Sec. 73.1510  Experimental authorizations.

    (a) Licensees of broadcast stations may obtain experimental 
authorizations to conduct technical experimentation directed toward 
improvement of the technical phases of operation and service, and for 
such purposes may use a signal other than the normal broadcast program 
signal.
    (b) Experimental authorizations may be requested by filing an 
informal application with the FCC in Washington, DC, describing the 
nature and purpose of the experimentation to be conducted, the nature of 
the experimental signal to be transmitted, and the proposed schedule of 
hours and duration of the experimentation. Experimental authorizations 
shall be posted with the station license.
    (c) Experimental operations are subject to the following conditions:
    (1) The authorized power of the station may not be exceeded, except 
as specifically authorized for the experimental operations.
    (2) Emissions outside the authorized bandwidth must be attenuated to 
the degree required for the particular type of station.
    (3) The experimental operations may be conducted at any time the 
station is authorized to operate, but the minimum required schedule of 
programming for the class and type of station must be met. AM stations 
also may conduct experimental operations during the experimental period 
(12 midnight local time to local sunrise) and at additional hours if 
permitted by the experimental authorization provided no interference is 
caused to other stations maintaining a regular operating schedule within 
such period(s).
    (4) If an experimental authorization permits the use of additional 
facilities or hours of operation for experimental purposes, no sponsored 
programs or commercial announcements may be transmitted during such 
experimentation.
    (5) The licensee may transmit regularly scheduled programming 
concurrently with the experimental transmission if there is no 
significant impairment of service.
    (6) No charges may be made, either directly or indirectly, for the 
experimentation; however, normal charges may be made for regularly 
scheduled programming transmitted concurrently with the experimental 
transmissions.
    (d) The FCC may request a report of the research, experimentation 
and results at the conclusion of the experimental operation.

[ 43 FR 32783 , July 28, 1978]