Regulatory compliance is one of the most important responsibilities wireless carriers and licensees of RF radiating systems must do. Failure to follow FAA and FCC rules pertaining to tower siting, modifications, RF exposure, proper signage, and AM coordination, can result in substantial fines. We have the expertise to council you or perform 3rd party independent reviews through these matters, and perform studies to insure and validate that you are compliant.
FAA notification for a proposed new structure or for alterations to an existing structure requires the preparation of FAA forms. Following FAA and all other regulatory approvals, you will be required to submit, a minimum of 48 hours before construction begins, additional FAA forms notifying the FAA when construction will begin. Another supplemental notice may be required to be filed when the structure has reached its greatest height.
Structures that require FAA notification; including new and existing structures, must be registered with the FCC by its owner. Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) requirements only apply to those antenna structures that may create a hazard to air navigation either by their height. These are generally those structures more than 200 feet, or the structure’s proximity to an airport.
AM Studies and Coordination
The FCC requires that wireless carriers and tower owners construct detuning systems on towers that are in close to an AM radio station tower. This is because any new tower constructed near an AM radio station tower can change and distort the AM stations coverage pattern. This means that the new tower owner could be liable to damages by degrading or causing the AM stations signal to interference with other AM radio stations beyond FCC acceptable levels. The FCC can fine you and the AM radio station has a legal right to file a lawsuit if you neglect these rules. Diplomatically working with AM stations is the best approach to resolving these situations. We can help you through this process by:
- Identifying which, if any, AM stations are nearby your tower proposal
- Determining if AM de-tuning is required
- Interaction with AM tower owners
- Outsourcing to qualified personnel to de-tune AM stations
RF Exposure Reports
Wireless facilities often come under scrutiny for RF radiation safety through a number of channels including: local jurisdictions, landlords, tenants, parents, or the public in general. To protect and inform the public of exposure, the FCC requires that its licensees comply with its published radio frequency exposure standards. These are found in the FCC Office of Engineering & Technology standard, OET Bulletin 65 and Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 1.1307 through 1.1310. Exposure limits are based on standards published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement (NCRP). The FCC has set maximum limits which have very large safety margins in areas where RF energy is present.
3dB Communications consults with wireless carriers, broadcasters, school districts, governmental jurisdictions, landlords, and the pubic to perform studies on RF exposure and verify compliance with FCC rules. This includes work on newly constructed or modified sites. We also perform 3rd Party independent RF exposure reviews for clients who need compliance validation. 3dB validates RF Compliance through computer modeling or by taking field measurements of the RF environment as the basis for our reports.
To learn more about our RF Exposure report service, click here to go to our NIER, NIR, MPE, & EME Reports, page.
