47 CFR § 73.681 - Definitions.
Amplitude modulation (AM). A system of modulation in which the envelope of the transmitted wave contains a component similar to the wave form of the signal to be transmitted.
Antenna electrical beam tilt. The shaping of the radiation pattern in the vertical plane of a transmitting antenna by electrical means so that maximum radiation occurs at an angle below the horizontal plane.
Antenna height above average terrain. The average of the antenna heights above the terrain from approximately 3.2 (2 miles) to 16.1 kilometers (10 miles) from the antenna for the eight directions spaced evenly for each 45 degrees of azimuth starting with True North. (In general, a different antenna height will be determined in each direction from the antenna. The average of these various heights is considered the antenna height above the average terrain. In some cases less than 8 directions may be used. See § 73.684(d)). Where circular or elliptical polarization is employed, the antenna height above average terrain shall be based upon the height of the radiation center of the antenna which transmits the horizontal component of radiation.
Antenna mechanical beam tilt. The intentional installation of a transmitting antenna so that its axis is not vertical, in order to change the normal angle of maximum radiation in the vertical plane.
Antenna power gain. The square of the ratio of the root-mean-square free space field strength produced at 1 kilometer in the horizontal plane, in millivolts per meter for one kW antenna input power to 221.4 mV/m. This ratio should be expressed in decibels (dB). (If specified for a particular direction, antenna power gain is based on the field strength in that direction only.)
Aspect ratio. The ratio of picture width to picture height as transmitted.
Aural center frequency.
(1) The average frequency of the emitted wave when modulated by a sinusoidal signal; (2) the frequency of the emitted wave without modulation.
Aural transmitter. The radio equipment for the transmission of the aural signal only.
Auxiliary facility. An auxiliary facility is an antenna separate a from the main facility's antenna, permanently installed on the same tower or at a different location, from which a station may broadcast for short periods without prior Commission authorization or notice to the Commission while the main facility is not in operation (e.g., where tower work necessitates turning off the main antenna or where lightning has caused damage to the main antenna or transmission system) (See § 73.1675).
BTSC. Broadcast Television systems committee recommendation for multichannel television sound transmission and audio processing as defined in FCC Bulletin OET 60.
Baseband. Aural transmitter input signals between 0 and 120 kHz.
Blanking level. The level of the signal during the blanking interval, except the interval during the scanning synchronizing pulse and the chrominance subcarrier synchronizing burst.
Chrominance. The colorimetric difference between any color and a reference color of equal luminance, the reference color having a specific chromaticity.
Chrominance subcarrier. The carrier which is modulated by the chrominance information.
Color transmission. The transmission of color television signals which can be reproduced with different values of hue, saturation, and luminance.
Effective radiated power. The product of the antenna input power and the antenna power gain. This product should be expressed in kW and in dB above 1 kW (dBk). (If specified for a particular direction, effective radiated power is based on the antenna power gain in that direction only. The licensed effective radiated power is based on the maximum antenna power gain. When a station is authorized to use a directional antenna or an antenna beam tilt, the direction of the maximum effective radiated power will be specified.) Where circular or elliptical polarization is employed, the term effective radiated power is applied separately to the horizontally and vertically polarized components of radiation. For assignment purposes, only the effective radiated power authorized for the horizontally polarized component will be considered.
Equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP). The term “equivalent isotropically radiated power” (also known as “effective radiated power above isotropic”) means the product of the antenna input power and the antenna gain in a given direction relative to an isotropic antenna.
Field. Scanning through the picture area once in the chosen scanning pattern. In the line interlaced scanning pattern of two to one, the scanning of the alternate lines of the picture area once.
Frame. Scanning all of the picture area once. In the line interlaced scanning pattern of two to one, a frame consists of two fields.
Free space field strength. The field strength that would exist at a point in the absence of waves reflected from the earth or other reflecting objects.
Frequency departure. The amount of variation of a carrier frequency or center frequency from its assigned value.
Frequency deviation. The peak difference between the instantaneous frequency of the modulated wave and the carrier frequency.
Frequency modulation (FM). A system of modulation where the instantaneous radio frequency varies in proportion to the instantaneous amplitude of the modulating signal (amplitude of modulating signal to be measured after pre-emphasis, if used) and the instantaneous radio frequency is independent of the frequency of the modulating signal.
Frequency swing. The peak difference between the maximum and the minimum values of the instantaneous frequency of the carrier wave during modulation.
Interlaced scanning. A scanning process in which successively scanned lines are spaced an integral number of line widths, and in which the adjacent lines are scanned during successive cycles of the field frequency.
IRE standard scale. A linear scale for measuring, in IRE units, the relative amplitudes of the components of a television signal from a zero reference at blanking level, with picture information falling in the positive, and synchronizing information in the negative domain.
When a carrier is amplitude modulated by a television signal in accordance with § 73.682, the relationship of the IRE standard scale to the conventional measure of modulation is as follows:
| Level | IRE standard scale (units) | Modulation percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Zero carrier | 120 | 0 |
| Reference white | 100 | 12.5 |
| Blanking | 0 | 75 |
| Synchronizing peaks (maximum carrier level) | −40 | 100 |
Luminance. Luminous flux emitted, reflected, or transmitted per unit solid angle per unit projected area of the source.
Main channel. The band of frequencies from 50 to 15,000 Hertz which frequency modulate the main aural carrier.
Monochrome transmission. The transmission of television signals which can be reproduced in gradations of a single color only.
Multichannel Television Sound (MTS). Any system of aural transmission that utilizes aural baseband operation between 15 kHz and 120 kHz to convey information or that encodes digital information in the video portion of the television signal that is intended to be decoded as audio information.
Multiplex Transmission (Aural). A subchannel added to the regular aural carrier of a television broadcast station by means of frequency modulated subcarriers.
Negative transmission. Where a decrease in initial light intensity causes an increase in the transmitted power.
Peak power. The power over a radio frequency cycle corresponding in amplitude to synchronizing peaks.
Percentage modulation. As applied to frequency modulation, the ratio of the actual frequency deviation to the frequency deviation defined as 100% modulation expressed in percentage. For the aural transmitter of TV broadcast stations, a frequency deviation of ±25 kHz is defined as 100% modulation.
Pilot subcarrier. A subcarrier used in the reception of TV stereophonic aural or other subchannel broadcasts.
Polarization. The direction of the electric field as radiated from the transmitting antenna.
Program related data signal. A signal, consisting of a series of pulses representing data, which is transmitted simultaneously with and directly related to the accompanying television program.
Reference black level. The level corresponding to the specified maximum excursion of the luminance signal in the black direction.
Reference white level of the luminance signal. The level corresponding to the specified maximum excursion of the luminance signal in the white direction.
Scanning. The process of analyzing successively, according to a predetermined method, the light values of picture elements constituting the total picture area.
Scanning line. A single continuous narrow strip of the picture area containing highlights, shadows, and half-tones, determined by the process of scanning.
Standard television signal. A signal which conforms to the television transmission standards.
Synchronization. The maintenance of one operation in step with another.
Television broadcast band. The frequencies in the band extending from 54 to 608 megahertz which are assignable to television broadcast stations. These frequencies are 54 to 72 megahertz (channels 2 through 4), 76 to 88 megahertz (channels 5 and 6), 174 to 216 megahertz (channels 7 through 13), and 470 to 608 megahertz (channels 14 through 36).
Television broadcast station. A station in the television broadcast band transmitting simultaneous visual and aural signals intended to be received by the general public.
Television channel. A band of frequencies 6 MHz wide in the television broadcast band and designated either by number or by the extreme lower and upper frequencies.
Television transmission standards. The standards which determine the characteristics of a television signal as radiated by a television broadcast station.
Television transmitter. The radio transmitter or transmitters for the transmission of both visual and aural signals.
Vestigial sideband transmission. A system of transmission wherein one of the generated sidebands is partially attenuated at the transmitter and radiated only in part.
Visual carrier frequency. The frequency of the carrier which is modulated by the picture information.
Visual transmitter. The radio equipment for the transmission of the visual signal only.
Visual transmitter power. The peak power output when transmitting a standard television signal.