60688 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 14, 2008 / Notices 

Dated: October 7, 2008. 

Sara Hisel-McCoy, 

Director, Collection Strategies Division. 

[FR Doc. E8–24273 Filed 10–10–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

Notice of Public Information 

Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the 

Federal Communications Commission, 

Comments Requested 

October 7, 2008. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications 

Commission, as part of its continuing 

effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 

invites the general public and other 

Federal agencies to take this 

opportunity to comment on the 

following information collection(s), as 

required by the Paperwork Reduction 

Act of 1995 (PRA), Public Law No. 104– 

13. An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor a collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid 

control number. Subject to the PRA, no 

person shall be subject to any penalty 

for failing to comply with a collection 

of information that does not display a 

valid control number. Comments are 

requested concerning (a) Whether the 

proposed collection of information is 

necessary for the proper performance of 

the functions of the Commission, 

including whether the information shall 

have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of 

the Commission’s burden estimate; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information collected; and 

(d) ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on the 

respondents, including the use of 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

DATES: Written PRA comments should 

be submitted on or before December 15, 

2008. If you anticipate that you will be 

submitting comments, but find it 

difficult to do so within the period of 

time allowed by this notice, you should 

advise the contact listed below as soon 

as possible. 

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may 

submit all PRA comments by e-mail or 

U.S. post mail. To submit your 

comments by e-mail, send them to 

PRA@fcc.gov and/or to 

Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov. To submit your 

comments by U.S. mail, mark them to 

the attention of Cathy Williams, Federal 

Communications Commission, Room 1– 

C823, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, 

DC 20554. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

additional information about the 

information collection(s), contact Cathy 

Williams at (202) 418–2918 or send an 

e-mail to PRA@fcc.gov and/or 

Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

OMB Control Number: 3060–0991. 

Title: AM Measurement Data. 

Form Number: Not applicable. 

Type of Review: Revision of a 

currently approved collection. 

Respondents: Business or other for 

profit entities. 

Number of Respondents and 

Responses: 1,900 respondents; 4,568 

responses. 

Obligation to Respond: Required to 

obtain benefits. The statutory authority 

for this collection of information is 

contained in Sections 1, 4(i) 303, 308, 

309, 310, and 319 of the 

Communications Act of 1934, as 

amended. 

Estimated Time per Response: 0.5—25 

hours. 

Frequency of Response: 

Recordkeeping requirement; Third party 

disclosure requirement; On occasion 

reporting requirement. 

Total Annual Burden: 30,795 hours. 

Total Annual Costs: $829,000. 

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: 

There is no need for confidentiality with 

this information collection. 

Privacy Act Impact 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. 

The following rule sections are included 

in this collection. 

The revised information collection 

requirements are as follows: 

47 CFR 73.61(a) states each AM 

station using a directional antenna with 

monitoring point locations specified in 

the instrument of authorization must 

make field strength measurements at the 

monitoring point locations specified in 

the instrument of authorization, as often 

as necessary to ensure that the field at 

those points does not exceed the values 

specified in the station authorization. 

Additionally, stations not having an 

approved sampling system must make 

the measurements once each calendar 

quarter at intervals not exceeding 120 

days. The provision of this paragraph 

supersedes any schedule specified on a 

station license issued prior to January 1, 

1986. The results of the measurements 

are to be entered into the station log 

pursuant to the provisions of 

§§ 73.1820. 

47 CFR 73.61(b) states if the AM 

license was granted on the basis of field 

strength measurements performed 

pursuant to Sec. 73.151(a), partial proof 

of performance measurements using the 

procedures described in Sec. 73.154 

must be made whenever the licensee 

has reason to believe that the radiated 

field may be exceeding the limits for 

which the station was most recently 

authorized to operate. 

47 CFR 73.68(c) states a station having 

an antenna sampling system constructed 

according to the specifications given in 

paragraph (a) of this section may obtain 

approval of that system by submitting 

an informal letter request to the FCC in 

Washington, DC, Attention: Audio 

Division, Media Bureau. The request for 

approval, signed by the licensee or 

authorized representative, must contain 

sufficient information to show that the 

sampling system is in compliance with 

all requirements of paragraph (a) of this 

section. 

47 CFR 73.68(d) states in the event 

that the antenna monitor sampling 


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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 14, 2008 / Notices 60689 

system is temporarily out of service for 

repair or replacement, the station may 

be operated, pending completion of 

repairs or replacement, for a period not 

exceeding 120 days without further 

authority from the FCC if all other 

operating parameters and the field 

monitoring point values are within the 

limits specified on the station 

authorization. 

47 CFR 73.68(e)(1) Special Temporary 

Authority (see Sec. 73.1635) shall be 

requested and obtained from the 

Commission’s Audio Division, Media 

Bureau in Washington to operate with 

parameters at variance with licensed 

values pending issuance of a modified 

license specifying parameters 

subsequent to modification or 

replacement of components. 

47 CFR 73.68(e)(4) states request for 

modification of license shall be 

submitted to the FCC in Washington, 

DC, within 30 days of the date of 

sampling system modification or 

replacement. Such request shall specify 

the transmitter plate voltage and plate 

current, common point current, base 

currents and their ratios, antenna 

monitor phase and current indications, 

and all other data obtained pursuant to 

this paragraph. 

47 CFR 73.68(f) states if an existing 

sampling system is found to be patently 

of marginal construction, or where the 

performance of a directional antenna is 

found to be unsatisfactory, and this 

deficiency reasonably may be attributed, 

in whole or in part, to inadequacies in 

the antenna monitoring system, the FCC 

may require the reconstruction of the 

sampling system in accordance with 

requirements specified above. 

47 CFR 73.151(c)(1)(ix) states the 

orientation and distances among the 

individual antenna towers in the array 

shall be confirmed by a postconstruction certification by a land 

surveyor (or, where permitted by local 

regulation, by an engineer) licensed or 

registered in the state or territory where 

the antenna system is located. 

47 CFR 73.151(c)(2)(i) describes 

techniques for moment method 

modeling, sampling system 

construction, and measurements that 

must be taken as part of a moment 

method proof. A description of the 

sampling system and the specified 

measurements must be filed with the 

license application. 

47 CFR 73.151(c)(3) states reference 

field strength measurement locations 

shall be established in directions of 

pattern minima and maxima. On each 

radial corresponding to a pattern 

minimum or maximum, there shall be at 

least three measurement locations. The 

field strength shall be measured at each 

reference location at the time of the 

proof of performance. The license 

application shall include the measured 

field strength values at each reference 

point, along with a description of each 

measurement location, including GPS 

coordinates and datum reference. 

47 CFR 73.155 states a station 

licensed with a directional antenna 

pattern pursuant to a proof of 

performance using moment method 

modeling and internal array parameters 

as described in § 73.151(c) shall 

recertify the performance of that 

directional antenna pattern at least once 

within every 24 month period. 

47 CFR 73.155(c) states the results of 

the periodic directional antenna 

performance recertification 

measurements shall be retained in the 

station’s public inspection file. The 

existing information collection 

requirements for this information 

collection are as follows: 

47 CFR Section 73.54(c) requires that 

AM licensees file a letter notification 

with the FCC when determining power 

by the direct method. In addition, 

Section 73.54(c) requires that 

background information regarding 

antenna resistance measurement data 

for AM stations must be kept on file at 

the station. 

47 CFR Section 73.54(d) requires AM 

stations using direct reading power 

meters to either submit the information 

required by (c) or submit a statement 

indicating that such a meter is being 

used. 

47 CFR Section 73.61(c) requires a 

station may be directed to make a partial 

proof of performance by the FCC 

whenever there is an indication that the 

antenna is not operating as authorized. 

47 CFR Section 73.62(b) requires an 

AM station with a directional antenna 

system to measure and log every 

monitoring point at least once for each 

mode of directional operation within 24 

hours of detection of variance of 

operating parameters from allowed 

tolerances. 

47 CFR Section 73.69(c) requires AM 

station licensees with directional 

antennas to file an informal request to 

operate without required monitors with 

the Media Bureau in Washington, D.C., 

when conditions beyond the control of 

the licensee prevent the restoration of 

an antenna monitor to service within a 

120 day period. This request is filed in 

conjunction with Section 73.3549. 

47 CFR Section 73.69(d)(1) requires 

that AM licensees with directional 

antennas request to obtain temporary 

authority to operate with parameters at 

variance with licensed values when an 

authorized antenna monitor is replaced 

pending issuance of a modified license 

specifying new parameters. 

47 CFR Section 73.69(d)(5) requires 

AM licensees with directional antennas 

to submit an informal request for 

modification of license to the FCC 

within 30 days of the date of antenna 

monitor replacement. 

47 CFR Section 73.154 requires the 

result of the most recent partial proof of 

performance measurements and analysis 

to be retained in the station records and 

made available to the FCC upon request. 

Maps showing new measurement points 

shall be associated with the partial proof 

in the station’s records and shall be 

made available to the FCC upon request. 

47 CFR Section 73.158(b) requires a 

licensee of an AM station using a 

directional antenna system to file a 

request for a corrected station license 

when the description of monitoring 

point in relation to nearby landmarks as 

shown on the station license is no 

longer correct due to road or building 

construction or other changes. A copy of 

the monitoring point description must 

be posted with the existing station 

license. 

47 CFR Section 73.3538(b) requires a 

broadcast station to file an informal 

application to modify or discontinue the 

obstruction marking or lighting of an 

antenna supporting structure. 

47 CFR Section 73.3549 requires 

licensees to file with the FCC requests 

for extensions of authority to operate 

without required monitors, transmission 

system indicating instruments, or 

encoders and decoders for monitoring 

and generating the Emergency Alert 

System codes. Such requests must 

contain information as to when and 

what steps were taken to repair or 

replace the defective equipment and a 

brief description of the alternative 

procedures being used while the 

equipment is out of service. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene H. Dortch, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E8–24316 Filed 10–10–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

[WC Docket No. 05–195; FCC 08–189] 

Comprehensive Review of the 

Universal Service Fund Management, 

Administration, and Oversight 

AGENCY: Federal Communication 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice of Inquiry. 

SUMMARY: In this document, we seek 

comment on ways to further strengthen 


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