Sec. 76.609  Measurements.

    (a) Measurements made to demonstrate conformity with the performance 
requirements set forth in Secs. 76.601 and 76.605 shall be made under 
conditions which reflect system performance during normal operations, 
including the effect of any microwave relay operated in the Cable 
Television Relay (CARS) Service intervening between pickup antenna and 
the cable distribution network. Amplifiers shall be operated at normal 
gains, either by the insertion of appropriate signals or by manual 
adjustment. Special signals inserted in a cable television channel for 
measurement purposes should be operated at levels approximating those 
used for normal operation. Pilot tones, auxiliary or substitute signals, 
and nontelevision signals normally carried on the cable television 
system should be operated at normal levels to the extent possible. Some 
exemplary, but not mandatory, measurement procedures are set forth in 
this section.
    (b) When it may be necessary to remove the television signal 
normally carried on a cable television channel in order to facilitate a 
performance measurement, it will be permissible to disconnect the 
antenna which serves the channel under measurement and to substitute 
therefor a matching resistance termination. Other antennas and inputs 
should remain connected and normal signal levels should be maintained on 
other channels.
    (c) As may be necessary to ensure satisfactory service to a 
subscriber, the Commission may require additional tests to demonstrate 
system performance or may specify the use of different test procedures.
    (d) The frequency response of a cable television channel may be 
determined by one of the following methods, as appropriate:
    (1) By using a swept frequency or a manually variable signal 
generator at the sending end and a calibrated attenuator and frequency-
selective voltmeter at the subscriber terminal; or
    (2) By using either a multiburst generator or vertical interval test 
signals and either a modulator or processor at the sending end, and by 
using either a demodulator and either an oscilloscope display or a 
waveform monitor display at the subscriber terminal.
    (e) System noise may be measured using a frequency-selective 
voltmeter (field strength meter) which has been suitably calibrated to 
indicate rms noise or average power level and which has a known 
bandwidth. With the system operating at normal level and with a properly 
matched resistive termination substituted for the antenna, noise power 
indications at the subscriber terminal are taken in successive 
increments of frequency equal to the bandwidth of the frequency-
selective voltmeter, summing the power indications to obtain the total 
noise power present over a 4 MHz band centered within the cable 
television channel. If it is established that the noise

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level is constant within this bandwidth, a single measurement may be 
taken which is corrected by an appropriate factor representing the ratio 
of 4 MHz to the noise bandwidth of the frequency-selective voltmeter. If 
an amplifier is inserted between the frequency-selective voltmeter and 
the subscriber terminal in order to facilitate this measurement, it 
should have a bandwidth of at least 4 MHz and appropriate corrections 
must be made to account for its gain and noise figure. Alternatively, 
measurements made in accordance with the NCTA Recommended Practices for 
Measurements on Cable Television Systems, 2nd edition, November 1989, on 
noise measurement may be employed.
    (f) The amplitude of discrete frequency interfering signals within a 
cable television channel may be determined with either a spectrum 
analyzer or with a frequency-selective voltmeter (field strength meter), 
which instruments have been calibrated for adequate accuracy. If 
calibration accuracy is in doubt, measurements may be referenced to a 
calibrated signal generator, or a calibrated variable attenuator, 
substituted at the point of measurement. If an amplifier is used between 
the subscriber terminal and the measuring instrument, appropriate 
corrections must be made to account for its gain.
    (g) The terminal isolation between any two terminals in the cable 
television system may be measured by applying a signal of known 
amplitude to one terminal and measuring the amplitude of that signal at 
the other terminal. The frequency of the signal should be close to the 
midfrequency of the channel being tested. Measurements of terminal 
isolation are not required when either:
    (1) The manufacturer's specifications for subscriber tap isolation 
based on a representative sample of no less than 500 subscribers taps or
    (2) Laboratory tests performed by or for the operator of a cable 
television system on a representative sample of no less than 50 
subscriber taps, indicates that the terminal isolation standard of 
Sec. 76.605(a)(9) is met.

To demonstrate compliance with Sec. 76.605(a)(9), the operator of a 
cable television system shall attach either such manufacturer's 
specifications or laboratory measurements as an exhibit to each proof-
of-performance record.
    (h) Measurements to determine the field strength of the signal 
leakage emanated by the cable television system shall be made in 
accordance with standard engineering procedures. Measurements made on 
frequencies above 25 MHz shall include the following:
    (1) A field strength meter of adequate accuracy using a horizontal 
dipole antenna shall be employed.
    (2) Field strength shall be expressed in terms of the rms value of 
synchronizing peak for each cable television channel for which signal 
leakage can be measured.
    (3) The resonant half wave dipole antenna shall be placed 3 meters 
from and positioned directly below the system components and at 3 meters 
above ground. Where such placement results in a separation of less than 
3 meters between the center of the dipole antenna and the system 
components, or less than 3 meters between the dipole and ground level, 
the dipole shall be repositioned to provide a separation of 3 meters 
from the system components at a height of 3 meters or more above ground.
    (4) The horizontal dipole antenna shall be rotated about a vertical 
axis and the maximum meter reading shall be used.
    (5) Measurements shall be made where other conductors are 3 or more 
meters (10 or more feet) away from the measuring antenna.
    (i) For systems using cable traps and filters to control the 
delivery of specific channels to the subscriber terminal, measurements 
made to determine compliance with Sec. 76.605(a) (5) and (6) may be 
performed at the location immediately prior to the trap or filter for 
the specific channel. The effects of these traps or filters, as 
certified by the system engineer or the equipment manufacturer, must be 
attached to each proof-of-performance record.
    (j) Measurements made to determine the differential gain, 
differential phase and the chrominance-luminance delay inequality 
(chroma delay) shall be made in accordance with the NCTA

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Recommended Practices for Measurements on Cable Television Systems, 2nd 
edition, November 1989, on these parameters.

[ 37 FR 3278 , Feb. 12, 1972, as amended at  37 FR 13867 , July 14, 1972;  41 FR 10067 , Mar. 9, 1976;  42 FR 21782 , Apr. 29, 1977;  49 FR 45441 , Nov. 
16, 1984;  57 FR 11004 , Apr. 1, 1992;  57 FR 61011 , Dec. 23, 1992;  58 FR 44952 , Aug. 25, 1993]