1. (a) Minimum requirements. Applications will not be accepted for filing if they specify less than 100 watts horizontally polarized effective radiated power (ERP) in any horizontal direction. No minimum antenna height above average terrain (HAAT) is specified. For stations requesting DTS operation pursuant to § 73.626, this requirement applies to at least one site in the DTS.

2. (b) Maximum power. Applications for new full power television stations, for changes in authorized full power television stations, and petitions for changes to the Table of TV Allotments, will not be accepted for filing if they specify a power which exceeds the maximum permitted boundaries specified in the following formulas:

   1. (1) A TV station that operates on a channel 2-6 allotment will be allowed a maximum ERP of 10 kW if its antenna HAAT is at or below 305 meters and it is located in Zone I or a maximum ERP of 45 kW if its antenna HAAT is at or below 305 meters and it is located in Zone II or Zone III.

      1. (i) At higher HAAT levels, such TV stations will be allowed to operate with lower maximum ERP levels in accordance with the following table and formulas (the allowable maximum ERP for intermediate values of HAAT is determined using linear interpolation based on the units employed in the table):

         Table 1 to Paragraph (b)(1)(i)—Maximum Allowable ERP and Antenna Height for TV Stations in Zones II or III on Channels 2-6

         Antenna HAAT (meters)	ERP (kW)
         610	10
         580	11
         550	12
         520	14
         490	16
         460	19
         425	22
         395	26
         365	31
         335	37
         305	45

      2. (ii) For TV stations located in Zone I that operate on channels 2-6 with an HAAT that exceeds 305 meters, the allowable maximum ERP expressed in decibels above 1 kW (dBk) is determined using the following formula, with HAAT expressed in meters:

         ERPmax = 92.57−33.24 * log10(HAAT)

      3. (iii) For TV stations located in Zone II or III that operate on channels 2-6 with an HAAT that exceeds 610 meters, the allowable maximum ERP expressed in decibels above 1 kW (dBk) is determined using the following formula, with HAAT expressed in meters:

         ERPmax = 57.57−17.08 * log10(HAAT)

   2. (2) A TV station that operates on a channel 7-13 allotment will be allowed a maximum ERP of 30 kW if its antenna HAAT is at or below 305 meters and it is located in Zone I or a maximum ERP of 160 kW if its antenna HAAT is at or below 305 meters and it is located in Zone II or Zone III.

      1. (i) At higher HAAT levels, such TV stations will be allowed to operate with lower maximum ERP levels in accordance with the following table and formulas (the allowable maximum ERP for intermediate values of HAAT is determined using linear interpolation based on the units employed in the table):

         Table 2 to Paragraph (b)(2)(i)—Maximum Allowable ERP and Antenna Height for TV Stations in Zones II or III on Channels 7-13

         Antenna HAAT (meters)	ERP (kW)
         610	30
         580	34
         550	40
         520	47
         490	54
         460	64
         425	76
         395	92
         365	110
         335	132
         305	160

      2. (ii) For TV stations located in Zone I that operate on channels 7-13 with an HAAT that exceeds 305 meters, the allowable maximum ERP expressed in decibels above 1 kW (dBk) is determined using the following formula, with HAAT expressed in meters:

         ERPmax = 97.35−33.24 * log10(HAAT)

      3. (iii) For TV stations located in Zone II or III that operate on channels 7-13 with an HAAT that exceeds 610 meters, the allowable maximum ERP expressed in decibels above 1 kW (dBk) is determined using the following formula, with HAAT expressed in meters:

         ERPmax = 62.34−17.08 * log10(HAAT)

   3. (3) A TV station that operates on a channel 14-36 allotment will be allowed a maximum ERP of 1000 kW if its antenna HAAT is at or below 365 meters.

      1. (i) At higher HAAT levels, such TV stations will be allowed to operates with lower maximum ERP levels in accordance with the following table and formulas (the allowable maximum ERP for intermediate values of HAAT is determined using linear interpolation based on the units employed in the table):

         Table 3 to Paragraph (b)(3)(i)—Maximum Allowable ERP and Antenna Height for TV Stations on Channels 14-36, All Zones

         Antenna HAAT (meters)	ERP (kW)
         610	316
         580	350
         550	400
         520	460
         490	540
         460	630
         425	750
         395	900
         365	1000

      2. (ii) For TV stations located in Zone I, II or III that operate on channels 14-36 with an HAAT that exceeds 610 meters, the allowable maximum ERP expressed in decibels above 1 kW (dBk) is determined using the following formula, with HAAT expressed in meters:

         ERPmax = 72.57−17.08 * log10(HAAT)

         Where: ERPmax = Maximum Effective Radiated Power measured in decibels above 1 kW (dBk). HAAT = Height Above Average Terrain measured in meters.

   4. (4) -(5) [Reserved]

   5. (6) The effective radiated power in any horizontal or vertical direction may not exceed the maximum values permitted by this section, except that licensees and permittees may request an increase in either ERP in some azimuthal direction or antenna HAAT, or both, up to the maximum permissible limits on TV power set forth in paragraph (b)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, as appropriate, up to that needed to provide the same geographic coverage area as the largest station within their market. Such requests must be accompanied by a technical showing that the increase complies with the technical criteria in § 73.620, and thereby will not result in new interference exceeding the de minimis standard set forth in that section, or statements agreeing to the change from any co-channel or adjacent channel stations that might be affected by potential new interference, in accordance with § 73.620(e). For the purposes of this paragraph:

      1. (i) The maximum ERP value shall not exceed the maximum permitted at any height within the relevant zone consistent with the values permitted in paragraph (b)(1), (2), or (3) of this section. The associated maximum height for that given ERP may be exceeded.
      2. (ii) Stations in the same Nielsen DMA are considered to be in the same market.
      3. (iii) “Geographic coverage area” is defined as the number of square kilometers found within a station's F(50,90) contour as calculated in § 73.619. A station taking advantage of this provision need not specify coverage that is congruent with or encompassed by the largest station in the market.
3. (c) Determination of applicable rules. The zone in which the transmitter of a television station is located or proposed to be located determines the applicable rules with respect to maximum antenna heights and powers for VHF stations when the transmitter is located in Zone I and the channel to be employed is located in Zone II, or the transmitter is located in Zone II and the channel to be employed is located in Zone I.

[28 FR 13660, Dec. 14, 1963, as amended at 42 FR 20823, Apr. 22, 1977; 42 FR 48881, Sept. 26, 1977; 47 FR 35990, Aug. 18, 1982; 50 FR 23698, June 5, 1985; 56 FR 49707, Oct. 1, 1991; 58 FR 51250, Oct. 1, 1993; 86 FR 66195, Nov. 22, 2021; 89 FR 7244, Feb. 1, 2024]