What is FM Radio, LPFM, & Low Power FM Radio?

FM Broadcast Radio Stations

FM stands for “Frequency Modulation”, which refers to the means of encoding the audio signal on the carrier (center) frequency.

• FM Query — Technical information about FM radio stations, including Low Power FM (LPFM), FM Translator, and FM Booster stations.
• FM Translator & Booster Stations — General information
• Agreements with Canada related to broadcasting.
• Agreements with Mexico related to broadcasting.
• Allotment Notices of Proposed Rulemaking and Orders to add or change commercial FM allotments
• FM Allotment Notices of Petitions for Rulemaking

•  

• Filing Requirements in FM Allotment Rulemaking Proceedings, Public Notice, DA 05-995, released April 1, 2005. [ PDF | Word ].
• Antenna Height Above Average Terrain Calculator (HAAT)
• Antenna Structure Registration — ASRS Registration, ASRS Query, TOWAIR
   

  •     TOWAIR can be used for towers under 61 meters (200 feet) tall to determine if FAA clearance and antenna structure registration will be required.
  •     No-Tolerance Policy Adopted for Unregistered Antenna Structures, Public Notice, released January 13, 1999. The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau is presently enforcing this requirement (see some recent cases).
• Anti-Drug Abuse Act Certification must accompany all requests for Special Temporary Authority (STA). Failure to provide this certification may result in processing delays.
• Application Status Reports for AM and FM applications
• Auction Procedures for New and Major Change Construction Permit Applications
• Call Sign Reservation and Authorization System
• CDBS (Consolidated DataBase System) Query for broadcast stations
• Channel Number / Frequency Conversions for FM
• Circular Plots on Tiger Census Maps. This program can be used to show on a map the area within 3.2 km (2 miles) of an AM transmitter site, within which tall structures may have an effect on an AM station’s emissions (see 47 CFR 73.1692). Use the AM Query to locate stations first. This program can also be used to find acceptable locations for the main studio (see 47 CFR 73.1125).
• Classes of FM Stations
• FMpower
• Contingent Applications for FM Minor Changes — Procedures allowing some contingent FM applications were adopted in the First Report and Order in MM Docket 98-93, FCC 99-55, 64 FR 19498, released March 30, 1999 [ PDF | Word ].
• Coordinates
   

  • Coordinate and Antenna Structure Height Corrections; Construction of Antenna Structure
  • Additional Global Positioning System (GPS) information
• Coordinates in NAD27 Coordinate System Must Be Used in FCC [Broadcast] Applications, Public Notice, released September 1, 1992 (7 FCC Rcd 6096)

•  

• Global Positioning System and GPS Receivers Use WGS 84 Coordinates — Conversion to NAD27 coordinates using the NADCON program is required before submitting an application to the FCC.

•  

   

• Construction Permit Information Sheets are sent along with the granted construction permit to new AM and FM stations and modified AM and FM stations.
• Consummation of Assignments or Transfers — Licensees and permittees must provide notification to the Commission of the consummation of an assignment or transfer.
• Cutoff Lists for AM, FM Noncommercial Educational, and FM Translator and Booster Applications. Cutoff lists are currently being employed only for FM booster station applications.
   
• Defective FM Noncommercial Educational Applications — Public Notice, Commission States Future Policy on Incomplete and Patently Defective AM and FM Construction Permit Applications, 47 CFR 73.4015, 55 RR 2d 776 (1984). Because of subsequent rules and procedures changes, this 1984 policy statement presently applies only to AM applications and FM noncommercial educational applications.
• Digital AM and FM Radio (IBOC)
• List of stations authorized for “hybrid” operation (analog + digital signals), [ AM | FM ]
• Directional Antennas for FM Stations (documents pertaining to)
• Criteria for Licensing of FM Broadcast Antenna Systems, Public Notice, FCC 84-437, released September 14, 1984. Any technique or means (including side mounting) which intentionally distorts the radiation pattern of an FM antenna requires that the antenna be licensed as directional.
• Donor Acknowledgements, Enhanced Underwriting, and Program Related Materials — Noncommercial Educational Stations only

• “FAA Flight Service Station Reporting Service Requirements for Tower Light Outages”, DA 00-580, released March 16, 2000. [ PDF | MS Word 97 | Text ]. Tower light outages and restoration of tower lighting must be recorded in the station’s log, in addition to the date, time, and the Flight Service Station (FSS) notified of the lighting outage.

• Facility ID Number for Broadcast Stations — A unique number has been assigned to each AM, FM, LPFM, TV, LPTV, translator, and booster station. This number is being employed to provide an unvarying reference between various databases at the Commission, and to minimize discrepancies caused by call sign or facilities changes. The Facility ID Number for a broadcast station may be determined by using CDBS. We encourage the use of this number, along with the station call sign and file number if appropriate, on the cover page of all documents pertaining to particular broadcast stations submitted to the FCC.

• Filing Fees and Regulatory Fees — Fees are applicable to commercial applicants only.

• Forms

• “Grandfathered FM Stations”, MM Docket 96-120, FCC 97-276, 12 FCC Rcd 11840, 62 FR 50818 [ Word Perfect 5.1 | Text ]. Revised rules for grandfathered short-spaced stations that have remained short-spaced since November 1962.

• Inspections of Radio Installations — Fact Sheet, from the Enforcement Bureau

• Localism in broadcasting (Localism Task Force)

• Maps (PDF files):
  • FM Licensed Coverage (excluding translators, boosters, and low power FM stations): [ Continental USA (5.8 MB) | Alaska | Hawaii | Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands ].
  • Low Power FM Licensed Coverage: [ Continental USA (2.8 MB) | Alaska | Hawaii | Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands ].
  • FM Translator Licensed Coverage: [ Continental USA (3.1 MB) | Alaska | Hawaii | Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands ].

• Minor Change Definition and Procedures Revised for FM Applications — First Report and Order (PDF) in MM Docket 98-93, FCC 99-55, 64 FR 19498, released March 30, 1999. First Come / First Served processing adopted for AM, FM noncommercial educational, and FM translator minor change applications. The definition of what constitutes a minor change application was greatly expanded.

• Noncommercial Educational (NCE) FM Mutually Exclusive Application Determinations

• Propagation Curves Computations for FM Radio and Television Stations – F(50,50), F(50,10), F(50,90) curves. (On-Line Program.)

• FM, TV, and Digital TV Propagation Curves Graphs

• Main Studio and Public Inspection File Requirements have been revised. See the Memorandum Opinion and Order in MM Docket 97-138, FCC 99-118, released May 28, 1999 [ 

Word Perfect 5.1 | Text ] and the earlier Report and Order, MM Docket 97-138, FCC 98-175, released August 11, 1998 [ Word Perfect 5.1 | Text ]
 

• Negotiated Interference, Point-to-Point Contour Prediction Model were considered in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order, MM Docket 98-93 [ PDF (includes appendices) | Word Perfect 5.1 + Appendices in WP 5.1 ]. The proposed changes are summarized in the News Release “FCC Seeks Comment on Negotiated Interference As Part of Radio Technical Rule Streamlining”, released June 11, 1998. Sample runs of the program and opdated technical information are available from the Audio Division PTP and OET PTP pages. NOTE: Because the Commission has not adopted provisions allowing for negotiated interference or use of PTP to predict potential interference at the present time, we will not accept applications that specify such processing, pending the outcome of the rulemaking proceeding.

• Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) from the Media Bureau

• Numbers of Radio and TV Broadcast Stations in the USA

• “Quiet Spots” Between Stations on the Dial

• Radiofrequency Exposure information. Broadcasters are required to comply with the Commission’s radiofrequency exposure limits, in coordination with other RF users at the site.

License Renewal Applications for Radio Broadcast Stations — All radio broadcast station licenses will expire between 2003 and 2006. Licensees must file a license renewal application (FCC Form 303-S) and the Broadcast Equal Employment Opportunity Program Statement (FCC Form 396) four months before the expiration date of the station’s license. This page provides information about the license renewal process for radio broadcast stations.
 

• Remote Control Point Notifications: A letter notifying the Commission of the location and telephone number of the remote control point (also called transmission system control point) must be sent to the Audio Division, Mail Stop 1800B2, FCC, Washington, D.C. 20554 within 3 days of the initial use of that point. Notification is not required if personnel can be contacted at the main studio site or at the transmitter site during all hours of operation. See 47 CFR Section 73.1350(g) and Question 8 of Unattended Operation of Radio and Television Broadcast Stations.

• Renewal of License Applications for Radio Broadcast Stations — All radio broadcast station licenses will expire between 2003 and 2006. Licensees will need to file a renewal application for the next license term. This page provides information about the radio broadcast license renewal process.

• Service Area / Service Contour Maps are available through the FM Query. Select the longer, detailed Query output before subbmitting the request; when the records are returned, select the “Service Contour Map” link under the desired record.

• FM and TV Service Contour Data Points — The files contained herein consist of calculated latitude and longitude points for FM and TV service contours, 360 points for each contour. The contour data must be correllated with data from the CDBS database, or from the AM, FM, or TV Queries. This data is intended for use with GIS systems.

• Silent AM and FM Broadcast Station Lists

• Subcarriers or Subsidiary Communications Authority (SCA), Fact Sheet, September,1997.

• Table of Allotments. Because the Table of Allotments changes almost daily, the Media Bureau will not post a current table on the Internet. This link will take you to the Table of Allotments in 47 CFR 73.202 that is published once yearly in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

• Translators and Booster Stations on the FM Band — General information.

• Transmission Line Efficiency and Transmitter Power Output Calculations for FM stations

• Unattended Operation of Broadcast Stations, Report and Order, MM Docket 94-130, 10 FCC Rcd 11479, released 10/23/1995 [ Word Perfect 5.1 | Text ]

• Questions and Answers About Unattended Operation of Broadcast Stations, Fact Sheet, September,1997.