidith                            centerline of main beam in decibels
                                                                   to 3 dB    Minimum  -----------------------------------------------------------------
                   Frequency (MHz)                     Category   points 1    antenna
                                                                  (included     gain     5[deg]  10[deg]  15[deg]  20[deg]   30[deg]  100[deg]  140[deg]
                                                                  angle in     (dbi)       to       to       to       to       to        to        to
                                                                  degrees)              10[deg]  15[deg]  20[deg]  30[deg]  100[deg]  140[deg]  180[deg]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12,700 to 13,250....................................          A         1.0        n/a      23       28       35       39        41        42        50
                                                              B         2.0        n/a      20       25       28       30        32        37        47
17,700 to 19,700....................................          A         2.2         38      25       29       33       36        42        55        55
                                                              B         2.2         38      20       24       28       32        35        36        36
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ If a licensee chooses to show compliance using maximum beamwidth to 3 dB points, the beamwidth limit shall apply in both the azimuth and the
  elevation planes.

    (2) New periscope antenna systems will be authorized upon a 
certification that the radiation, in a horizontal plane, from an 
illuminating antenna and reflector combination meets or exceeds the 
antenna standards of this section. This provision similarly applies to 
passive repeaters employed to redirect or repeat the signal from a 
station's directional antenna system.
    (3) The choice of receiving antennas is left to the discretion of 
the licensee. However, licensees will not be protected from interference 
which results from the use of antennas with poorer performance than 
defined in paragraph (a) of this section.
    (4) Pickup stations are not subject to the performance standards 
herein stated. The provisions of this paragraph are effective for all 
new applications accepted for filing after October 1, 1981.
    (b) Any fixed station licensed pursuant to an application accepted 
for filing prior to October 1, 1981, may continue to use its existing 
antenna system, subject to periodic renewal until April 1, 1992, After 
April 1, 1992, all licensees are to use antenna systems in conformance 
with the standards of this section. TV auxiliary broadcast stations are 
considered to be located in an area subject to frequency congestion and 
must employ a Category A antenna when:
    (1) A showing by an applicant of a new CAR service or TV auxiliary 
broadcast, which shares the 12.7-13.20 GHz band with CARS, indicates 
that use of a category B antenna limits a proposed project because of 
interference, and
    (2) That use of a category A antenna will remedy the interference 
thus allowing the project to be realized.
    (c) As an exception to the provisions of this section, the FCC may 
approve requests for use of periscope antenna systems where a persuasive 
showing is made that no frequency conflicts exist

[[Page 775]]

in the area of proposed use. Such approvals shall be conditioned to 
require conversion to a standard antenna as required in paragraph (a) of 
this section when an applicant of a new TV auxiliary broadcast or Cable 
Television Relay station indicates that the use of the existing antenna 
system will cause interference and the use of a category A or B antenna 
will remedy the interference.
    (d) As a further exception to the provision of paragraph (a) of this 
section the Commission may approve antenna systems not conforming to the 
technical standards where a persuasive showing is made that:
    (1) Indicates in detail why an antenna system complying with the 
requirements of paragraph (a) of this section cannot be installed, and
    (2) Includes a statement indicating that frequency coordination as 
required in Sec.  78.18a was accomplished.

[45 FR 78694, Nov. 26, 1980, as amended at 49 FR 37779, Sept. 26, 1984; 
50 FR 7343, Feb. 22, 1985; 51 FR 19841, June 3, 1986; 56 FR 50664, Oct. 
8, 1991; 62 FR 4923, Feb. 3, 1997; 68 FR 12776, Mar. 17, 2003]