§ 74.731   Purpose and permissible service.

   (a)  Television broadcast translator stations and television broadcast
   booster stations provide a means whereby the signals of television broadcast
   stations may be retransmitted to areas in which direct reception of such
   television  broadcast  stations  is  unsatisfactory due to distance or
   intervening terrain barriers.

   (b)  Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, a television
   broadcast translator station or television broadcast booster station may be
   used only to receive the signals of a television broadcast station, another
   television broadcast translator station, a television translator relay
   station, a television intercity relay station, a television STL station, or
   other suitable source such as a CARS or common carrier microwave station,
   for  the  simultaneous retransmission of the programs and signals of a
   television broadcast station. Such retransmissions may be accomplished by
   either:

   (1)  Reception  of the television programs and signals of a television
   broadcast station directly through space, conversion to a different channel
   by simple heterodyne frequency conversion and suitable amplification; or,

   (2) Modulation and amplification of a video and audio feed, in which case
   modulating equipment meeting the requirements of § 74.750(d) shall be used.

   (c) The transmissions of each television broadcast translator station shall
   be intended for direct reception by the general public and any other use
   shall be incidental thereto. A television broadcast translator station shall
   not be operated solely for the purpose of relaying signals to one or more
   fixed  receiving  points  for retransmission, distribution, or further
   relaying.

   (d) The technical characteristics of the retransmitted signals shall not be
   deliberately altered so as to hinder reception on conventional television
   broadcast receivers.

   (e)  A  television broadcast translator station shall not deliberately
   retransmit  the  signals  of  any station other than the station it is
   authorized by license to retransmit. Precautions shall be taken to avoid
   unintentional retransmission of such other signals.

   (f) A locally generated radio frequency signal similar to that of a TV
   broadcast station and modulated with visual and aural information may be
   connected to the input terminals of a television broadcast translator or low
   power station for the purposes of transmitting still photographs, slides and
   voice  announcements. The radio frequency signals shall be on the same
   channel as the normally used off-the-air signal being rebroadcast. When
   transmitting originations concerning financial support or public service
   announcements, connection of the locally generated signals shall be made
   automatically either by means of a time switch or upon receipt of a control
   signal  from  the TV station being rebroadcast designed to actuate the
   switching circuit. The switching circuit will be so designed that the input
   circuit will be returned to the off-the-air signal within 30 seconds. The
   connection for emergency transmissions may be made manually. The apparatus
   used to generate the local signal which is used to modulate the translator
   or low power station must be capable of producing a visual or aural signal
   or both which will provide acceptable reception on television receivers
   designed for the transmission standards employed by TV broadcast stations.
   The visual and aural materials so transmitted shall be limited to emergency
   warnings of imminent danger, to local public service announcements and to
   seeking or acknowledging financial support deemed necessary to the continued
   operation of the station. Accordingly, the originations concerning financial
   support and PSAs are limited to 30 seconds each, no more than once per hour.
   Acknowledgements of financial support may include identification of the
   contributors,  the size and nature of the contribution and advertising
   messages of contributors. Emergency transmissions shall be no longer or more
   frequent than necessary to protect life and property.

   (g) Low power TV stations may operate under the following modes of service:

   (1) As a TV translator station, subject to the requirements of this part;

   (2) For origination of programming and commercial matter as defined in
   § 74.701(f);

   (3)  For  the  transmission of subscription television broadcast (STV)
   programs, intended to be received in intelligible form by members of the
   public for a fee or charge subject to the provisions of § § 73.642(e) and
   73.644.

   (h) A low power TV station may not be operated solely for the purpose of
   relaying signals to one or more fixed receiving points for retransmission,
   distribution or relaying.

   (i)  Low power TV stations are subject to no minimum required hours of
   operation and may operate in any of the 3 modes described in paragraph (g)
   of this section for any number of hours.

   (j)  Television broadcast booster stations provide a means whereby the
   licensee of a television broadcast station may provide service to areas of
   low signal strength in any region within the primary station's Grade B
   contour. The booster station may not be located outside the predicted Grade
   B  of  its primary station nor may the predicted Grade B signal of the
   television booster station extend beyond the predicted Grade B contour of
   the primary station. A television broadcast booster station is authorized to
   retransmit only the signals of its primary station; it shall not retransmit
   the  signals of any other stations nor make independent transmissions.
   However,  locally  generated signals may be used to excite the booster
   apparatus for the purpose of conducting tests and measurements essential to
   the proper installation and maintenance of the apparatus.

   (k) The transmissions of a television broadcast booster station shall be
   intended for direct reception by the general public. Such stations will not
   be permitted to establish a point-to-point television relay system.

   (l) After 11:59 p.m. local time on September 1, 2015, Class A television
   stations may no longer operate any facility in analog (NTSC) mode.

   [ 28 FR 13722 , Dec. 14, 1963, as amended at  43 FR 1951 , Jan. 13, 1978;  47 FR 21499 , May 18, 1982;  47 FR 40172 , Sept. 13, 1982;  48 FR 21487 , May 12, 1983;
    52 FR 31404 , Aug. 20, 1987;  76 FR 44827 , July 27, 2011;  80 FR 27863 , May 15,
   2015]

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