The Federal Communication Commission
(FCC) is revising this Information Collection to reflect the FCC’s
September 22, 2017, adoption of the Third Report and Order in MB
Docket No. 13-249, FCC 17-119, In the Matter of Revitalization of
AM Radio Service (AMR Third R&O). In the 2015 AM revitalization
proceeding, the FCC proposed streamlining certain technical
requirements to assist AM broadcasters in providing radio service
to consumers. For example, many AM stations must directionalize
their signals during some or all of the broadcast day in order to
avoid interference with other AM stations. Maintaining a
directional signal pattern can be technically complex,
time-consuming, and expensive. Such stations are subject to a
variety of rules requiring signal strength measurements and other
engineering analyses to ensure compliance with their
authorizations. In the AMR Third R&O, the FCC eliminated,
clarified, or eased several of the rules governing AM stations
using directional antenna arrays, which comprise almost 40 percent
of all AM stations. First, the FCC relaxed the rule for partial
proofs of performance of certain directional AM antenna systems, by
reducing the number of field strength measurements required.
Second, the FCC modified several rules pertaining to AM stations
that use Method of Moments (MoM) models of directional array
performance. MoM modeling allows broadcasters to verify antenna
system performance through computer modeling, as opposed to sending
engineers in the field to take field strength measurements. Thus, a
proof using a MoM model is less expensive than taking field
strength measurements of an AM station’s directional
pattern.
There are program changes to
this collection of -100 to the number of respondents, -200 to the
annual number of responses, -580 to the annual burden hours and
-$1,040,000 to the annual burden cost which are all due from the
information collection requirements adopted in FCC 17-119. There
are no adjustments to this information collection.
$352,120
No
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Lisa Scanlan 202
418-2700
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.