If you've modified an existing broadcast auxiliary license or received a new license and not filed a "timely notice of completion" (NT), the FCC Universal Licensing System may cancel those licenses starting Feb. 1. As SBE General Counsel Chris Imlay points out in last week's SBE Short Circuits, the FCC did not specifically state until December last year that broadcast auxiliary licenses were affected by the Declaratory Ruling announcing automatic termination of licenses for which an NT had not been received. An NT is required when the license or application involved adding, deleting or modifying a frequency. Imlay, however, recommends filing an NT for any new or modified BAS facility.
If the license was granted more than 18 months ago (or 12 months ago for remote pickup and low power auxiliary licenses), then in addition to filing the NT, licensees will also have to request a waiver of the timely notification rules. Chris Imlay notes that it is extremely easy to file an NT in the FCC's ULS.
How can you tell if an existing license needs an NT? Unfortunately, ULS isn't much help. Once aural and TV BAS fixed link modifications are approved, the old license data disappears from ULS and only the new proposed facilities show up.
If you have broadcast auxiliary licenses that may be affected by the declaratory ruling, be sure to read Chris Imlay's Avoiding Automatic Termination of Broadcast Auxiliary Licenses on 2/1/06 for additional information.
