At What Height Is It Required By The Fcc To Register A Towe

FCC Revises Office 17 Tower Rules

Report and Order harmonizes FCC rules with FAA recommendations on antenna

This commodity originally appeared in Tv Technology.

In 2010, the FCC initiated a proceeding to update and modernize its Part 17 rules regarding antenna structures. That endeavor resulted in a Study and Gild fourteen-117, released Aug. eight, 2014. Tower structures over 200 feet (less in some circumstances) require FAA notification and a determination of "no hazard" before FCC antenna structure registration (ASR). The Report and Order harmonizes FCC rules with FAA recommendations on antenna structure lighting and marking, construction notification requirements, and the accuracy of the data provided past antenna structure owners. The Report and Order also delegates rulemaking say-so to the FCC's Wireless Telecommunication Bureau (WTB) to "make nonsubstantive, editorial revisions to the Committee'due south Part 17 rules to reflect future FAA rule changes and recommendations afterwards providing an opportunity for notice and annotate."

The nearly pregnant alter for many stations is a requirement for prior approval for whatsoever alter or correction of one foot or greater in height, or one second or greater in location, as compared to the height or location information provided on the antenna structure'south ASR form. While stricter than current FCC requirements, the change brings FCC ASR requirements in line with FAA requirements for a new aeronautical study and decision of "no hazard" for changes in height or location.

The one-time Role 17 rules referenced outdated FAA Advisory Circulars; the Report and Order changes these rules to require structure owners to comply with the FAA's "no hazard" conclusion and associated written report in establishing painting and lighting specifications. Unless mandated by the FAA, the FCC will non crave existing antenna structures to comply with whatsoever new lighting and mark requirements.

Some tower owners voluntarily register towers that exercise not crave FAA notification or FCC antenna structure registration. The FCC will not require owners of existing registered towers to designate whether the registration is voluntary and will continue to allow voluntary registration of towers. All hereafter registrations will have to designate whether their registration is voluntary and the FCC will not impose Function 17 rules to voluntarily registered structures.

The new rules will "crave that owners display the ASR number then that it is visible to a member of the general public who reaches the closest publicly attainable location near the antenna structure base." For structures within an enclosed perimeter, the closest publicly available access point may be on the perimeter fence or access gate. If there are multiple public access points, the ASR number(s) must exist posted at each access point. If there is only a unmarried structure at the site, this posting is sufficient. If there are multiple antenna structures, and then the ASR number must also be posted at the base of each structure.

The original Role 17 rules required antenna construction owners to immediately provide copies of the ASR class to each tenant licensee and permittee. Part 17 was modified to allow owners to provide tenants the ASR number and link to the FCC's online system via mail, e-mail or other electronic means.

The FCC decided to exempt antenna construction owners using qualifying NOC-based monitoring systems from the Part 17 quarterly tower inspection obligation. Previously the FCC had granted some owners a waiver allowing NOC-based monitoring in lieu of the quarterly inspections. This pick is at present available to any possessor. The Study and Order explains, "These systems use self-diagnostic functions (such as alarm notification, 24-hour polling, and manual contact), an operations heart staffed with trained personnel capable of responding to alarms 24 hours per day, 365 days per twelvemonth, and a backup operations heart that can monitor systems in the event of catastrophic failure."

The rules regarding notification to the FAA in the upshot of extinguishment or improper functioning of lights were likewise modified. When notified of a belfry light trouble, the FAA bug a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), alerting pilots to the trouble. These elapse within 15 days, so the FCC at present requires antenna structure owners to provide the FAA with regular updates on the status of repairs. Updates must be provided every NOTAM period until the lights are repaired. A current gauge of the return-to-service engagement is required in each notification. Previous rules required notification "by telephone or telegraph." The new Department 17.48(a) requires "notification by ways acceptable to the FAA." This is currently via nationwide cost-gratis telephone number.

Requirements regarding the allowable fourth dimension for repair of malfunctioning lighting changed: "Specifically, we revise our rules to provide that all of the repairs addressed in Sections 17.48(b) and 17.56(a) (i.e., antenna structure lighting repairs, also equally repairs to automatic indicators or automatic control or alarm systems) be fabricated 'as shortly as practicable.'"

Antenna construction owners are required to maintain records of tower lighting bug. The onetime rules didn't specify how long these records had to exist maintained. The new rules "crave antenna construction owners to maintain a record of observed or otherwise known extinguishments or improper operation of structure lights for two years, and to provide such records to the Commission upon request."

Tower painting rules are revised to adopt the FAA's "In-Service Aviation Orange Tolerance Chart" equally the benchmark for determining whether a construction needs to be cleaned or repainted. Antenna structure owners must utilise the chart in a manner consistent with FAA guidelines, which currently provide that the color exist sampled on the upper half of the structure. The FCC declined to require painting of tower structures every ten years.