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FM Translator & Booster Stations
General information about FM translator and FM booster stations is
contained below. You may click on any of the topic headings in the Table of
Contents to jump directly to a particular section, or you may scroll
through the topics which start sequentially after the Table of Contents.
Related information about broadcast stations is located at:
| What Is An FM Translator
or FM Booster Station? |
FM Translators and Boosters comprise a low
power service on the FM broadcast band (88 to 108 MHz) which complements
the primary FM service. This service was first created
in 1970 to allow FM stations to provide supplementary service to
areas in which direct reception of
radio service is unsatisfactory due to distance or intervening
terrain barriers (e.g., a mountain). Translators or boosters may not originate
programming, except for the limited fundraising efforts in
the case of translators as explained below. Translator stations
rebroadcasting commercial FM
stations may be authorized on Channel 221 through 300 (92 MHz to
108 MHz), while translators
rebroadcasting a noncommercial educational FM station may be
authorized on any FM channel (201 to 300). The maximum effective radiated
power permitted for any translator station is 250 watts,
while the maximum effective radiated power for a booster station
is 20% of the main station's power.
Translator stations simultaneously rebroadcast the signal
of a primary FM station on a different frequency. Those translator stations
which provide service within the primary
station's protected service area are classified as "fill-in" stations.
Fill-in translators may be owned by the
main station, or they may be owned by an independent entity.
Commercial non-fill-in translators are
generally owned by independent entities, with certain exceptions, while
noncommercial educational
non-fill-in translator stations are generally owned by the
primary station being rebroadcast.
Booster Stations are essentially translator stations on
the same frequency as the main
station. Booster stations must be owned by the licensee of the
primary FM station. Booster
stations are also restricted in that the service contour of the
booster may not exceed the protected
or service contour of the primary station at any azimuth.
FM Translator Call Signs consist of
W (east of the Mississippi River) or
K (west of the Mississippi River), the channel number, and
a two letter suffix (e.g., W285AD or K220AA). FM
Booster Call Signs
incorporate the call sign of the main station with the suffix
-FM(booster number) added (e.g., KBDR-FM1). See
47 CFR Section 74.1283.
In the following sections, we provide basic information pertaining first to
translator stations, and then to booster stations, and lastly a summary of the policies
and rules applicable to both types of stations.
FCC Form 349 is used to file for a construction
permit for an FM translator
or booster station, and FCC Form 350 is used to license
that translator facility once construction has been completed in accordance with the
construction permit. The rules governing
FM translator and booster stations are covered in Part 74 of the FCC's
rules (47 CFR Sections 74.1 through 74.30 and 74.1201 through 74.1284), with
many references to the FM rules
contained in Part 73.
Return to
Table of Contents
Contour Protection. FM translator stations must meet the contour
protection criteria specified in 47 CFR Section 74.1204 with respect to all FM stations (including Class
D noncommercial educational secondary stations) and all FM translator or booster stations.
Effective Radiated Power. The maximum effective radiated power (ERP) for
any translator station is 250 watts. The maximum ERP permitted for a
particular translator station is dependent on the antenna height above
average terrain (HAAT) and the 12 radials (evenly spaced at 30° intervals)
used to determine the HAAT, and whether the location of the translator station
is east or west of the Mississippi River. See 47
47 CFR Section 74.1235 for further information.
Only one channel is authorized for each translator station
broadcast upon. The translator station may receive only one FM primary station.
See 47 CFR Section 74.1232(c).
Changing the Station Rebroadcast by an FM Translator Station. If the
licensee of an FM translator station desires to change the primary station
being rebroadcast, it may do so without prior authority from the Commission.
If the translator is owned by an entity
other than the owner of the new primary FM station, the owner
must
secure the permission of the primary station to rebroadcast its
programming before commencing operation. This is a statutory requirement.
See 47 U.S.C. Section 325(a); see also Footnote 52 of the Report and
Order in MM Docket 88-140 (scanned document), 5 FCC Rcd 7212, 7245. The translator
licensee must notify the
Commission by letter of ANY change in the primary FM
station rebroadcast, and the letter should be mailed to the following address:
Federal Communications Commission
Audio Division (2-A223)
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554
This change will be examined to verify that the change in primary
station complies with the Commission's translator rules, such as signal delivery
requirements (see below).
Return to
Table of Contents
Service Contour Requirements. A fill-in translator is required to
maintain its service contour within the service contour of the primary
station. Thus, for a Class A, C3, C2, C1, C0 (C-zero), C, or noncommercial
educational Class B, B1, or D FM primary station, the fill-in
translator station must maintain its 60 dBu (1 mV/m) F(50,50)
contour within the 60 dBu contour of the primary station. The fill-in translator of a
commercial Class B primary station must maintain its 54 dBu (0.5 mV/m) F(50,50) contour
within the 54 dBu F(50,50) contour of the primary station. Similarly, the fill-in
translator of a commercial Class B1 FM primary station must maintain its 57 dBu
(0.7 mV/m) F(50,50) contour within the 57
dBu F(50,50) contour of the primary station. The distances to the
primary station and translator station contours are to be predicted using the
standard contour prediction method in 47 CFR Section 73.313, using as many radials as
necessary to accurately locate the contours.
Ownership & Financial Support. A fill-in translator station may be
owned by the licensee of the FM primary station, or it may be owned by an
independent entity. If a fill-in translator is independently owned, the owner must secure
the permission of the
primary station to rebroadcast its programming before commencing operation.
This is a
statutory requirement. See 47 U.S.C. Section 325(a); see also
Footnote 52 of the Report and Order in MM Docket 88-140 (scanned document), 5 FCC Rcd 7212,
7245. The primary station may provide financial and technical
support for an independently owned fill-in translator, both before and after the
translator commences operation.
Signal Delivery to the Translator. Generally, a primary
FM station's signal is simply received at the fill-in translator's site, boosted in
strength, and reradiated on the
assigned translator frequency. However, a fill-in translator may also receive
a primary station's signal via any terrestrial transmission facility,
including (but not limited to)
microwave, phone company circuits, and dedicated fiber optic cable. Aural
intercity relay frequencies may also be used on a secondary basis (i.e., the use
of the frequency would
neither cause interference to or preclude use of the frequency by full service
radio broadcast stations) after coordination with local frequency coordinating
committees, or local broadcast users in the absence of a coordinating committee. A
relay through another
translator station is only acceptable if the intermediate translator provides
a signal to a populated area. See 47 CFR Sections 74.1231(b) and (c)).
Loss of Primary Station's Signal. The translator must be set up to go
off the air if the main station's signal is lost. See
47 CFR Sections 74.1234(a)(2) and
74.1263(b).
Return to
Table of Contents
The majority of FM translator stations fall into this category.
Service Contour Requirements. The service contour for a non-fill-in
translator station may extend outside the primary station's service contour, or in
some cases lie wholly outside it.
Ownership & Financial Support. In general, commercial primary stations
and anyone associated with a commercial primary station may neither own nor
provide direct or indirect support to non-fill-in translator stations, both
before and after the translator commences operation. See
47 CFR Section 74.1232(d). However, in order to facilitate service to
"white areas", the Commission will be favorably disposed
toward waiver of this rule to permit a
commercial primary station to support its own translator, or an independently
owned translator, which provides service to these unserved areas. The primary
commercial FM station may provide
"technical support" to the independent translator station, which
is defined as:
actual services provided by the primary station's technical staff or
compensation for the time and services provided by independent engineering
personnel. Such support does not include the supply of equipment or direct funding for
the translator's discretionary use. We also reiterate that technical assistance
by the primary station should occur after the issuance of the translator's construction
permit or license in order to meet expenses incurred by installing, repairing, or
making adjustments to equipment. (Footnotes omitted)
Memorandum Opinion and Order in MM Docket
88-140 (scanned document), 8 FCC Rcd 5093, 5096 at
Paragraph 20. See also
47 CFR Sections 74.1232(d) and (e).
For the purposes of translator station applications, "white
area" is defined as any area outside the coverage area of any full service aural
service (AM as well as FM). Paragraph 23,
Report and Order in Docket 88-140, 5 FCC Rcd at 7216. Where a
translator provides both fill-in service and white area service, the procedures
applicable to "white area" service should
be followed. A showing of the "white area" must be presented in the application
requesting waiver of the ownership requirement. When locating the "white area"
boundaries, the service contours for
FM stations shall be predicted using the standard method in 47 CFR Section
73.313.
If a non-fill-in translator is independently owned, the owner must
secure the permission of the primary station to rebroadcast its programming
before commencing operation.
This is a statutory requirement. See
47 CFR Section 74.1284(b); see also 47
U.S.C. Section 325(a) and Footnote 52 of the
Report and Order in MM Docket 88-140, 5 FCC Rcd 7212, 7245.
Signal Delivery. Non-fill-in translators relaying commercial FM stations must
receive the signal off-the-air, unless a waiver has been granted to feed
a "white area" translator by other terrestrial means. A showing of the "white area" must be
presented in the application requesting waiver of the signal delivery requirement.
Noncommercial educational non-fill-in translators operating on Channels 201
through 220 which are owned by the licensee of the primary noncommercial
educational FM translator station may use alternate means to receive the primary
FM station's signal. Non-fill-in
noncommercial educational translators on Channels 221 through 300
are prohibited from any alternative methods of signal delivery, including programming
feeds by satellite. See
47 CFR Section 74.1231(b).
Loss of Primary Station's Signal. The translator must be set up to go
off the air if the main station's signal is lost. See
47 CFR Sections 74.1234(a)(2) and
74.1263(b).
Special Note for Commercial Non-fill-in Translator Stations: The
Commission may terminate the operation of a non-fill-in translator station at any
time if the circumstances in the community or
area have changed so as to have prohibited grant of the application if those
circumstances had existed then. The notice of termination, when issued, will list
a date at least 60 days from the notice date by which operations must be terminated.
However, notices of termination pursuant to
47 CFR Section 74.1232(h) are rare in practice.
Return to
Table of Contents
Frequency. An FM Booster station may only operate on the same
frequency as the primary FM station. See
47 CFR Section 74.1202(c).
Service Contour Requirements. The service contour of an FM booster facility
must remain within the predicted service contour of the main station. For all
booster stations relaying a noncommercial educational FM primary station, and for all
boosters relaying a commercial FM
primary station except Class B and B1 commercial stations), the 60 dBu (1
mV/m) F(50,50) contour of the booster facility must be wholly encompassed by the 60 dBu
F(50,50) contour of the primary
station. For booster stations relaying the programming of a Class B
commercial FM station, the 54 dBu (0.5 mV/m) F(50,50) contour of the booster station must
be encompassed by the 54 dBu F(50,50) contour of the primary station. For booster stations
relaying the programming of a Class B1 commercial FM station, the 57 dBu (0.7 mV/m) F(50,50)
contour of the booster station must be encompassed by the 57 dBu F(50,50) contour
of the primary station. See
CFR Section 74.1232(f). The distances to the primary station and booster
station contours must be predicted using the standard method in 47 CFR Section 73.313.
Protection to First-Adjacent Channel and I.F. Channel Stations.
Booster stations must
provide protection from interference to first-adjacent channel stations, and
may be required to meet minimum separation requirements with respect to IF channel
stations (53 or 54 channels separated
from the booster channel). See
47 CFR Sections 74.1204(g) and (h).
Effective Radiated Power. The maximum permitted effective radiated
power (ERP) for an FM booster station is 20% of the primary station's effective
radiated power. See
47 CFR Section 74.1235(c).
Ownership. FM Booster stations must be owned by the licensee of the
primary FM station. See
47 CFR Section 73.1232(f).
Interference to Main Station's Signal. Because booster stations operate on the
same frequency as the primary station, operation of the booster may cause
interference to reception of the main station's signal. However, booster stations may not
cause interference to reception of the
primary station's signal within the community of license. The main station's
signal may also cause interference to reception of the booster station. It is up to
the licensee of the primary station to decide whether the gain realized by the booster
offsets any potential interference. See
47 CFR Section 74.1203(c).
Signal Delivery to the Booster Station may be made by any means, such as
terrestrial or satellite feed. See
47 CFR Section 74.1231(h).
Loss of Primary Station's Signal. The booster station must be set up
to go off the air if the main station's signal is lost. See
47 CFR Sections 74.1234(a)(2) and
74.1263(b).
Return to
Table of Contents
| Matters Common to FM Translator
and FM Booster Stations |
Translators may interrupt the rebroadcasted programming for up to 30 seconds
each hour to solicit and acknowledge funds used to maintain the translator station.
This interval may be broken up into smaller segments, e.g., two 15 second segments.
See
47 CFR Section 74.1231(g).
Return to
Table of Contents
A translator station may interrupt the rebroadcasted programming to broadcast
an emergency warning of imminent danger. Emergency transmissions shall be no longer
nor more frequent than necessary to protect life and property. See
47 CFR Section 74.1231(g).
Return to
Table of Contents
A translator station cannot originate local programming, except as covered in
the Fundraising by FM Translators and
Emergency
Warnings Broadcast by Translators above. See
47 CFR Section 74.1231(g).
Return to
Table of Contents
Applicants are generally not required to show that a technical need for the
translator service exists before filing an application for construction permit for a
translator station. However, an applicant
wanting to serve substantially the same area with a second translator must
make an appropriate showing of technical need for the additional translator. "Need"
refers to the quality of the signal received and not to the programming content, format,
or transmission needs of an area. See
47 CFR Section 74.1232(b).
Return to
Table of Contents
An FM translator station may only rebroadcast the signal of an FM station or
another FM translator signal. It may not rebroadcast an AM station, the audio of a TV
station, or any other service. See
.
Return to
Table of Contents
Effective May 21, 1999, the Commission redefined what constitutes a major
change for FM translator and booster stations. See the
First Report and Order, in MM Docket 98-93, FCC 99-55, 64 FR 19498 [ PDF ].
Applications will be treated as major changes if
- the application proposes a change in the community of license; or
- the application proposes to change to a channel which is not
an adjacent channel (an adjacent channel is one, two, or three
channels above or below the authorized channel) or an I.F. channel (an
intermediate frequency or I.F. channel is 53 or 54 channels above or
below the authorized channel); or
- the coverage is changed so that none of the originally served area
within the 60 dBu (1 mV/m) contour will be served by the proposed facility's
60 dBu (1 mV/m) contour.
All other changes are considered minor. Minor changes will be processed on a
first come / first served basis. See
47 CFR Section 74.1233(a)(1). All major
and minor changes must be approved by the Commission prior to
making any changes in the translator or booster operation, except for the
limited changes specified in
47 CFR Section 74.1251.
Return to
Table of Contents
Where two or more translator or booster applications conflict, they are
considered to be "mutually exclusive", since both applications cannot be granted without
causing interference to one another.
Competing applicants are encouraged to resolve their conflicts
without Commission intervention. Where this is not possible, mutually exclusive conflicts
will be resolved by the Commission as follows:
Applications proposing a fill-in translator for a commonly owned FM
primary station will have priority over all other applications. See
47 CFR Section 74.1233(d).
Mutually exclusive filings for non-fill-in translators may be resolved
by the Commission by assigning a different frequency to applicants. In the event
that no other frequencies are available, the Commission will use a priority system.
Priority will be based on the following criteria, in descending
order as follows:
- first full-time aural service in the area in which the
translator will serve;
- second full-time aural service;
- other public interest matters, including but not limited to
the number of aural services (AM
and FM) received in the proposed service area, the need for or lack of public
radio service, and other matters such as the relative size of the proposed
communities and their growth rate.
See
47 CFR Section 74.1233(f).
Where these criteria do not resolve the mutually exclusive
conflict between non-fill-in translator applicants, the permittee will be selected on a
first come / first served basis. See
47 CFR Section 74.1233(g).
Return to
Table of Contents
There are no multiple ownership limits on the number of translator and booster
stations a single entity may own. Nor are they counted as FM stations for the
purposes of the primary station multiple ownership rule,
47 CFR Section 73.3555. See
47 CFR Sections 74.1232(b) and (g).
Return to
Table of Contents
An applicant specifying use of a directional antenna must provide
the information specified in
47 CFR Section 74.1235(g) through (i) with the Form 349 construction permit
application.
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Table of Contents
A translator or booster may not cause predicted or actual interference. If
any actual interference is created, the Commission requires the permittee or
licensee to resolve all interference complaints by
appropriate means. If the interference cannot be resolved, the Commission
will require the FM translator or booster station to discontinue operations.
See
47 CFR Section 74.1203. A
translator construction permit application will not be granted if
an objecting party provides convincing evidence that the proposed translator
station would likely interfere with
off-the-air reception of a full service FM station, even if there
is no predicted prohibited contour overlap.
Return to
Table of Contents
A noncommercial educational FM translator or booster which operates on FM
Channels 201 through 220 (88.1 to 91.9 MHz) must, in its construction permit
application on FCC Form 349,
demonstrate that it provides protection from interference to reception of TV
Channel 6 as required by
47 CFR Section 74.1205. Alternatively, in lieu of
demonstrating compliance with the rule, the
applicant may submit a letter from an officer of the Channel 6 TV
station stating that the TV station does not object to the FM translator or booster
application.
Return to
Table of Contents
If the translator or booster station is intended to operate without a licensed
radio operator in attendance, the construction permit application for the
translator booster must so state and provide a showing demonstrating compliance with
the provisions of
47 CFR Section 74.1234. If unattended operation is not specifically requested,
the translator or booster station must have a licensed
radio operator on duty whenever the station is in operation. See
47 CFR Section 74.1266. (See also the Question and Answer
Sheet on Unattended Operation.)
Return to
Table of Contents
The licensee or permittee of a translator or booster station
cannot discontinue service for 30 or more days without
express Commission approval.
The licensee or permittee of a translator station which proposes to
discontinue operation
permanently must notify the Commission
at the address indicated below of its intent to
permanently discontinue operation at least two days before
operation is discontinued.
Immediately after operation is permanently discontinued, the
licensee shall forward the station license and other instruments of authorization (e.g.,
construction permits, unexpired Special Temporary Authority grants, etc.) to the
indicated address for cancellation. The station may not
operate after this occurrence.
The licensee or permittee of a translator or booster station which
temporarily discontinues
operation and which plans to be off the air for more than 30
consecutive days must notify the
Commission in writing within 10 days of the time that the
translator station is first off the air.
The notice of temporary discontinuance of operation must be sent
to the indicated address, with an
explanation as to why the operation was discontinued and the date
by when operations are expected to resume as authorized. If the translator
or booster station will remain silent for a period of 30 days or longer, the permittee
or licensee must also file a written request for Special Temporary
Authority (STA) with the Audio Services Division for this period.
While no filing fee is required for an
STA to remain silent, an anti-drug abuse certification statement
is required. See
47 CFR Section 1.2002(b); see also Anti-Drug Abuse Act of
1988, 6 FCC Rcd 7551, 57 Fed. Reg. 00186 (1991). In the case
of temporary discontinuance of operations, the permittee or
licensee is responsible for maintaining any required tower painting and
lighting, to preserve air safety.
Stations that are silent for 30 or more consecutive days are considered to
have permanently discontinued operations and the station's authorizations can be
cancelled at the Commission's
discretion. However, this will not apply to those stations which
have received prior approval from
the FCC to remain off the air for 30 or more consecutive days.
The license of stations that remain silent for a year are automatically cancelled
as a matter of la. The Commission does not have the authority to alter this
result.
In the case of permanent discontinuance of operation, if the tower on which
the translator or booster antenna was required on the construction permit or
license (or other authorization) to be
painted and lighted for air safety reasons, and the translator or booster
licensee or permittee is the
owner of that tower, then the tower owner remains responsible for maintaining
the obstruction painting and lighting until that tower is dismantled, and the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
and FCC's Support Services Branch in Gettysburg, PA are notified
of the dismantling. The tower
owner must also file National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Form 76-10 (Report of Radio
Transmitting Antenna Construction, Alteration, or Removal) with that agency so that
the nation's aeronautical charts and
related publications may be updated in the interest of safety in air navigation.
See
47 CFR Section 17.57.
Notices of the temporary or permanent discontinuation of operations must be
directed to:
Federal Communications Commission
Audio Division (1800B3)
2nd Floor Room 2-B442
Washington, DC 20554 FAX: 202-418-1411
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Table of Contents
Translator stations must be identified by the licensee by the following means:
By arranging with the primary station whose signal is being rebroadcast to
identify the translator by call sign and location. The identification
must occur 3 times daily: once between 7 AM and 9 AM, once between 12:55 PM and 1:05 PM,
and once between 4 PM and 6 PM. Stations which do not begin operating before 9 AM
must provide the identification at the beginning of the broadcast day. The
licensee of the translator station must
arrange for the primary station to keep in the primary FM station's file (and
to make available to FCC personnel), the call sign and location of the
translator station. This record
must include the name, address, and telephone number of the
translator licensee or his service representative to be contacted in the case of a
malfunction of the translator. See
47 CFR Section 74.1283(c)(1).
OR
by transmitting the call sign in Morse Code at least once hour. See
47 CFR Section 74.1283(c)(2) for additional requirements for transmission of the
call sign in this manner.
Booster stations are identified by the primary station, by the broadcasting of
the booster's call sign and location, in accordance with
47 CFR Section 73.1201.
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Table of Contents
FM Translator stations which do not meet the requirements of
47 CFR Sections 74.1204,
74.1205, or
74.1235 as of June 1, 1991 and which were authorized prior to that date are
permitted to continue operations with the technical facilities authorized
until a request for major modification of the facilities is made. Effective June 1,
1994, all commercial translator stations were required to come into compliance with the
revised fundraising and direct or indirect translator financial support rules.
See
47 CFR Sections 74.1204(j), 74.1205(d), and 74.1235(j). At the time modification is
requested, the applicant must demonstrate compliance with the provisions of 47 CFR
Sections 74.1204, 74.1205, and 74.1235.
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Table of Contents
The information covered in this fact sheet covers
the most important information about radio translator and booster stations.
Additional information is contained in Part 74 of the Commission's rules,
47 CFR Sections 74.1 through 74.30 and 74.1201 through 74.1284. In addition,
please note that information pertaining to FM broadcast stations (e.g.,
coordinate corrections, tower registration) also pertains to FM translator and booster
stations. See the FM Page.
Questions on technical matters related to translator and booster
stations may be referred to the Audio Division at
(202)-418-2700.
Additional information about Radio Broadcast Stations is available from the
Audio Division's Internet Web site at:
Some translator decisions and items of interest are contained at
Translator and booster rules in Part 74 are available at
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/bickel/part74rule.html
Information Compiled by Dale Bickel dale.bickel@fcc.gov
Senior Electronics Engineer
Return to
Table of Contents
This document is located at
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/translator.html
Questions about FM Translators and Boosters may be
referred to Robert Gates, robert.gates@fcc.gov
or James Bradshaw, james.bradsha@fcc.gov.
Comments about this page should be referred to Dale Bickel (dale.bickel@fcc.gov).
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