Goto Section: 73.88 | 73.127 | Table of Contents
FCC 73.99
Revised as of October 1, 2011
Goto Year:2010 |
2012
§ 73.99 Presunrise service authorization (PSRA) and postsunset service
authorization (PSSA).
(a) To provide maximum uniformity in early morning operation compatible
with interference considerations, and to provide for additional service
during early evening hours for Class D stations, provisions are made
for presunrise service and postsunset service. The permissible power
for presunrise or postsunset service authorizations shall not exceed
500 watts, or the authorized daytime or critical hours power (whichever
is less). Calculation of the permissible power shall consider only
co-channel stations for interference protection purposes.
(b) Presunrise service authorizations (PSRA) permit:
(1) Class D stations operating on Mexican, Bahamian, and Canadian
priority Class A clear channels to commence PSRA operation at 6 a.m.
local time and to continue such operation until the sunrise times
specified in their basic instruments of authorization.
(2) Class D stations situated outside 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave contours of
co-channel U.S. Class A stations to commence PSRA operation at 6 a.m.
local time and to continue such operation until sunrise times specified
in their basic instruments of authorization.
(3) Class D stations located within co-channel 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave
contours of U.S. Class A stations, to commence PSRA operation either at
6 a.m. local time, or at sunrise at the nearest Class A station located
east of the Class D station (whichever is later), and to continue such
operation until the sunrise times specified in their basic instruments
of authorization.
(4) Class B and Class D stations on regional channels to commence PSRA
operation at 6 a.m. local time and to continue such operation until
local sunrise times specified in their basic instruments of
authorization.
(c) Extended Daylight Saving Time Pre-Sunrise Authorizations:
(1) Between the first Sunday in April and the end of the month of
April, Class D stations will be permitted to conduct pre-sunrise
operation beginning at 6 a.m. local time with a maximum power of 500
watts (not to exceed the station's regular daytime or critical hours
power), reduced as necessary to comply with the following requirements:
(i) Full protection is to be provided as specified in applicable
international agreements.
(ii) Protection is to be provided to the 0.5 mV/m groundwave signals of
co-channel U.S. Class A stations; protection to the 0.5 mV/m-50%
skywave contours of these stations is not required.
(iii) In determining the protection to be provided, the effect of each
interfering signal will be evaluated separately. The presence of
interference from other stations will not reduce or eliminate the
required protection.
(iv) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) (ii) and
(iii) of this section, the stations will be permitted to operate with a
minimum power of 10 watts unless a lower power is required by
international agreement.
(2) The Commission will issue appropriate authorizations to Class D
stations not previously eligible to operate during this period. Class D
stations authorized to operate during this presunrise period may
continue to operate under their current authorization.
(d) Postsunset service authorizations (PSSA) permit:
(1) Class D stations located on Mexican, Bahamian, and Canadian
priority Class A clear channels to commence PSSA operation at sunset
times specified in their basic instruments of authorization and to
continue for two hours after such specified times.
(2) Class D stations situated outside 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave contours of
co-channel U.S. Class A stations to commence PSSA operations at sunset
times specified in their basic instruments of authorization and to
continue for two hours after such specified times.
(3) Class D stations located within co-channel 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave
contours of U.S. Class A stations to commence PSSA operation at sunset
times specified in their basic instruments of authorization and to
continue such operation until two hours past such specified times, or
until sunset at the nearest Class A station located west of the Class D
station, whichever is earlier. Class D stations located west of the
Class A station do not qualify for PSSA operation.
(4) Class D stations on regional channels to commence PSSA operation at
sunset times specified on their basic instruments of authorization and
to continue such operation until two hours past such specified times.
(e) Procedural Matters. (1) Applications for PSRA and PSSA operation
are not required. Instead, the FCC will calculate the periods of such
operation and the power to be used pursuant to the provisions of this
section and the protection requirements contained in applicable
international agreements. Licensees will be notified of permissible
power and times of operation. Presunrise and Postsunset service
authority permits operation on a secondary basis and does not confer
license rights. No request for such authority need be filed. However,
stations intending to operate PSRA or PSSA shall submit by letter,
signed as specified in § 73.3513, the following information:
(i) Licensee name, station call letters and station location,
(ii) Indication as to whether PSRA operation, PSSA operation, or both,
is intended by the station,
(iii) A description of the method whereby any necessary power reduction
will be achieved.
(2) Upon submission of the required information, such operation may
begin without further authority.
(f) Technical criteria. Calculations to determine whether there is
objectionable interference will be determined in accordance with the AM
Broadcast Technical Standards, § § 73.182 through 73.190, and
applicable international agreements. Calculations will be performed
using daytime antenna systems, or critical hours antenna systems when
specified on the license. In performing calculations to determine
assigned power and times for commencement of PSRA and PSSA operation,
the following standards and criteria will be used:
(1) Class D stations operating in accordance with paragraphs (b)(1),
(b)(2), (d)(1), and (d)(2) of this section are required to protect the
nighttime 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave contours of co-channel Class A stations.
Where a 0.5 mV/m-50% skywave signal from the Class A station is not
produced, the 0.5 mV/m groundwave contour shall be protected.
(2) Class D stations are required to fully protect foreign Class B and
Class C stations when operating PSRA and PSSA; Class D stations
operating PSSA are required to fully protect U.S. Class B stations. For
purposes of determining protection, the nighttime RSS limit will be
used in the determination of maximum permissible power.
(3) Class D stations operating in accordance with paragraphs (d)(2) and
(d)(3) of this section are required to restrict maximum 10% skywave
radiation at any point on the daytime 0.1 mV/m groundwave contour of a
co-channel Class A station to 25 uV/m. The location of the 0.1 mV/m
contour of the Class A station will be determined by use of Figure M3,
Estimated Ground Conductivity in the United States. When the 0.1 mV/m
contour extends beyond the national boundary, the international
boundary shall be considered the 0.1 mV/m contour.
(4) Class B and Class D stations on regional channels operating PSRA
and PSSA (Class D only) are required to provide full protection to
co-channel foreign Class B and Class C stations.
(5) Class D stations on regional channels operating PSSA beyond 6 p.m.
local time are required to fully protect U.S. Class B stations.
(6) The protection that Class D stations on regional channels are
required to provide when operating PSSA until 6 p.m. local time is as
follows.
(i) For the first half-hour of PSSA operation, protection will be
calculated at sunset plus 30 minutes at the site of the Class D
station;
(ii) For the second half-hour of PSSA operation, protection will be
calculated at sunset plus one hour at the site of the Class D station;
(iii) For the second hour of PSSA operation, protection will be
calculated at sunset plus two hours at the site of the Class D station;
(iv) Minimum powers during the period until 6 p.m. local time shall be
permitted as follows:
Calculated power Adjusted minimum power
From 1 to 45 watts 50 watts.
Above 45 to 70 watts 75 watts.
Above 70 to 100 watts 100 watts.
(7) For protection purposes, the nighttime 25% RSS limit will be used
in the determination of maximum permissible power.
(g) Calculations made under paragraph (d) of this section may not take
outstanding PSRA or PSSA operations into account, nor will the grant of
a PSRA or PSSA confer any degree of interference protection on the
holder thereof.
(h) Operation under a PSRA or PSSA is not mandatory, and will not be
included in determining compliance with the requirements of § 73.1740.
To the extent actually undertaken, however, presunrise operation will
be considered by the FCC in determining overall compliance with past
programming representations and station policy concerning commercial
matter.
(i) The PSRA or PSSA is secondary to the basic instrument of
authorization with which it is to be associated. The PSRA or PSSA may
be suspended, modified, or withdrawn by the FCC without prior notice or
right to hearing, if necessary to resolve interference conflicts, to
implement agreements with foreign governments, or in other
circumstances warranting such action. Moreover, the PSRA or PSSA does
not extend beyond the term of the basic authorization.
(j) The Commission will periodically recalculate maximum permissible
power and times for commencing PSRA and PSSA for each Class D station
operating in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section. The
Commission will calculate the maximum power at which each individual
station may conduct presunrise operations during extended daylight
saving time and shall issue conforming authorizations. These original
notifications and subsequent notifications should be associated with
the station's authorization. Upon notification of new power and time of
commencing operation, affected stations shall make necessary
adjustments within 30 days.
(k) A PSRA and PSSA does not require compliance with § § 73.45, 73.182
and 73.1560 where the operation might otherwise be considered as
technically substandard. Further, the requirements of paragraphs
(a)(5), (b)(2), (c)(2), and (d)(2) of § 73.1215 concerning the scale
ranges of transmission system indicating instruments are waived for
PSRA and PSSA operation except for the radio frequency ammeters used in
determining antenna input power.
(1) A station having an antenna monitor incapable of functioning at the
authorized PSRA and PSSA power when using a directional antenna shall
take the monitor reading using an unmodulated carrier at the authorized
daytime power immediately prior to commencing PSRA or PSSA operations.
Special conditions as the FCC may deem appropriate may be included for
PSRA or PSSA to insure operation of the transmitter and associated
equipment in accordance with all phases of good engineering practice.
[ 56 FR 64860 , Dec. 12, 1991; 57 FR 43290 , Sept. 18, 1992, as amended at
58 FR 27950 , May 12, 1993]
Goto Section: 73.88 | 73.127
Goto Year: 2010 |
2012
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