CFR > Title 47 - Telecommunication > CHAPTER I—FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION > SUBCHAPTER C—BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES (Parts 70–79) > PART 74—EXPERIMENTAL RADIO, AUXILIARY, SPECIAL BROADCAST AND OTHER PROGRAM DISTRIBUTIONAL SERVICES > SUBPART E—Aural Broadcast Auxiliary Stations (§74.501 to §74.582) > 74.536—Directional antenna required.

74.536—Directional antenna required.

(a) Aural broadcast STL and ICR stations are required to use a directional antenna with the minimum beamwidth necessary, consistent with good engineering practice, to establish the link.
(b) An aural broadcast STL or intercity relay station operating in the 17.7-19.7 GHz band shall employ an antenna that meets the performance standards for Category A, except that in areas not subject to frequency congestion, antennas meeting standards for Category B may be employed. However, the Commission may require the replacement, at the licensee's expense, of any antenna or periscope antenna system of a permanent fixed station that does not meet performance Standard A, which is specified in the table in paragraph (c) of this section, upon a showing that said antenna causes or is likely to cause interference to (or receive interference from) any other authorized or proposed station; provided that an antenna meeting performance Standard A is unlikely to involve such interference.
(c) Licensees shall comply with the antenna standards table shown in this paragraph in the following manner:
(1) With either the maximum beamwidth to 3 dB points requirement or with the minimum antenna gain requirement; and
(2) With the minimum radiation suppression to angle requirement.
Antenna Standards
Frequency (GHz) Category Maximum beamwidth to 3 dB points 1(included angle indegrees) Minimum antenna gain (dbi) Minimum radiation suppression to angle in degrees from centerline of main beam in decibels
5° to 10° 10° to 15° 15° to 20° 20° to 30° 30° to 100° 100° to 140° 140° to 180°
17.7 to 19.7 AB 2.22.2 3838 2520 2924 3328 3632 4235 5536 5536
1 If a licensee chooses to show compliance using maximum beamwidth to 3 dB points, the beamwidth limit shall apply in both the azimuth and the elevation planes.
[48 FR 50333, Nov. 1, 1983, as amended at 49 FR 7130, Feb. 27, 1984; 50 FR 48599, Nov. 26, 1985; 51 FR 19840, June 3, 1986; 62 FR 4922, Feb. 3, 1997; 68 FR 12767, Mar. 17, 2003]