LPTV Rules Published in the Federal Register

The FCC published rules governing the DTV operation of low-power TV and translator stations last week. The rules not requiring OMB approval in the Report and Order and modifying some of the rules applicable to digital Class A TV stations will become effective Jan. 28, 2005, 60 days after the Report and Order was published in the Federal Register--November 29, 2004.

See RF Report for October 5, 2005 for a summary of the Report and Order. One change that may impact all TV stations, both full power and low power, is that OET-69 interference studies involving LPTV stations will now have to use the LPTV antenna elevation patterns based on double the OET-69 relative field values, capped at 1.0. In addition, OET-69 studies involving LPTV stations will have to be done with a maximum resolution of 1.0 km instead of the 2.0 km maximum resolution allowed for high power stations.

When the rules become effective, low power stations can file for on-channel conversion to DTV. At some point in the future, the FCC will issue a Public Notice announcing a window for filing applications for companion digital LPTV channels.

Refer to RF Report for October 5, 2005 and the Report and Order for details on the rules. Also see the Public Notice of Publication in the Federal Register.