Sec. 11.35 Equipment operational readiness.
(a) Broadcast stations and cable systems and wireless cable systems
are responsible for ensuring that EAS Encoders, EAS Decoders and
Attention Signal generating and receiving equipment used as part of the
EAS are installed so that the monitoring and transmitting functions are
available during the times the stations and systems are in operation.
Additionally, broadcast stations and cable systems and wireless cable
systems must determine the cause of any failure to receive the required
tests or activations specified in Secs. 11.61(a) (1) [Required Monthly
Tests] and (2) [Required Weekly Tests]. Appropriate entries must be made
in the broadcast station log as specified in Sec. 73.1820 and Sec.
73.1840 of this chapter ... indicating reasons why any tests were not
received.
(b) If the EAS Encoder or EAS Decoder becomes defective, the
broadcast station, cable system or wireless cable system may operate
without the defective equipment pending its repair or replacement for 60
days without further FCC authority. Entries shall be made in the
broadcast station log, cable system or wireless cable system station
records showing the date and time the equipment was removed and restored
to service.
...
Sec. 11.54 EAS operation during a National Level emergency.
(b) Immediately upon receipt of an EAN message, broadcast stations
and cable systems and wireless cable systems must:
...
(12) The time of receipt of the EAN and Emergency Action Termination
messages shall be entered by broadcast stations in their logs (as
specified in Secs. 73.1820 and 73.1840 of this chapter) ...
Sec. 11.61 Tests of EAS procedures.
(b) Entries shall be made in broadcast station and cable system and
wireless cable system records as specified in Sec. 11.54(b)(12).
Sec. 73.1225 Station inspections by FCC.
...
(c) The following records shall be made available by all broadcast
stations upon request by representatives of the FCC.
...
(5) Station logs and special technical records.
Sec. 73.1226 Availability to FCC of station logs and records.
The following shall be made available to any authorized
representative of the FCC upon request:
(a) Station records and logs shall be made available for inspection
or duplication at the request of the FCC or its representative. Such
logs or records may be removed from the licensee's possession by an FCC
representative or, upon request, shall be mailed by the licensee to the
FCC by either registered mail, return receipt requested, or certified
mail, return receipt requested. The return receipt shall be retained by
the licensee as part of the station records until such records or logs
are returned to the licensee. A receipt shall be furnished when the logs
or records are removed from the licensee's possession by an FCC
representative and this receipt shall be retained by the licensee as
part of the station records until such records or logs are returned to
the licensee. When the FCC has no further need for such records or logs,
they shall be returned to the licensee. The provisions of this rule
shall apply solely to those station logs and records which are required
to be maintained by the provisions of this chapter.
(1) Logs and records stored on microfilm, microfiche or other data-
storage systems are subject to the requirements pertaining thereto found
in Sec. 73.1840(b).
...
Sec. 73.1800 General requirements related to the station log.
(a) The licensee of each station must maintain a station log as
required by Sec. 73.1820. This log shall be kept by station employees
competent to do so, having actual knowledge of the facts required. All
entries, whether required or not by the provisions of this part, must
accurately reflect the station operation. Any employee making a log
entry shall sign the log, thereby attesting to the fact that the entry,
or any correction or addition made thereto, is an accurate
representation of what transpired.
(b) The logs shall be kept in an orderly and legible manner, in
suitable form and in such detail that the data required for the
particular class of station concerned are readily available. Key letters
or abbreviations may be used if the proper meaning or explanation is
contained elsewhere in the log. Each sheet must be numbered and dated.
Time entries must be made in local time and must be indicated as
advanced (e.g., EDT) or non-advanced (e.g., EST) time.
(c) Any necessary corrections of a manually kept log after it has
been signed in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section shall be
made only by striking out the erroneous portion and making a corrective
explanation on the log or attachment to it. Such corrections shall be
dated and signed by the person who kept the log or the station chief
operator, the station manager or an officer of the licensee.
(d) No automatically kept log shall be altered in any way after
entries have been recorded. When automatic logging processes fail or
malfunction, the log must be kept manually for that period and in
accordance with the requirements of this section.
(e) No log, or portion thereof, shall be erased, obliterated or
willfully destroyed during the period in which it is required to be
retained. (Section 73.1840, Retention of logs.)
(f) Application forms for licenses and other authorizations may
require that certain technical operating data be supplied. These
application forms should be kept in mind in connection with the
maintenance of the station log.
Sec. 73.1820 Station log.
(a) Entries must be made in the station log either manually by a
person designated by the licensee who is in actual charge of the
transmitting apparatus, or by automatic devices meeting the requirements
of paragraph (b) of this section. Indications of operating parameters
that are required to be logged must be logged prior to any adjustment of
the equipment. Where adjustments are made to restore parameters to their
proper operating values, the corrected indications must be logged and
accompanied, if any parameter deviation was beyond a prescribed
tolerance, by a notation describing the nature of the corrective action.
Indications of all parameters whose values are affected by the
modulation of the
carrier must be read without modulation. The actual time of observation
must be included in each log entry. The following information must be
entered:
(1) All stations. (i) Entries required by Sec. 17.49 of this
chapter concerning any observed or otherwise known extinguishment or
improper functioning of a tower light:
(A) The nature of such extinguishment or improper functioning.
(B) The date and time the extinguishment or improper operation was
observed or otherwise noted.
(C) The date, time and nature of adjustments, repairs or
replacements made.
(ii) Any entries not specifically required in this section, but
required by the instrument of authorization or elsewhere in this part.
(iii) An entry of each test and activation of the Emergency Alert
System (EAS) pursuant to the requirement of part 11 of this chapter and
the EAS Operating Handbook. Stations may keep EAS data in a special EAS
log which shall be maintained at a convenient location; however, this
log is considered a part of the station log.
...
(b) Automatic devices accurately calibrated and with appropriate
time, date and circuit functions may be utilized to record entries in
the station log Provided:
(1) The recording devices do not affect the operation of circuits or
accuracy of indicating instruments of the equipment being recorded;
(2) The recording devices have an accuracy equivalent to the
accuracy of the indicating instruments;
(3) The calibration is checked against the original indicators as
often as necessary to ensure recording accuracy;
(4) In the event of failure or malfunctioning of the automatic
equipment, the person designated by the licensee as being responsible
for the log small make the required entries in the log manually at that
time;
(5) The indicating equipment conforms to the requirements of Sec.
73.1215 (Indicating instruments--specifications) except that the scales
need not exceed 5 cm (2 inches) in length. Arbitrary scales may not be
used.
(c) In preparing the station log, original data may be recorded in
rough form and later transcribed into the log.
Sec. 73.1835 Special technical records.
The FCC may require a broadcast station licensee to keep operating
and maintenance records as necessary to resolve conditions of actual or
potential interference, rule violations, or deficient technical
operation.
Sec. 73.1840 Retention of logs.
(a) Any log required to be kept by station licensees shall be
retained by them for a period of 2 years. However, logs involving
communications incident to a disaster or which include communications
incident to or involved in an investigation by the FCC and about which
the licensee has been notified, shall be retained by the licensee until
specifically authorized in
writing by the FCC to destroy them. Logs incident to or involved in any
claim or complaint of which the licensee has notice shall be retained by
the licensee until such claim or complaint has been fully satisfied or
until the same has been barred by statute limiting the time for filing
of suits upon such claims.
(b) Logs may be retained on microfilm, microfiche or other data-
storage systems subject to the following conditions:
(1) Suitable viewing--reading devices shall be available to permit
FCC inspection of logs pursuant to Sec. 73.1226, availability to FCC of
station logs and records.
(2) Reproduction of logs, stored on data-storage systems, to full-
size copies, is required of licensees if requested by the FCC or the
public as authorized by FCC rules. Such reproductions must be completed
within 2 full work days of the time of the request.
(3) Corrections to logs shall be made:
(i) Prior to converting to a data-storage system pursuant to the
requirements of Sec. 73.1800 (c) and (d), (Sec. 73.1800, General
requirements relating to logs).
(ii) After converting to a data-storage system, by separately making
such corrections and then associating with the related data-stored logs.
Such corrections shall contain sufficient information to allow those
reviewing the logs to identify where corrections have been made, and
when and by whom the corrections were made.
(4) Copies of any log required to be filed with any application; or
placed in the station's local public inspection file as part of an
application; or filed with reports to the FCC must be reproduced in
fullsize form when complying with these requirements.
Sec. 73.1870 Chief operators.
(c)The chief operator is responsible for ...
(3)Review of the station records at least once each week to
determine if required entries are being made correctly. Additionally,
verification must be made that the station has been operated as required
by the rules or the station authorization. Upon completion of
the review, the chief operator or his designee must date and sign the
log, initiate any corrective action which may be necessary, and advise
the station licensee of any condition which is repetitive.
(4) Any entries which may be required in the station records. (See
Sec. 73.1820.)
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Directional AM stations without an approved sampling system (See 47 CFR Section 73.68) must also log the additional data called for in 47 CFR Section 73.1820(a)(2) at least every three hours.
Sections 73.1800 and 73.1820 state that the entries in the station log should be made by the person designated by the licensee to take charge of the transmitting equipment. Automatic equipment may be used to record entries for the station, provided that the requirements of 47 CFR Section 73.1820(b) are met by the recording device. Station logs must be kept at least 2 years. See 47 CFR Section 73.1840 for additional information regarding retention of station logs.
EAS activations, and EAS equipment taken out of service for repairs, must be logged each time. See 47 CFR Sections 11.35 and 11.53(b)(14). . FM and TV translator and booster stations are not required to comply with the EAS requirements of Part 11. For more information concerning EAS, please see the Internet pages at http://www.fcc.gov/eb/eas/.
Log entries must be made of any malfunction or extinguishment of tower lighting, or any notification made to the FAA of the same, and a log entry should be made when normal functioning resumes. See 47 CFR Sections 17.48, 17.49, and 73.1820 (or 47 CFR Section 74.734 for low power TV stations and TV translator and booster stations, or 47 CFR Section 74.1234 for FM translator and booster stations). Visual observations to verify proper operation of the tower lighting must be made once a day, unless an automatic alarm system is installed to notify the station of any malfunction (see 47 CFR Section 17.47). While daily observations are no longer required to be logged, we strongly suggest that the station do so.
For FM, TV, and most AM stations, changes to and readings of metering equipment are not required to be logged. However, AM directional stations without an approved sampling system must log the meter data called for in 47 CFR Section 73.1820(b)(2) every three hours. Operating and Maintenance Logs for Broadcast and Broadcast Auxiliary Stations, BC Docket 82-537, 54 RR 2d 805 (1983).
log_sample.doc (Word document)(This form is suitable for a station that does not own the tower. The owner of the tower is responsible for log entries regarding malfunction or extinguishment of tower lighting.)