Sec. 74.1231  Purpose and permissible service.

    (a) FM translators provide a means whereby the signals of FM 
broadcast stations may be retransmitted to areas in which direct 
reception of such FM broadcast stations is unsatisfactory due to 
distance or intervening terrain barriers.
    (b) An FM translator may be used for the purpose of retransmitting 
the signals of a primary FM radio broadcast station or another 
translator station which have been received directly through space, 
converted, and suitably amplified. However, an FM translator providing 
fill-in service may use any terrestrial facilities to receive the signal 
that is being rebroadcast. An FM booster station or a noncommercial 
educational FN translator station operating on a reserved channel 
(Channels 201-220) and owned and operated by

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the licensee of the primary noncommercial educational FM station it 
rebroadcasts may use alternative signal delivery means, including, but 
not limited to, satellite and terrestrial microwave facilities. 
Provided, however, that an applicant for a noncommercial educational FM 
translator station operating on a reserved channel (Channel 201-220) and 
owned and operated by the licensee of the primary noncommercial 
educational FM station it rebroadcasts complies with either paragraph 
(b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section:
    (1) The applicant demonstrates that:
    (i) The transmitter site of the proposed FM translator station is 
within 80 kilometers of the predicted 1 mV/m contour of the primary 
station to be rebroadcast; or,
    (ii) The transmitter site of the proposed FM translator station is 
more than 160 kilometers from the transmitter site of any authorized 
full service noncommercial educational FM station; or,
    (iii) The application is mutually exclusive with an application 
containing the showing as required by Sec. 74.1231(b)(2) (i) or (ii) of 
this section; or,
    (iv) The application is filed after October 1, 1992.
    (2) If the transmitter site of the proposed FM translator station is 
more than 80 kilometers from the predicted 1 mV/m contour of the primary 
station to be rebroadcast or is within 160 kilometers of the transmitter 
site of any authorized full service noncommercial educational FM 
station, the applicant must show that:
    (i) An alternative frequency can be used at the same site as the 
proposed FM translator's transmitter location and can provide signal 
coverage to the same area encompassed by the applicant's proposed 1 mV/m 
contour; or,
    (ii) An alternative frequency can be used at a different site and 
can provide signal coverage to the same area encompassed by the 
applicant's proposed 1 mV/m contour.

    Note: For paragraphs 74.1231(b) and 74.1231(h) of this section, 
auxiliary intercity relay station frequencies may be used to deliver 
signals to FM translator and booster stations on a secondary basis only. 
Such use shall not interfere with or otherwise preclude use of these 
frequencies for transmitting aural programming between the studio and 
transmitter location of a broadcast station, or between broadcast 
stations, as provided in paragraphs 74.531 (a) and (b) of this part. 
Prior to filing an application for an auxiliary intercity relay 
microwave frequency, the applicant shall notify the local frequency 
coordination committee, or, in the absence of a local frequency 
coordination committee, any licensees assigned the use of the proposed 
operating frequency in the intended location or area of operation.

    (c) The transmissions of each FM translator or booster station shall 
be intended only for direct reception by the general public. An FM 
translator or booster shall not be operated solely for the purpose of 
relaying signals to one or more fixed received points for 
retransmission, distribution, or further relaying in order to establish 
a point-to-point FM radio relay system.
    (d) The technical characteristics of the retransmitted signals shall 
not be deliberately altered so as to hinder reception on conventional FM 
broadcast receivers.
    (e) An FM translator shall not deliberately retransmit the signals 
of any station other than the station it is authorized to retransmit. 
Precautions shall be taken to avoid unintentional retransmission of such 
other signals.
    (f) A locally generated radio frequency signal similar to that of an 
FM broadcast station and modulated with aural information may be 
connected to the input terminals of an FM translator for the purpose of 
transmitting voice announcements. The radio frequency signals shall be 
on the same channel as the normally used off-the-air signal being 
rebroadcast. Connection of the locally generated signals shall be made 
by any automatic means when transmitting originations concerning 
financial support. The connections for emergency transmissions may be 
made manually. The apparatus used to generate the local signal that is 
used to modulate the FM translator must be capable of producing an aural 
signal which will provide acceptable reception on FM receivers designed 
for the transmission standards employed by FM broadcast stations.

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    (g) The aural material transmitted as permitted in paragraph (f) of 
this section shall be limited to emergency warnings of imminent danger 
and to seeking or acknowledging financial support deemed necessary to 
the continued operation of the translator. Originations concerning 
financial support are limited to a total of 30 seconds an hour. Within 
this limitation the length of any particular announcement will be left 
to the discretion of the translator station licensee. Solicitations of 
contributions shall be limited to the defrayal of the costs of 
installation, operation and maintenance of the translator or 
acknowledgements of financial support for those purposes. Such 
acknowledgements may include identification of the contributors, the 
size or nature of the contributions and advertising messages of 
contributors. Emergency transmissions shall be no longer or more 
frequent than necessary to protect life and property.
    (h) FM broadcast booster stations provide a means whereby the 
licensee of an FM broadcast station may provide service to areas in any 
region within the primary station's predicted, authorized service 
contours. An FM broadcast booster station is authorized to retransmit 
only the signals of its primary station which have been received 
directly through space and suitably amplified, or received by 
alternative signal delivery means including, but not limited to, 
satellite and terrestrial microwave facilities. The FM booster station 
shall not retransmit the signals of any other station nor make 
independent transmissions, except that locally generated signals may be 
used to excite the booster apparatus for the purpose of conducting tests 
and measurements essential to the proper installation and maintenance of 
the apparatus.

    Note: In the case of an FM broadcast station authorized with 
facilities in excess of those specified by Sec. 73.211 of this chapter, 
an FM booster station will only be authorized within the protected 
contour of the class of station being rebroadcast as predicted on the 
basis of the maximum powers and heights set forth in that section for 
the applicable class of FM broadcast station concerned.


[ 35 FR 15388 , Oct. 2, 1970, as amended at  45 FR 37842 , June 5, 1980;  52 FR 31406 , Aug. 20, 1987;  53 FR 14803 , Apr. 26, 1988;  54 FR 35342 , Aug. 
25, 1989;  55 FR 50695 , Dec. 10, 1990;  57 FR 41111 , Sept. 9, 1992;  58 FR 42026 , Aug. 6, 1993]