47 CFR § 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 µV/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.