Latest GPO Version of FCC Rules Now Available

The October 2012 edition of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations—the FCC rules and regulations—can now be obtained from the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO).


I remember when the Commission used to require a hard copy of the FCC Rules and Regulations be available at broadcast operations; however, I searched Part 73 of the Rules and couldn't find any reference to this requirement, but I would still advise stations to have a copy of the Rules relevant to their particular operations readily available.

The least expensive option for printed copies is to purchase a copy of the applicable rules from the GPO. The FCC released a Public Notice announcing the October 2012 edition of Title 47 of the CFR. The cost for a copy of Parts 70-79, containing broadcast and broadcast auxiliary rules, is $67. To address other operations, you'll likely need Parts 0-19, which covers tower lighting, EAS and general FCC rules, and is also priced at $67. Satellite uplinks, licensed under Part 25, are covered in the Parts 20 to 39 volume, which sells for $52.

For a lower cost alternative, take advantage of the Government Printing Office's Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. There is no charge to access all the rules and you can view and print the part of the rules you need if you want a hard copy.

I find this to be very useful when a question comes up about permissible emissions on a specific frequency, decoding an FCC emission designator, or exactly what's allowed under current FCC Rules.

Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.