[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: 47CFR78.19]

[Page 757-761]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
                         COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 78_CABLE TELEVISION RELAY SERVICE--Table of Contents
 
                   Subpart B_Applications and Licenses
 
Sec.  78.19  Interference.

    (a) Applications for CARS stations shall endeavor to select an 
assignable frequency or frequencies which will be least likely to result 
in interference to other licensees in the same area since the FCC itself 
does not undertake frequency coordination.
    (b) Applicants for CARS stations shall take full advantage of all 
known techniques, such as the geometric arrangement of transmitters and 
receivers, the use of minimum power required to provide the needed 
service, and the use of highly directive transmitting and receiving 
antenna systems, to prevent interference to the reception of television 
STL, television intercity relay, and other CARS stations.

[[Page 758]]

    (c)(1) Radio Astronomy and Radio Research Installations. In order to 
minimize harmful interference at the National Radio Astronomy 
Observatory site located at Green Bank, Pocahontas County, W. Va., and 
at the Naval Radio Research Observatory at Sugar Grove, Pendleton 
County, W.Va., an applicant for authority to construct a CARS station, 
except a CARS pickup station, or for authority to make changes in the 
frequency, power, antenna height, or antenna directivity of an existing 
station within the area bounded by 39[deg]15[min] N. on the north, 
78[deg]30[min] W. on the east, 37[deg]30[min] N. on the south and 
80[deg]30[min] W. on the west shall, at the time of filing such 
application with the Commission, simultaneously notify the Director, 
National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Post Office Box No. 2, Green Bank, 
WV 24944, in writing, of the technical particulars of the proposed 
station. Such notification shall include the geographical coordinates of 
the antenna, antenna height, antenna directivity if any, proposed 
frequency, type of emission, and power. In addition, the applicant shall 
indicate in his application to the Commission the date notification was 
made to the Observatory. After receipt of such application, the 
Commission will allow a period of 20 days for comments or objections in 
response to the notifications indicated. If an objection to the proposed 
operation is received during the 20-day period from the National Radio 
Astronomy Observatory for itself or on behalf of the Naval Radio 
Research Observatory, the Commission will consider all aspects of the 
problem and take whatever action is deemed appropriate.
    (2) Any applicant for a new permanent base or fixed station 
authorization to be located on the islands of Puerto Rico, Desecheo, 
Mona, Vieques, and Culebra, or for a modification of an existing 
authorization which would change the frequency, power, antenna height, 
directivity, or location of a station on these islands and would 
increase the likelihood of the authorized facility causing interference, 
shall notify the Interference Office, Arecibo Observatory, Post Office 
Box 995, Arecibo, Puerto Rico 00613, in writing or electronically, of 
the technical parameters of the proposal. Applicants may wish to consult 
interference guidelines, which will be provided by Cornell University. 
Applicants who choose to transmit information electronically should e-
mail to: prcz@naic.edu
    (i) The notification to the Interference Office, Arecibo Observatory 
shall be made prior to, or simultaneously with, the filing of the 
application with the Commission. The notification shall state the 
geographical coordinates of the transmit antenna (NAD-83 datum), antenna 
height above ground, ground elevation at the antenna, antenna 
directivity and gain, proposed frequency and FCC Rule Part, type of 
emission, effective isotropic radiated power, and whether the proposed 
use is itinerant. Generally, submission of the information in the 
technical portion of the FCC license application is adequate 
notification. In addition, the applicant shall indicate in its 
application to the Commission the date notification was made to the 
Arecibo Observatory.
    (ii) After receipt of such applications, the Commission will allow 
the Arecibo Observatory a period of 20 days for comments or objections 
in response to the notification indicated. The applicant will be 
required to make reasonable efforts in order to resolve or mitigate any 
potential interference problem with the Arecibo Observatory and to file 
either an amendment to the application or a modification application, as 
appropriate. If the Commission determines that an applicant has 
satisfied its responsibility to make reasonable efforts to protect the 
Observatory from interference, its application may be granted.
    (iii) The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to operations 
that transmit on frequencies above 15 GHz.
    (d) Protection for Table Mountain Radio Receiving Zone, Boulder 
County, Colorado: Applicants for a station authorization to operate in 
the vicinity of Boulder County, Colorado under this part are advised to 
give due consideration, prior to filing applications, to the need to 
protect the Table Mountain Radio Receiving Zone from harmful 
interference. These are the research laboratories of the Department of 
Commerce, Boulder County, Colorado. To

[[Page 759]]

prevent degradation of the present ambient radio signal level at the 
site, the Department of Commerce seeks to ensure that the field 
strengths of any radiated signals (excluding reflected signals) received 
on this 1800 acre site (in the vicinity of coordinates 
40[deg]07[min]50[sec]N Latitude, 
105[deg]14[min]40[sec]W Longitude) resulting from new 
assignments (other than mobile stations) or from the modification or 
relocation of existing facilities do not exceed the following values:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 In authorized bandwidth
                                                       of service
                                               -------------------------
                Frequency range                    Field      Power flux
                                                  strength   density \1\
                                                   (mV/m)     (dBW/m\2\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below 540 kHz.................................           10        -65.8
540 to 1600 kHz...............................           20        -59.8
1.6 to 470 MHz................................           10    \2\ -65.8
470 to 890 MHz................................           30    \2\ -56.2
Above 890 MHz.................................            1    \2\ -85.8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Equivalent values of power flux density are caculated assuming free
  space characteristic impedance of 376.7=120[pi] ohms.
\2\ Space stations shall conform to the power flux density limits at the
  earth's surface specified in appropriate parts of the FCC rules, but
  in no case should exceed the above levels in any 4 kHz band for all
  angles of arrival.

    (1) Advance consultation is recomended particularly for those 
applicants who have no reliable data which indicates whether the field 
strength or power flux density figures in the above table would be 
exceeded by their proposed radio facilities (except mobile stations). In 
such instances, the following is a suggested guide for determining 
whether coordination is recommended:
    (i) All stations within 2.4 km (1.5 statute miles);
    (ii) Stations within 4.8 km (3 statute miles) with 50 watts or more 
effective radiated power (ERP) in the primary plane of polarization in 
the azimuthal direction of the Table Mountain Radio Receiving Zone;
    (iii) Stations within 16 km (10 statute miles) with 1 kW or more ERP 
in the primary plane of polarization in the azimuthal direction of the 
Table Mountain Radio Receiving Zone;
    (iv) Stations within 80 km (50 statute miles) with 25 kW or more ERP 
in the primary plane of polarization in the azimuthal direction of the 
Table Mountain Radio Receiving Zone.
    (2) Applicants concerned are urged to communicate with the Radio 
Frequency Management Coordinator, Department of Commerce, Research 
Support Services, NOAA R/E5X2, Boulder Laboratories, Boulder, CO 80303; 
telephone (303) 497-6548, in advance of filing their applications with 
the Commission.
    (3) The Commission will not screen applications to determine whether 
advance consultation has taken place. However, applicants are advised 
that such consultation can avoid objections from the Department of 
Commerce or proceedings to modify any authorization which may be granted 
which, in fact, delivers a signal at the site in excess of the field 
strength specified herein.
    (e) Protection for Federal Communications Commission monitoring 
stations:
    (1) Applicants in the vicinity of an FCC monitoring station for a 
radio station authorization to operate new transmitting facilities or 
changed transmitting facilities which would increase the field strength 
produced over the monitoring station over that previously authorized are 
advised to give consideration, prior to filing applications, to the 
possible need to protect the FCC stations from harmful interference. 
Geographical coordinates of the facilities which require protection are 
listed in Sec.  0.121(c) of the Commission's Rules. Applications for 
stations (except mobile stations) which will produce on any frequency a 
direct wave fundamental field strength of greater than 10 mV/m in the 
authorized bandwidth of service (-65.8 dBW/m2 power flux density 
assuming a free space characteristic impedance of 120 ohms) at the 
referenced coordinates, may be examined to determine extent of possible 
interference. Depending on the theoretical field strength value and 
existing root-sum-square or other ambient radio field signal levels at 
the indicated coordinates, a clause protecting the monitoring station 
may be added to the station authorization.
    (2) In the event that calculated value of expected field exceeds 10 
mV/m (-65.8 dBW/m2) at the reference coordinates, or if there is any 
question whether field strength levels might exceed the threshold value, 
advance consultation with the FCC to discuss any

[[Page 760]]

protection necessary should be considered. Prospective applicants may 
communicate with: Chief, Compliance and Information Bureau, Federal 
Communications Commission, Washington, D.C. 20554, Telephone (202) 632-
6980.
    (3) Advance consultation is suggested particularly for those 
applicants who have no reliable data which indicates whether the field 
strength or power flux density figure indicated would be exceeded by 
their proposed radio facilities (except mobile stations). In such 
instances, the following is a suggested guide for determining whether an 
applicant should coordinate:
    (i) All stations within 2.4 kilometers (1.5 statute miles);
    (ii) Stations within 4.8 kilometers (3 statute miles) with 50 watts 
or more average effective radiated power (ERP) in the primary plane of 
polarization in the azimuthal direction of the Monitoring Stations.
    (iii) Stations within 16 kilometers (10 statute miles) with 1 kW or 
more average ERP in the primary plane of polarization in the azimuthal 
direction of the Monitoring Station;
    (iv) Stations within 80 kilometers (50 statute miles) with 25 kW or 
more average ERP in the primary plane of polarization in the azimuthal 
direction of the Monitoring Station;
    (4) Advance coordination for stations operating above 1000 MHz is 
recommended only where the proposed station is in the vicinity of a 
monitoring station designated as a satellite monitoring facility in 
section 0.121(c) of the Commission's Rules and also meets the criteria 
outlined in paragraphs (f) (2) and (3) of this section.
    (5) The Commission will not screen applications to determine whether 
advance consultation has taken place. However, applicants are advised 
that such consultation can avoid objections from the Federal 
Communications Commission or modification of any authorization which 
will cause harmful interference.
    (f) Protection to the Federal Government's receive earth station 
perations in the Denver, Colorado and Washington D.C. areas in the 
17,800 to 19,700 MHz band.
    (1) With the exception of applicants for a station authorization to 
operate within a 5 km radius of 39[deg]40[min]23[sec] N Lat. and 
105[deg]13[min]03[sec] W Long (Morrison, CO), applicants will not be 
authorized to operate within a 50 km radius of 39[deg]43[min]00[sec] N 
Lat. and 104[deg]46[min]00[sec] W Long. (Denver, CO) and within a 50 km 
radius of 38[deg]48[min]00[sec] N Lat. and 76[deg]52[min]00[sec] W Long. 
(Washington, DC).
    (2) To minimize or avoid harmful interference to Government 
Satellite Earth Stations located in the Denver, Colorado and Washington, 
DC areas, any application for a new station license to operate in the 
17.8-19.7 GHz band, or for modification of an existing station license 
in this band which would change the frequency, power, emission, 
modulation, polarization, antenna height or directivity, or location of 
such a station, must be coordinated with the Federal Government by the 
Commission before an authorization will be issued, if the station or 
proposed station is located in whole or in part within any of the areas 
defined by the following rectangles or circles:
    (i) A circular area within a 5 km radius of 39[deg]40[min]23[sec] N 
Lat. and 105[deg]13[min]03[sec] W Long. (Morrison, CO)
    (ii) Within the rectangular areas defined as follows (vicinity of 
Denver, CO):

Rectangle 1:
414[deg]30[min]00[sec] N. Lat. on the north
103[deg]10[min]00[sec] W. Long. on the east
38[deg]30[min]00[sec] N. Lat. on the south
106[deg]30[min]00[sec] W. Long. on the west
Rectangle 2:
38[deg]30[min]00[sec] N. Lat. on the north
105[deg]00[min]00[sec] W. Long. on the east
37[deg]30[min]00[sec] N. Lat. on the south
105[deg]50[min]00[sec] W. Long. on the west
Rectangle 3:
40[deg]08[min]00[sec] N. Lat. on the north
107[deg]00[min]00[sec] W. Long. on the east
39[deg]56[min]00[sec] N. Lat. on the south
107[deg]15[min]00[sec] W. Long. on the west

    (iii) Within the rectangle and circle areas as follows (vicinity of 
Washington, DC):

Rectangle
38[deg]40[min]00[sec] N. Lat. on the north
78[deg]50[min]00[sec] W. Long. on the east
38[deg]10[min]00[sec] N. Lat. on the south
79[deg]20[min]00[sec] W. Long. on the west or

    or

    (iv) Within a radius of 178 km of 38[deg]48[min]00[sec] N. Lat. / 
76[deg]52[min]00[sec] W. Long.


[[Page 761]]


    Note to Sec.  78.19: The coordinates cited in this section are 
specified in terms of the ``North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)'' with 
an accuracy of -30 meters with respect to the ``National Spacial 
Reference System.''

[37 FR 3292, Feb. 12, 1972, as amended at 37 FR 15926, Aug. 8, 1972; 37 
FR 26733, Dec. 15, 1972; 38 FR 1920, Jan. 19, 1973; 42 FR 33037, June 
29, 1977; 44 FR 77167, Dec. 31, 1979; 45 FR 78694, Nov. 26, 1980; 50 FR 
32418, Aug. 12, 1985; 50 FR 40863, Oct. 7, 1985; 50 FR 45406, Oct. 31, 
1985; 58 FR 44952, Aug. 25, 1993; 61 FR 8478, Mar. 5, 1996; 62 FR 55533, 
55538, Oct. 27, 1997]