[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 47, Volume 2]

[Revised as of October 1, 2004]

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.



[[Page 218]]



    (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. (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.