Sec. 90.463  Transmitter control points.

    (a) A control operator is required to be stationed at the operating 
position of a transmitter control point. A control operator is any 
person designated by the licensee to exercise supervision and control 
over the operation and use of the licensee's facilities. The control 
operator may be the licensee; or an employee of the licensee; or the 
agent of the licensee, appointed by the licensee to act as the control 
operator; or a third-party contractor, engaged by the licensee to serve 
as the control operator: Provided, however, In no case, through 
appointment or designation of any person to serve as control operator, 
may the licensee delegate any of the duties and responsibilities the 
licensee may have in his capacity as licensee.
    (b) Each station or licensed system of communication shall normally 
have a control point, or control points, at which the control operator 
or operators are stationed and at or from which the licensee may 
exercise supervision

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and control over the authorized facilities, as required by the 
provisions of Sec. 90.461. Provided, however, Control point requirements 
may vary from one system to another, depending upon the nature of the 
radio operation; the way and by whom the facilities are employed; and 
other factors, as set out in other rule sections under this subpart.
    (c) A transmitter control point may be located at a fixed position 
in a system of communication at or from which the control operator 
exercises supervision and control over the operation and use of the 
licensed facilities. Each fixed transmitter control point shall have 
equipment and facilities to permit the control operator:
    (1) To determine when the transmitter or transmitters controlled are 
either radiating ``RF'' energy, or when the transmitter circuits have 
been placed in a condition to produce such radiation. This may be 
accomplished either through the use of a carrier operated device which 
provides a visual indication when the transmitter(s) are radiating or a 
pilot lamp or meter which provides a visual indication when the 
transmitter circuits have been placed in a condition to produce 
radiation. Further, where a local transmitter is used to activate a 
remote transmitter or transmitters in the licensee's system of 
communication, a single pilot lamp or meter may be employed to indicate 
the activation of both the local and the remote transmitter(s).
    (2) To turn the carrier of the transmitter on and off at will, or to 
close the system down completely, when circumstances warrant such 
action.
    (d) The licensee's transmitting facilities may be operated from 
dispatch points, the fixed control point shall have equipment to permit 
the control operator to either disconnect the dispatch point circuits 
from the transmitter(s) or to render the transmitter(s) inoperative from 
any dispatch point being supervised.
    (e) Where the system is interconnected with public communication 
facilities, as provided at Secs. 90.477 through 90.483, and where those 
rules so require, the fixed control point shall be equipped to permit 
the control operator:
    (1) To monitor co-channel facilities of other licensees sharing an 
assigned channel or channels with the licensee in the licensee's area of 
operation; and,
    (2) To terminate any transmission(s) or communication(s) between 
points in the public communications system and the private 
communications system.
    (f) In urban areas, the location of fixed transmitter control points 
will be specified, ``same as transmitter,'' unless the control point is 
at a street address which is different from that of the transmitter(s) 
controlled. In rural areas, the location of fixed control points will be 
specified, ``same as transmitter,'' unless the control point is more 
than 152.5 m (500 ft) from the transmitter(s) controlled. In the latter 
case, the approximate location of the control point will be specified in 
distance and direction from the transmitter(s) controlled in terms of 
distance and geographical quadrant, respectively. It would be assumed 
that the location of a fixed control point is the same as the location 
of the transmitter(s) controlled, unless the applicant includes a 
request for a different location described in appropriate terms as 
indicated herein.
    (g) [Reserved]
    (h) Mobile transmitters shall be assumed to be under the immediate 
control of the mobile operator; provided, however, overall supervision 
and control of the operation and use of a communication system may be 
the responsibility of a fixed control point operator. In general, mobile 
transmitters shall be equipped to permit the operator to determine when 
they are radiating ``RF'' energy or when the transmitter circuits have 
been placed in a condition to produce such radiation. This may be 
accomplished either through the use of a carrier operated device or of a 
pilot lamp or meter which will provide a visual indication when the 
transmitter is radiating or has been placed in a condition to produce 
radiation provided, however, that hand-carried or pack-carried 
transmitters and

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transmitters installed on motorcycles need not be so equipped.
[ 43 FR 54791 , Nov. 22, 1978;  44 FR 32220 , June 5, 1979;  44 FR 34134 , 
June 14, 1979, as amended at  44 FR 67125 , Nov. 23, 1979;  48 FR 29517 , 
June 27, 1983;  54 FR 39740 , Sept. 28, 1989;  58 FR 44960 , Aug. 25, 1993]