§ 73.1635 Special temporary authorizations (STA). ( a ) A special temporary authorization (STA) is the authority granted to a permittee or licensee to permit the operation of a broadcast facility for a limited period at a specified variance from the terms of the station authorization or requirements of the FCC rules applicable to the particular class of station. ( 1 ) A request for a STA should be filed with FCC in Washington, DC at least 10 days prior to the date of the proposed operation.
( 2 ) The request is to be filed electronically in LMS using the “Engineering STA Application” and shall fully describe the proposed operation and the necessity for the requested STA. Such letter requests shall be signed by the licensee or the licensee's representative.
( 3 ) A request for a STA necessitated by unforeseen equipment damage or failure may be made without regard to the procedural requirements of this section (e.g., via email or telephone). Any request made pursuant to this paragraph shall be followed by a written confirmation request conforming to the requirements of paragraph (a)(2) of this section. Confirmation requests shall be submitted within 24 hours. (See also § 73.1680 Emergency Antennas).
( 4 ) An STA may be granted for an initial period not to exceed 180 days. A limited number of extensions of such authorizations may be granted for additional periods not exceeding 180 days per extension. An STA necessitated by technical or equipment problems, however, may, in practice, be granted for an initial period not to exceed 90 days with a limited number of extensions not to exceed 90 days per extension. The permittee or licensee must demonstrate that any further extensions requested are necessary and that all steps to resume normal operation are being undertaken in an expeditions and timely fashion. The license of a broadcasting station that fails to transmit broadcast signals for any consecutive 12-month period expires as a matter of law at the end of that period, notwithstanding any STA or provision, term, or condition of the license to the contrary.
( 5 ) Certain rules specify special considerations and procedures in situations requiring an STA or permit temporary operation at variance without prior authorization from the FCC when notification is filed as prescribed in the particular rules. See § 73.62, Directional antenna system tolerances; § 73.157, Antenna testing during daytime; § 73.158, Directional antenna monitoring points; § 73.1250, Broadcasting emergency information; § 73.1350, Transmission system operation; § 73.1560, Operating power and mode tolerances; § 73.1570, Modulation levels: AM, and FM; § 73.1615, Operation during modification of facilities; § 73.1680, Emergency antennas; and § 73.1740, Minimum operating schedule.
( b ) An STA may be modified or cancelled by the FCC without prior notice or right to hearing.
( c ) No request by an AM station for temporary authority to extend its hours of operation beyond those authorized by its regular authorization will be accepted or granted by the FCC except in emergency situations conforming with the requirements of § 73.3542, Application for Emergency Authorization. See also § 73.1250, Broadcasting Emergency Information.
[50 FR 30948, July 31, 1985, as amended at 58 FR 51250, Oct. 1, 1993; 60 FR 55482, Nov. 1, 1995; 61 FR 28767, June 6, 1996; 65 FR 30004, May 10, 2000; 89 FR 7256, Feb. 1, 2024]