Sec. 73.1030 Notifications concerning interference to radio astronomy,
research and receiving installations.
(a) Radio astronomy and radio research installations. In order to
minimize harmful interference at the National Radio Astronomy
Observatory site located at Green, Pocahontas County, West Virginia, and
at the Naval Radio Research Observatory at Sugar Grove, Pendleton
County, West Virginia, a licensee proposing to operate a short-term
broadcast auxiliary station pursuant to Sec. 74.24, or an applicant for
authority to construct a new broadcast 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' N on the
north, 78 deg.30' W on the east, 37 deg.30' N on the south, and
80 deg.30' W on the west shall, at the time of filing such application
with the FCC, simultaneously notify the following:
Interference Office, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box
2, Green Bank, West Virginia 24944, Telephone: 304-456-2011.
The notification shall be in writing and set forth the particulars of
the proposed station, including 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 FCC the date notification was made to the
observatory. After receipt of such applications, the FCC 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 FCC will consider all aspects of the problem and
[[Page 258]]
take whatever action is deemed appropriate.
(b) Radio receiving installations. 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 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 (within the area bounded by 40 deg.09'10'' N Latitude on the
north, 105 deg.13'31'' W Longitude on the east, 40 deg.07'05'' N
Latitude on the south, and 105 deg.15'13'' W Longitude on the west)
resulting from new assignments (other than mobile stations) or from the
modification of relocation of existing facilities do not exceed the
following values:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Power flux
Field density in
strength in authorized
Frequency range authorized bandwidth
bandwidth of service
of service (dBW/m\2\)
(mV/m) \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below 540 kHz................................. 10 -65.8
540 to 1700 kHz............................... 20 -59.8
1.7 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 calculated assuming free
space characteristic impedance of 376.7=120 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 recommended 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 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 Table
Mountain Receiving Zone;
(iv) Stations within 80 km (50 statute miles) with 25 kW or more ERP
in the primary plane polarization in the azimuthal direction of Table
Mountain 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 objectimns 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.
(c) Protection for Federal Communications Commission monitoring
stations. (1) Applicants in the vicinity of a 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 in excess of 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 FCC 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/m\2\ power
flux density assuming a free space characteristic
[[Page 259]]
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 protection
necessary should be considered. Prospective applicants may communicate
with: Chief, Compliance and Information Bureau, Federal Communications
Commission, Washington, DC 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
Sec. 0.121(c) of the Commission's Rules and also meets the criteria
outlined in paragraphs (b) (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.
[ 43 FR 32782 , July 28, 1978, as amended at 44 FR 77167 , Dec. 31, 1979;
47 FR 9221 , Mar. 4, 1982; 50 FR 39003 , Sept. 26, 1985; 52 FR 25867 , July
9, 1987; 52 FR 36879 , Oct. 1, 1987; 52 FR 37789 , Oct. 9, 1987; 56 FR 64872 , Dec. 12, 1991; 61 FR 8477 , Mar. 5, 1996]
CiteFind - See documents on FCC website that
cite this rule
Want to support this service?
Thanks!
Report errors in
this rule. Since these rules are converted to HTML by machine, it's possible errors have been made. Please
help us improve these rules by clicking the Report FCC Rule Errors link to report an error.