Sec.  74.431   Special rules applicable to remote pickup stations.

   (a)  Remote pickup mobile stations may be used for the transmission of
   material from the scene of events which occur outside the studio back to
   studio or production center. The transmitted material shall be intended for
   the  licensee's own use and may be made available for use by any other
   broadcast station or cable system.

   (b) Remote pickup mobile or base stations may be used for communications
   related to production and technical support of the remote program. This
   includes  cues, orders, dispatch instructions, frequency coordination,
   establishing microwave links, and operational communications. Operational
   communications are alerting tones and special signals of short duration used
   for telemetry or control.

   (c) Remote pickup mobile or base stations may communicate with any other
   station licensed under this subpart.

   (d) Remote pickup mobile stations may be operated as a vehicular repeater to
   relay program material and communications between stations licensed under
   this subpart. Precautions shall be taken to avoid interference to other
   stations and the vehicular repeater shall only be activated by hand-carried
   or pack-carried units.

   (e) The output of hand-carried or pack-carried transmitter units used with a
   vehicular  repeater is limited to 2.5 watts. The output of a vehicular
   repeater transmitter used as a talkback unit on an additional frequency is
   limited to 2.5 watts.

   (f) Remote pickup base and mobile stations in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto
   Rico, and the Virgin Islands may be used for any purpose related to the
   programming or technical operation of a broadcasting station, except for
   transmission intended for direct reception by the general public.

   (g) [Reserved]

   (h)  In the event that normal aural studio to transmitter circuits are
   damaged, stations licensed under Subpart D may be used to provide temporary
   circuits for a period not exceeding 30 days without further authority from
   the Commission necessary to continue broadcasting.

   (i)  Remote  pickup mobile or base stations may be used for activities
   associated with the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and similar emergency
   survival communications systems. Drills and test are also permitted on these
   stations, but the priority requirements of  Sec. 74.403(b) must be observed in
   such cases.

   [ 51 FR 4602 , Feb. 6, 1986, as amended at  68 FR 12764 , Mar. 17, 2003]