[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR73.1350]

[Page 284-285]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
        CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 73_RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES--Table of Contents
 
          Subpart H_Rules Applicable to All Broadcast Stations
 
Sec. 73.1350  Transmission system operation.

    (a) Each licensee is responsible for maintaining and operating its 
broadcast station in a manner which complies with the technical rules 
set forth elsewhere in this part and in accordance with the terms of the 
station authorization.
    (b) The licensee must designate a chief operator in accordance with 
Sec. 73.1870. The licensee may designate one or more technically 
competent persons to adjust the transmitter operating parameters for 
compliance with the technical rules and the station authorization.
    (1) Persons so authorized by the licensee may make such adjustments 
directly at the transmitter site or by using control equipment at an 
off-site location.
    (2) The transmitter control personnel must have the capability to 
turn the transmitter off at all times. If the personnel are at a remote 
location, the control system must provide this capability continuously 
or must include an alternate method of acquiring control that can 
satisfy the requirement of paragraph (e) of this section that operation 
be terminated within three minutes.
    (c) The licensee must establish monitoring procedures and schedules 
for the station and the indicating instruments employed must comply with 
Sec. 73.1215.
    (1) Monitoring procedures and schedules must enable the licensee to 
determine compliance with Sec. 73.1560 regarding operating power and AM 
station mode of operation, Sec. 73.1570 regarding modulation levels, 
and, where applicable, Sec. 73.1213 regarding antenna tower lighting, 
and Sec. 73.69 regarding the parameters of an AM directional antenna 
system.
    (2) Monitoring equipment must be periodically calibrated so as to 
provide reliable indications of transmitter operating parameters with a 
known degree of accuracy. Errors inherent in monitoring equipment and 
the calibration procedure must be taken into account when adjusting 
operating parameters to ensure that the limits imposed by the technical 
rules and the station authorization are not exceeded.
    (d) In the event that a broadcast station is operating in a manner 
that is not in compliance with the applicable technical rules set forth 
elsewhere in this part or the terms of the station authorization, and 
the condition is not listed in paragraph (e) or (f) of this section, 
broadcast operation must be terminated within three hours unless antenna 
input power is reduced sufficiently to eliminate any excess radiation. 
Examples of conditions that require termination of operation within 
three hours include excessive power, excessive modulation or the 
emission of spurious signals that do not result in harmful interference.
    (e) If a broadcast station is operating in a manner that poses a 
threat to life or property or that is likely to significantly disrupt 
the operation of other stations, immediate corrective action is 
required. In such cases, operation must be terminated within three 
minutes unless antenna input power is reduced sufficiently to eliminate 
any excess radiation. Examples of conditions that require immediate 
corrective action include the emission of spurious signals that cause 
harmful interference, any mode of operation not specified by the station 
license for the pertinent time of day, or operation substantially at 
variance from the authorized radiation pattern.
    (f) If a broadcast station is operating in a manner that is not in 
compliance with one of the following technical rules, operation may 
continue if the station complies with relevant alternative provisions in 
the specified rule section.
    (1) AM directional antenna system tolerances, see Sec. 73.62;
    (2) AM directional antenna monitoring points, see Sec. 73.158;
    (3) TV visual waveform, see Sec. 73.691(b);
    (4) Reduced power operation, see Sec. 73.1560(d);
    (5) Reduced modulation level, see Sec. 73.1570(a);
    (6) Emergency antennas, see Sec. 73.1680.
    (g) The transmission system must be maintained and inspected in 
accordance with Sec. 73.1580.
    (h) Whenever a transmission system control point is established at a 
location other than the main studio or transmitter, a letter of 
notification of

[[Page 285]]

that location must be sent to the FCC in Washington, DC, Attention: 
Audio Division (radio) or Video Division (television), Media Bureau, 
within 3 days of the initial use of that point. The letter should 
include a list of all control points in use, for clarity. This 
notification is not required if responsible station personnel can be 
contacted at the transmitter or studio site during hours of operation.
    (i) The licensee must ensure that the station is operated in 
compliance with Part 11 of this chapter, the rules governing the 
Emergency Alert System (EAS).

[60 FR 55481, Nov. 1, 1995, as amended at 63 FR 33877, June 22, 1998; 67 
FR 13232, Mar. 21, 2002; 72 FR 44423, Aug. 8, 2007]