[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 13, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 77821-77827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31310]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 80 and 95

[PR Docket No. 92-257; RM-9664; FCC 00-370]


Maritime Communications

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rules.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission amends its rules to promote 
operational, technical, and regulatory flexibility for Automated 
Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS) and high seas public coast 
stations. These final rules will eliminate the application and 
engineering study requirements and modify the broadcaster notification 
requirement for new AMTS stations that qualify as fill-in stations, 
extend the construction requirement for new AMTS systems from eight 
months to two years, provide

[[Page 77822]]

AMTS licensees with much-needed technical flexibility, extend the high 
seas public coast construction requirement to twelve months, and 
eliminate the HF channel loading requirement for high seas public coast 
stations. The Commission believes that this action will increase 
competition in the provision of telecommunications services, promote 
more efficient use of maritime spectrum, increase the types of 
telecommunications services available to vessel operators, allow 
maritime commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers to respond 
more quickly to market demand, and reduce regulatory burdens on AMTS 
and high seas public coast station licensees.

DATES: Effective January 12, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Fickner, Policy and Rules 
Branch, Public Safety and Private Wireless Division, Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau at (202) 418-7308.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. The Commission's Fourth Report and Order (4th R&O) PR Docket No. 
92-257, FCC 00-370, was adopted October 13, 2000, and released on 
November 16, 2000. The full text of this Commission's 4th R&O is 
available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in 
the FCC Reference Center, Room CY-A257, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC. The complete text may be purchased from the 
Commission's copy contractor, International Transcription Service, 
Inc., 1231 20th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037. The full text may 
also be downloaded at: http://www.fcc.gov/Wireless/Orders/2000/fcc00370.txt. Alternative formats are available to persons with 
disabilities by contacting Martha Contee at (202) 418-0260 or TTY (202) 
418-2555.

Summary of the 4th R&O

    2. The Commission amends its rules to eliminate the application and 
engineering study requirements and to modify the broadcaster 
notification requirement for new AMTS stations whose predicted 
interference contours do not encompass any land area beyond the 
composite interference contour of the applicant's existing system. This 
is consistent with the Commission's treatment of certain other CMRS 
licensees (i.e., paging and radiotelephone service licensees, and SMR 
system licensees in the 800 MHz band).
    3. The Commission concludes that the construction requirement for 
new AMTS systems and system extensions should be extended from eight 
months to two years because the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau's 
licensing experience has shown that licensees generally have found 
eight months to be insufficient time in which to construct a system of 
coast stations. It believes that the one-year period that it has 
adopted for other site-based CMRS services would be insufficient in 
most AMTS cases.
    4. The Commission amends its rules to eliminate the modulation and 
channelization requirements for AMTS coast stations, so long as 
transmissions do not exceed the adjacent channel emission limitations 
of each station's authorization. It concludes that modulation and 
channelization requirements are unnecessary with respect to AMTS 
because AMTS frequencies are assigned in channel blocks. AMTS 
transmitters will now be allowed to use any modulation or 
channelization scheme so long as emissions are attenuated at the band 
edges of each station's assigned frequency group(s) in accordance with 
Sec. 80.211 of the Commission's Rules.
    5. The Commission concludes that AMTS licensees should have the 
authority to provide fixed or hybrid CMRS services on a co-primary 
basis with mobile services. It believes that this operational 
flexibility will enhance AMTS licensees ability to meet customer 
requirements and demand, and promote regulatory parity among maritime 
CMRS providers and between maritime CMRS providers and other CMRS 
providers.
    6. The Commission amends its rules to eliminate channel loading 
requirements for high seas public coast stations, including the limits 
that were placed on the number of frequencies that could be obtained in 
an initial or subsequent application, because it concludes that the 
imposition of such requirements could unfairly impair AMTS providers 
ability to compete with other maritime CMRS providers.
    7. Finally, the Commission extends the existing construction 
requirement from eight months to twelve months for high seas public 
coast stations because a twelve-month construction period is consistent 
with the construction periods that have been adopted for other site-
based CMRS licensees. The Commission believes that employing long-term 
construction requirements based on population or geographic service 
areas, in this case, is inappropriate.

Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    8. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), an Initial 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) was incorporated into the Second 
Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making (2nd FNPRM) in this proceeding. 
The Commission sought written public comment on the IRFA. The present 
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) conforms to the RFA.

A. Need for, and Objectives of, the 4th R&O

    9. Our objective is to promote operational, technical, and 
regulatory flexibility for Automated Maritime Telecommunications System 
(AMTS) and high seas public coast stations. Specifically, this action 
will: (1) Provide additional flexibility for AMTS coast stations by 
permitting the construction and operation of fill-in stations without 
prior Commission authorization, eliminating the current emission 
restrictions and channel plan, and increasing the permitted power 
levels for point-to-point communications, and (2) eliminate the 
required showing of channel loading and extend the construction period 
for high seas public coast stations. We find that these actions will 
allow maritime CMRS providers to better respond to market demand, 
increase competition in the provision of telecommunications services, 
promote more efficient use of marine spectrum, increase the types of 
telecommunications services available to vessel operators, and reduce 
regulatory burdens on coast station licensees. Thus, we conclude that 
the public interest is served by amending our rules as described above.

B. Summary of Significant Issues Raised by Public Comments in Response 
to the IRFA

    10. No comments were submitted in response to the IRFA. In general 
comments on the 2nd FNPRM, however, some small business commenters 
(i.e., Paging Systems, Inc., RegioNet Wireless LLC, Waterway 
Communications System LLC) raised issues that might affect small 
business entities. In particular, some small business commenters argued 
that the construction period for AMTS and high seas public coast 
stations should be extended from eight months to two years, and that 
AMTS licensees should be permitted to construct fill-in stations 
without prior Commission approval. The Commission carefully considered 
each of these comments in reaching the decision set forth herein.

C. Description and Estimate of the Number of Small Entities to Which 
Rules Will Apply

    11. The RFA directs agencies to provide a description of and, where 
feasible, an estimate of the number of small entities that may be 
affected by the proposed rules, if adopted. The RFA

[[Page 77823]]

generally defines the term ``small entity'' as having the same meaning 
as the terms ``small business,'' ``small organization,'' and ``small 
governmental jurisdiction.'' In addition, the term ``small business'' 
has the same meaning as the term ``small business concern'' under the 
Small Business Act. A small business concern is one which: (1) Is 
independently owned and operated; (2) is not dominant in its field of 
operation; and (3) satisfies any additional criteria established by the 
Small Business Administration (SBA). A small organization is generally 
``any not-for-profit enterprise which is independently owned and 
operated and is not dominant in its field.''
    12. The rules adopted herein will affect licensees using AMTS and 
high seas public coast spectrum. In the Third Report and Order in this 
proceeding, the Commission defined the term ``small entity'' 
specifically applicable to public coast station licensees as any entity 
employing fewer than 1,500 persons, based on the definition under the 
Small Business Administration rules applicable to radiotelephone 
service providers. Since the size data provided by the Small Business 
Administration does not enable us to make a meaningful estimate of the 
number of AMTS and high seas public coast station licensees that are 
small businesses, and no commenters responded to our request for 
information regarding the number of small entities that use or are 
likely to use public coast spectrum, we have used the 1992 Census of 
Transportation, Communications, and Utilities, conducted by the Bureau 
of the Census, which is the most recent information available. This 
document shows that only 12 radiotelephone firms out of a total of 
1,178 such firms which operated in 1992 had 1,000 or more employees. 
There are three AMTS public coast station licensees and approximately 
thirteen high seas public coast station licensees. Based on the rules 
adopted herein, it is unlikely that more than seven licensees will be 
authorized in the future. Therefore, for purposes of our evaluations 
and conclusions in this FRFA, we estimate that there are approximately 
twenty-five AMTS and high seas public coast station licensees that are 
small businesses, as that term is defined by the Small Business 
Administration.

D. Description of Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Other 
Compliance Requirements

    13. In order to permit AMTS licensees to construct fill-in stations 
without notifying the Commission, while still enabling amateur radio 
licensees to abide by the exclusion and notification distances in our 
rules, we are requiring AMTS licensees to notify two organizations that 
represent amateur licensees of the location of their fill-in stations. 
The estimated time for preparing these letters is twenty minutes per 
fill-in station. This is the same time requirement for both large and 
small entities, however, it is such a nominal requirement that it 
should not be a burden to any entity.

E. Steps Taken to Minimize Significant Economic Impact on Small 
Entities, and Significant Alternatives Considered

    14. The RFA requires an agency to describe any significant 
alternatives that it has considered in reaching its proposed approach, 
which may include the following four alternatives: (1) The 
establishment of differing compliance or reporting requirements or 
timetables that take into account the resources available to small 
entities; (2) the clarification, consolidation, or simplification of 
compliance or reporting requirements under the rule for small entities; 
(3) the use of performance, rather than design, standards; and (4) an 
exemption from coverage of the rule, or any part thereof, for small 
entities.
    15. The Commission in this proceeding has considered comments on 
implementing broad changes to the maritime service rules. It has 
adopted alternatives which minimize burdens placed on small entities. 
First, it has decided to permit AMTS licensees to construct fill-in 
stations without notifying the Commission, avoiding the need to file an 
application. Also, it has extended the eight-month construction 
requirement to two years for all AMTS stations and one year for all 
high seas public coast stations. In addition, the Commission has 
eliminated the requirement that applicants for HF high seas frequencies 
show that their current channels are fully loaded before they may 
obtain additional channels.
    16. The Commission considered and rejected several significant 
alternatives. It rejected the National Association of Broadcasters and 
Association for Maximum Service Television's alternative of moving the 
rules governing the Low Power Radio Service from Part 95 to Part 80 of 
its rules. This was rejected because it could have caused confusion 
among licensees. Instead, the Commission will leave the LPRS rules in 
place. The Commission also rejected the alternative of basing the 
construction requirement for high seas public coast stations on the 
population of the station's service area as it has for other services, 
such as AMTS. This would have required licensees to acquire and act 
upon additional data. Instead, the Commission used a time-based 
construction requirement because it will ensure rapid delivery of 
service to the public.

Report to Congress

    The Commission will send a copy of the 4th R&O, including this 
FRFA, in a report to be sent to Congress pursuant to the SBREFA, see 5 
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). In addition, the Commission will send a copy of 
the 4th R&O, including this FRFA, to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of 
the Small Business Administration. In addition, the 4th R&O and FRFA 
(or summaries thereof) will be published in the Federal Register. See 5 
U.S.C. 604(b).

List of Subjects 47 CFR Parts 80 and 95

    Communications equipment, Radio.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.

Final Rules

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR Parts 80 and 95 as follows:

PART 80--STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES

    1. The authority citation for Part 80 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Secs. 4, 303, 307(e), 309, and 332, 48 Stat. 1066, 
1082, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 307(e), 309, and 332, unless 
otherwise noted. Interpret or apply 48 Stat. 1064-1068, 1081-1105, 
as amended; 47 U.S.C. 151-155, 301-609; 3 UST 3450, 3 UST 4726, 12 
UST 2377.


    2. Section 80.25 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 80.25  License term.

* * * * *
    (b) Licenses other than ship stations in the maritime services will 
normally be issued for a term of ten years from the date of original 
issuance, major modification, or renewal.
* * * * *

    3. Section 80.49 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(2) and adding 
a new paragraph (a)(3) to read as follows:


Sec. 80.49  Construction and regional service requirements.

    (a) * * *
    (2) For LF, MF, and HF band public coast station licensees, when a 
new license has been issued or additional operating frequencies have 
been authorized, if the station or frequencies

[[Page 77824]]

authorized have not been placed in operation within twelve months from 
the date of grant, the authorization becomes invalid and must be 
returned to the Commission for cancellation.
    (3) For AMTS band public coast station licensees, when a new 
license has been issued or additional operating frequencies have been 
authorized, if the station or frequencies authorized have not been 
placed in operation within two years from the date of grant, the 
authorization becomes invalid and must be returned to the Commission 
for cancellation.
* * * * *

    4. Section 80.105 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 80.105  General obligations of coast stations.

    Each coast station or marine-utility station must acknowledge and 
receive all calls directed to it by ship or aircraft stations. Such 
stations are permitted to transmit safety communication to any ship or 
aircraft station. VHF (156-162 MHz) and AMTS (216-220 MHz) public coast 
stations may provide fixed or hybrid services on a co-primary basis 
with mobile operations.

    5. Section 80.213 is amended by revising paragraphs (a)(2) and (d) 
to read as follows:


Sec. 80.213  Modulation requirements.

    (a) * * *
    (2) When phase or frequency modulation is used in the 156-162 MHz 
band the peak modulation must be maintained between 75 and 100 percent. 
A frequency deviation of  5 kHz is defined as 100 percent 
peak modulation; and
* * * * *
    (d) Ship and coast station transmitters operating in the 156-162 
MHz band must be capable of proper operation with a frequency deviation 
of  5 kHz when using any emission authorized by Sec. 80.207 
of this part.
* * * * *

    6. Section 80.215 is amended by removing and reserving footnote 7, 
and revising the introductory test of paragraphs (h)(2), and (i) and 
revising paragraph (h)(5) to read as follows:


Sec. 80.215  Transmitter power.

* * * * *
    (h) * * *
    (2) Coast stations located less than 169 kilometers (105 miles) 
from a channel 13 TV station, or less than 129 kilometers (80 miles) 
from a channel 10 TV station, or when using a transmitting antenna 
height above ground greater than 61 meters (200 feet), must submit a 
plan to limit interference to TV reception, unless the station's 
predicted interference contour is fully encompassed by the composite 
interference contour of the system's existing stations, or the 
station's predicted interference contour extends the system's composite 
interference contour over water only (disregarding uninhabited 
islands). The plan must include:
* * * * *
    (5) The transmitter power, as measured at the input terminals to 
the station antenna, must be 50 watts or less.
    (i) A ship station must have a transmitter output not exceeding 25 
watts and an ERP not exceeding 18 watts. The maximum transmitter output 
power is permitted to be increased to 50 watts under the following 
conditions:
* * * * *

    7. Section 80.357 is amended by removing paragraphs (b)(2)(ii)(A) 
through (b)(2) (ii)(C) and revising paragraph (b)(2)(ii) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 80.357  Morse code working frequencies.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (ii) Frequencies above 5 MHz may be assigned primarily to stations 
serving the high seas and secondarily to stations serving inland waters 
of the United States, including the Great Lakes, under the condition 
that interference will not be caused to any coast station serving the 
high seas.
* * * * *

    8. Section 80.371 is amended by removing paragraph (b)(3) and 
(b)(4), and revising paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) to read as follows:


Sec. 80.371  Public correspondence frequencies.

* * * * *
    (b) Working frequencies in the 4000-27500 kHz band. (1) The 
following table specifies the carrier frequencies available for 
assignment to public coast stations. The paired ship frequencies are 
available for use by authorized ship stations. The specific frequency 
assignment available to public coast stations for a particular 
geographic area is indicated by an ``x'' under the appropriate column. 
The allotment areas are in accordance with the ``Standard Defined 
Areas'' as identified in the International Radio Regulations, Appendix 
25 Planning System, and indicated in the preface to the International 
Frequency List (IFL).

                                               Working Carrier Frequency Pairs in the 4000-27500 kHz Band
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              Ship      Coast
                  Channel                   transmit  transmit    USA-E     USA-W     USA-S     USA-C      VIR       HWA       ALS       PTR       GUM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
401.......................................      4065      4357        x         x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
403.......................................      4071      4363        x         x         x         x   ........        x   ........        x   ........
404.......................................      4074      4366        x         x   ........        x   ........  ........        x   ........  ........
405.......................................      4077      4369        x         x         x         x   ........        x         x   ........  ........
409.......................................      4089      4381        x         x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
410.......................................      4092      4384        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........        x
411.......................................      4095      4387        x         x   ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
412.......................................      4098      4390        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
414.......................................      4104      4396        x   ........        x   ........  ........  ........        x         x   ........
416.......................................      4110      4402        x         x   ........        x   ........  ........        x   ........  ........
417.......................................      4113      4405        x         x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
418.......................................      4116      4408  ........  ........  ........        x   ........        x   ........  ........  ........
419.......................................      4119      4411  ........        x         x   ........  ........        x   ........        x         x
422.......................................      4128      4420        x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........
423.......................................      4131      4423        x         x         x         x   ........  ........        x   ........  ........
424.......................................      4134      4426  ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
427.......................................      4143      4435        x         x         x         x         x         x         x   ........  ........
428.......................................      4060      4351  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
604.......................................      6209      6510        x         x         x         x   ........        x         x         x         x

[[Page 77825]]

 
605.......................................      6212      6513  ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
607.......................................      6218      6519  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
802.......................................      8198      8722        x   ........        x   ........  ........        x         x   ........  ........
803.......................................      8201      8725  ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
804.......................................      8204      8728        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
805.......................................      8207      8731        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
807.......................................      8213      8737  ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
808.......................................      8216      8740        x         x   ........  ........  ........        x         x   ........        x
809.......................................      8219      8743        x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
810.......................................      8222      8746        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
811.......................................      8225      8749        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
814.......................................      8234      8758        x         x         x         x   ........        x         x   ........  ........
815.......................................      8237      8761        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
817.......................................      8243      8767  ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
819.......................................      8249      8773  ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
822.......................................      8258      8782        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
824.......................................      8264      8788        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
825.......................................      8267      8791        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
826.......................................      8270      8794        x   ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........        x
829.......................................      8279      8803        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........        x   ........
830.......................................      8282      8806  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........        x   ........
831.......................................      8285      8809  ........        x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........        x   ........
836.......................................      8113      8713  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
837.......................................      8128      8716  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1201......................................     12230     13077        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1202......................................     12233     13080        x         x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1203......................................     12236     13083        x         x         x         x   ........        x         x   ........  ........
1206......................................     12245     13092        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1208......................................     12251     13098        x   ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1209......................................     12254     13101        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........
1210......................................     12257     13104        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........        x
1211......................................     12260     13107        x         x         x         x   ........  ........        x   ........  ........
1212......................................     12263     13110        x   ........        x   ........  ........        x         x         x   ........
1215......................................     12272     13119  ........        x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........        x   ........
1217......................................     12278     13125  ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1222......................................     12293     13140  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........
1223......................................     12296     13143        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........        x
1225......................................     12302     13149        x   ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1226......................................     12305     13152        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1228......................................     12311     13158        x         x   ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1229......................................     12314     13161  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1230......................................     12317     13164        x         x         x   ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........
1233......................................     12326     13173  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1234......................................     12329     13176  ........        x         x   ........  ........        x         x   ........  ........
1235......................................     12232     13179  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1236......................................     12335     13182  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1237......................................     12338     13185        x   ........        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........
1601......................................     16360     17242        x   ........        x   ........  ........        x         x   ........  ........
1602......................................     16363     17245        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1603......................................     16366     17248        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........
1605......................................     16372     17254        x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1607......................................     16378     17260        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........
1609......................................     16384     17266        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1610......................................     16387     17269        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1611......................................     16390     17272        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1616......................................     16405     17287        x         x         x   ........  ........        x         x   ........  ........
1620......................................     16417     17299        x   ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1624......................................     16429     17311        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1626......................................     16435     17317        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1631......................................     16450     17332        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1632......................................     16453     17335        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........
1641......................................     16480     17362        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1642......................................     16483     17365        x         x         x         x         x         x         x         x   ........
1643......................................     16486     17368  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1644......................................     16489     17371        x         x         x         x   ........        x         x   ........  ........
1645......................................     16492     17374  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1646......................................     16495     17377  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1647......................................     16498     17380        x         x         x         x   ........  ........        x   ........  ........
1648......................................     16501     17383  ........        x   ........        x         x         x         x         x   ........
1801......................................     18780     19755        x         x         x         x         x         x         x         x   ........
1802......................................     18783     19758        x   ........        x         x         x   ........  ........        x   ........

[[Page 77826]]

 
1803......................................     18786     19761        x         x   ........        x         x         x         x         x   ........
1804......................................     18789     19764  ........        x         x   ........  ........        x         x   ........  ........
1805......................................     18792     19767  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........
1807......................................     18798     19773  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
1808......................................     18801     19776        x         x         x         x         x         x         x         x   ........
2201......................................     22000     22696        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........        x
2205......................................     22012     22708        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2210......................................     22027     22723        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2214......................................     22039     22735        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2215......................................     22042     22738        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2216......................................     22045     22741        x   ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........        x
2222......................................     22063     22759        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2223......................................     22066     22762        x         x         x   ........  ........        x         x         x   ........
2227......................................     22078     22774        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2228......................................     22081     22777        x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2231......................................     22090     22786        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........        x   ........  ........
2236......................................     22105     22801        x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2237......................................     22108     22804        x         x         x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2241......................................     22120     22816        x         x         x         x         x         x         x         x   ........
2242......................................     22123     22819  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2243......................................     22126     22822        x         x         x         x         x         x         x         x   ........
2244......................................     22129     22825  ........        x   ........  ........  ........        x         x   ........  ........
2245......................................     22132     22828  ........        x         x   ........  ........        x         x   ........  ........
2246......................................     22135     22831  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2247......................................     22138     22834        x         x         x         x         x         x         x   ........  ........
2501......................................     25070     26145        x         x         x         x   ........        x         x   ........  ........
2502......................................     25073     26148        x         x         x         x         x         x         x         x   ........
2503......................................     25076     26151  ........  ........        x   ........  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........
2504......................................     25079     26154        x         x         x         x         x         x         x         x   ........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) The following table specifies the non-paired carrier 
frequencies that are available for assignment to public coast stations 
for simplex operations. These frequencies are available for use by 
authorized ship stations for transmissions to coast stations (simplex 
operations). Assignments on these frequencies must accept interference. 
They are shared with government users and are considered ``common use'' 
frequencies under the international Radio Regulations. They cannot be 
notified for inclusion in the Master International Frequency Register, 
which provides stations with interference protection, but may be listed 
in the international List of Coast Stations. (See Radio Regulation No. 
1220 and Recommendation 304.)

                      Public Correspondence Simplex
  [Non-paired radiotelephony frequencies in the 4000-27500 kHz Band \1\
                       Carrier Frequencies (kHz)]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
16537............................        18825        22174        25100
16540............................        18828        22177        25103
                                         18831  ...........        25106
                                         18834  ...........        25109
                                         18837  ...........       25112
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Coast stations limited to a maximum transmitter power of 1 kW (PEP).

* * * * *


Sec. 80.374  [Amended]

    9. Section 80.374 is amended by removing paragraph (a) and 
redesignating paragraphs (b) and (c) as (a) and (b).

    10. Section 80.475 is amended by redesignating paragraph (b) as 
paragraph (c), and revising paragraph (a)(1) and adding a new paragraph 
(b) to read as follows:


Sec. 80.475  Scope of service of the Automated Maritime 
Telecommunications System (AMTS).

    (a) * * *
    (1) Applicants proposing to locate a coast station transmitter 
within 169 kilometers (105 miles) of a channel 13 TV station or within 
129 kilometers (80 miles) of a channel 10 TV station or with an antenna 
height greater than 61 meters (200 feet), must submit an engineering 
study clearly showing the means of avoiding interference with 
television reception within the grade B contour, see Sec. 80.215(h) of 
this chapter, unless the proposed station's predicted interference 
contour is fully encompassed by the composite interference contour of 
the applicant's existing system, or the proposed station's predicted 
interference contour extends the system's composite interference 
contour over water only (disregarding uninhabited islands).
* * * * *
    (b) Coast stations for which the above specified need not be 
submitted because the proposed station's predicted interference contour 
is fully encompassed by the composite interference contour of the 
applicant's existing system or the proposed station's

[[Page 77827]]

predicted interference contour extends the system's composite 
interference contour over water only (disregarding uninhabited islands) 
must, at least 15 days before the station is put into operation, give 
written notice to the television stations which may be affected of the 
proposed station's technical characteristics, the date it will be put 
into operation, and the licensee's representative (name and phone 
number) to contact in the event a television station experiences 
interference. No prior FCC authorization is required to construct and 
operate such a station, but, at the time the station is added, the AMTS 
licensee must make a record of the technical and administrative 
information concerning the station and, upon request, supply such 
information to the FCC. In addition, when the station is added, the 
AMTS licensee must send notification of the station's location to the 
American Radio Relay League, Inc., 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 
06111-1494, and Interactive Systems, Inc., Suite 1103, 1601 North Kent 
Street, Arlington, VA 22209.
* * * * *

    11. Section 80.477 is amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read 
as follows:


Sec. 80.477  AMTS points of communication.

* * * * *
    (d) AMTS licensees may use AMTS coast and ship frequencies on a 
secondary basis for fixed service communications to support AMTS 
deployment in remote fixed locations at which other communications 
facilities are not available.

    12. A new Sec. 80.481 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 80.481  Alternative technical parameters for AMTS transmitters.

    In lieu of the technical parameters set forth in this part, AMTS 
transmitters may utilize any modulation or channelization scheme so 
long as emissions are attenuated in accordance with Sec. 80.211 at the 
band edges of each station's assigned channel group or groups.

PART 95--PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES

    13. The authority citation for Part 95 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: Secs. 4, 303, 48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as amended; 47 
U.S.C. 154, 303.


    14. Section 95.1013 is amended by revising paragraph (a) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 95.1013  Antennas.

    (a) The maximum allowable ERP for a station in the LPRS other than 
an AMTS station is 100 mW. The maximum allowable ERP for an AMTS 
station in the LPRS is 1 W, so long as emissions are attenuated, in 
accordance with Sec. 80.211 of this chapter, at the band edges.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 00-31310 Filed 12-12-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-U