§ 73.1400   Transmission system monitoring and control.

   The licensee of an AM, FM, TV or Class A TV station is responsible for
   assuring that at all times the station operates within tolerances specified
   by applicable technical rules contained in this part and in accordance with
   the  terms  of the station authorization. Any method of complying with
   applicable tolerances is permissible. The following are typical methods of
   transmission system operation:

   (a)  Attended  operation.  (1)  Attended operation consists of ongoing
   supervision of the transmission facilities by a station employee or other
   person designated by the licensee. Such supervision may be accomplished by
   either:

   (i) Direct supervision and control of transmission system parameters by a
   person at the transmitter site; or

   (ii) Remote control of the transmission system by a person at the main
   studio or other location. The remote control system must provide sufficient
   transmission  system monitoring and control capability so as to ensure
   compliance with § 73.1350.

   (2)  A  station  may  also be monitored and controlled by an automatic
   transmission system (ATS) that is configured to contact a person designated
   by  the licensee in the event of a technical malfunction. An automatic
   transmission  system consists of monitoring devices, control and alarm
   circuitry, arranged so that they interact automatically to operate the
   station's transmitter and maintain technical parameters within licensed
   values.

   (3) A hybrid system containing some remote control and some ATS features is
   also permissible.

   (4)  In the case of remote control or ATS operation, not every station
   parameter need be monitored or controlled if the licensee has good reason to
   believe that its stability is so great that its monitoring and control are
   unnecessary.

   (b) Unattended operation. Unattended operation is either the absence of
   human  supervision  or  the substitution of automated supervision of a
   station's transmission system for human supervision. In the former case,
   equipment  is  employed  which  is expected to operate within assigned
   tolerances for extended periods of time. The latter consists of the use of a
   self-monitoring or ATS-monitored and controlled transmission system that, in
   lieu of contacting a person designated by the licensee, automatically takes
   the station off the air within three hours of any technical malfunction
   which is capable of causing interference.

   [ 60 FR 55481 , Nov. 1, 1995, as amended at  65 FR 30003 , May 10, 2000]

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