[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 23 (Thursday, February 5, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 6120-6121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2409]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MM Docket No. 93-177; FCC 08-228]


An Inquiry Into the Commission's Policies and Rules Regarding AM 
Radio Service Directional Antenna Performance Verification

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, 
the information collection requirements associated with Sections 73.61, 
73.68, 73.151 and 73.155 of the rules, and that these rules will take 
effect as of the date of this notice. On October 30, 2008, the 
Commission published the summary document of the Second Report and 
Order, In the Matter of An Inquiry Into the Commission's Policies and 
Rules Regarding AM Radio Service Directional Antenna Performance 
Verification, MM Docket No. 93-177, FCC 08-228, at 73 FR 64558. The 
Ordering Clause of the Second Report and Order stated that the 
Commission would publish a notice in

[[Page 6121]]

the Federal Register announcing when OMB approval for these rule 
sections which contains information collection requirements has been 
received and when the revised rules will take effect. This notice is 
consistent with the statement in the Second Report and Order.

DATES: The effective date for the amendments to Sec. Sec.  73.61, 
73.68, 73.151 and 73.155 published October 30, 2008 (73 FR 64558) is 
February 5, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, please 
contact Peter Doyle, [email protected], of the Media Bureau, Audio 
Division, (202) 418-2700.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on January 26, 
2009, OMB approved, for a period of three years, the information 
collection requirements contained in Sections 73.61, 73.68, 73.151 and 
73.155 of the rules. The Commission publishes this notice to announce 
the effective date of these rules. If you have any comments on the 
burden estimates listed below, or how the Commission can improve the 
collections and reduce any burdens caused thereby, please contact Cathy 
Williams, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. Please include OMB Control Number 
3060-0991 in your correspondence. The Commission will also accept your 
comments via the Internet if you send them to [email protected].
    To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an e-mail to [email protected] or call the Consumer & Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Synopsis

    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3507), the Commission is notifying the public that it received OMB 
approval on January 26, 2009, for the information collection 
requirements contained in the Commission's rules at 47 CFR 73.61, 
73.68, 73.151 and 73.155.
    Under 5 CFR part 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a 
collection of information unless it displays a current, valid OMB 
Control Number.
    No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply 
with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
that does not display a valid OMB Control Number.
    The OMB Control Number is 3060-0991 and the total annual reporting 
burdens for respondents for these information collections are as 
follows:
    OMB Control Numbers: 3060-0991.
    OMB Approval Date: January 26, 2009.
    Expiration Date: January 31, 2012.
    Title: AM Measurement Data.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit entities. I removed not 
for profit institutions since we did not include those respondents with 
our OMB submission.
    Number of Respondents/Responses: 1,900 respondents; 4,568 
responses.
    Estimated Hours per Response: 0.5-25 hours per response.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; On occasion 
reporting requirement; Third party disclosure requirement.
    Total Annual Burden: 30,795 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $826,500.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain benefits. The statutory 
authority for this information collection is contained in Section 
154(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. I removed the 
other rule sections since they were not included in our submission to 
OMB.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Privacy Act Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: On September 24, 2008, the Commission adopted the 
Second Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking in the matter of An Inquiry Into the Commission's Policies 
and Rules Regarding AM Radio Service Directional Antenna Performance 
Verification, MM Docket No. 93-177, FCC 08-228. The Second Report and 
Order permits AM stations using directional antennas to use computer 
modeling techniques to verify AM directional antenna performance, 
thereby reducing the regulatory burden on these stations.
    Directional AM stations use antennas which suppress radiated field 
in some directions and enhance it in others. Under our current rules, 
an AM licensee operating with a directional antenna must perform a 
proof of performance to demonstrate that the antenna pattern conforms 
to the station's authorization. An AM station must perform a full proof 
to verify the pattern shape when a new directional antenna system is 
authorized. Partial proofs, which require fewer measurements, are 
occasionally necessary to show that an array continues to operate 
properly. Typically, a full proof requires measurement of the AM 
station's field strength on six to 12 critical bearings, ranging to 
distances of 15 kilometers or more from the antenna. Subsequent 
graphical analysis of proof measurements also requires substantial time 
and expense. In contrast, the computer modeling techniques authorized 
in the Second Report and Order are based on internal measurements, 
making the proof process less time-consuming and expensive for AM 
licensees.
    In order to control interference between stations and assure 
adequate community coverage, AM stations must conduct various 
engineering measurements to demonstrate that the antenna system 
operates as authorized.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-2409 Filed 2-4-09; 8:45 am]
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