Sec. 101.61  Certain modifications not requiring prior authorization.

    (a) Equipment in an authorized radio station may be replaced without 
prior authorization or notification if the replacement equipment is 
equivalent to the replaced equipment.
    (b) Licensees of fixed stations in the Private Operational Fixed 
Point-to-Point Microwave, Common Carrier Fixed Point-to-Point Microwave, 
Local Television Transmission, Digital Electronic Message Services, and 
Local Multipoint Distribution Services may make the facility changes 
listed in paragraph (c) of this section without obtaining prior 
Commission authorization, if:
    (1) Frequency coordination procedures, as necessary, are complied 
with in accordance with Sec. 101.103(d) or, in the Digital Electronic 
Message Services, a copy of the notification described in paragraph 
(b)(3) of this section is served on those who were served under 
Sec. 101.509; and
    (2) The cumulative effect of all facility changes made within any 60 
day period does not exceed the appropriate values prescribed by 
paragraph (c) of this section; and
    (3) The Commission is notified of changes made to facilities by the 
submission of a completed FCC Form 415 within 30 days after the changes 
are made, except that licensees in the Local Multipoint Distribution 
Service must notify the Commission by the submission of a completed FCC 
Form 600 within 30 days or, if the change is subject to Sec. 101.305(b) 
or 101.305(c), within the time periods required in those sections.
    (c) Modifications that may be made without prior authorization under 
paragraph (b) of this section are:
    (1) Change or modification of a transmitter, when:
    (i) The replacement or modified transmitter is type-accepted (or 
type-notified) for use under this part and is installed without 
modification from the type-accepted (or type notified) configuration;
    (ii) The type of modulation is not changed;
    (iii) The frequency stability is equal to or better than the 
previously authorized frequency stability; and
    (iv) The necessary bandwidth and the output power do not exceed the 
previously authorized values.
    (2) Addition or deletion of a transmitter for protection without 
changing the authorized power output (e.g. hot standby transmitters);
    (3) Change to an antenna (other than any change involving a 
periscope antenna system), when:
    (i) For the Private Operational Fixed Point-to-Point Microwave, 
Common Carrier Fixed Point-to-Point Microwave, and Local Television 
Transmission Services, the new antenna conforms to the requirements of 
Sec. 101.115 and has essentially the same or better radiation 
characteristics than the previously authorized antenna;
    (ii) For the Digital Electronic Message Service, the new antenna 
conforms with Sec. 101.517 and the gain of the new antenna does not 
exceed that of the previously authorized antenna by more than one dB in 
any direction.
    (4) Any technical changes that would decrease the effective radiated 
power.
    (5) Change to the height of an antenna system, when:
    (i) The new center line height (measured at the center-of-radiation) 
is within &177;1.5 meters of the previously authorized height; 
and
    (ii) The overall height of the antenna structure is not increased as 
a result of the antenna extending above the height of the previously 
authorized structure, except when the new height of the antenna 
structure is 6.1 meters or less (above ground or man-made structure, as 
appropriate) after the change is made.
    (6) Decreases in the overall height of an antenna structure, 
provided that, when notice to the FAA of proposed construction was 
required by part 17 of this chapter for the antenna structure at the 
previously authorized height, the applicant must comply with the 
provisions of Sec. 101.21(a).

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    (7) Changes in the azimuth of the center of the main lobe of 
radiation of a point-to-point station's antenna by a maximum of one 
degree.
    (8) Changes to the transmission line and other devices between the 
transmitter and the antenna when the effective radiated power of the 
station is not increased by more than one dB.
    (9) In the Local Multipoint Distribution Service, changes in 
regulatory status from common carrier to non-common carrier status or 
non-common carrier to common carrier status, or from the addition of 
common carrier or non-common carrier status to an existing license in 
order to be authorized to provide both common carrier and non-common 
carrier services; except that changes that result in the discontinuance, 
reduction, or impairment of the existing service are subject to the 
requirements of Sec. 101.305 (b) and (c).
    (10) In the Local Multipoint Distribution Service, the addition, 
removal, or relocation of facilities within the area authorized by the 
license, except as provided in Sec. 101.1009.
    (d) Licensees may notify the Commission of permissible changes or 
correct erroneous information on a license not involving a major change 
(i.e., a change that would be classified as a major amendment as defined 
by Sec. 101.29) without obtaining prior commission approval by filing 
FCC Form 415, except in Local Multipoint Distribution Service by filing 
FCC Form .
[61 600 FR 26677 , May 28, 1996, as amended at  62 FR 23165 , Apr. 29, 1997]