47 CFR 80.385: Frequencies for automated systems.

This section describes the carrier frequencies for the Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS) and for other automated multi-station systems.

(a) Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS). (1) The Automated Maritime Communications System (AMTS) is an automated maritime telecommunications system.

(2) The following carrier frequencies are available for assignment to public coast stations for public correspondence communications with ship stations and units on land. AMTS operations must not cause harmful interference to the U.S. Navy SPASUR system which operates in the band 216.880-217.080 MHz.

Channel No. Carrier frequency (MHz)

Ship transmit 1 3 Coast transmit 2 Group

101 216.0125 D

102 216.0375

103 216.0625

104 216.0875

105 216.1125

106 216.1375

107 216.1625

108 216.1875

109 216.2125

110 216.2375

111 216.2625

112 216.2875

113 216.3125

114 216.3375

115 216.3625

116 216.3875

117 216.4125

118 216.4375

119 216.4625

120 216.4875

121 216.5125 C

122 216.5375

123 216.5625

124 216.5875

125 216.6125

126 216.6375

127 216.6625

128 216.6875

129 216.7125

130 216.7375

131 216.7625

132 216.7875

133 216.8125

134 216.8375

135 216.8625

136 216.8875

137 216.9125

138 216.9375

139 216.9625

140 216.9875

141 219.0125 217.0125 B

142 219.0375 217.0375

143 219.0625 217.0625

144 219.0875 217.0875

145 219.1125 217.1125

146 219.1375 217.1375

147 219.1625 217.1625

148 219.1875 217.1875

149 219.2125 217.2125

150 219.2375 217.2375

151 219.2625 217.2625

152 219.2875 217.2875

153 219.3125 217.3125

154 219.3375 217.3375

155 219.3625 217.3625

156 219.3875 217.3875

157 219.4125 217.4125

158 219.4375 217.4375

159 219.4625 217.4625

160 219.4875 217.4875

161 219.5125 217.5125 A

162 219.5375 217.5375

163 219.5625 217.5625

164 219.5875 217.5875

165 219.6125 217.6125

166 219.6375 217.6375

167 219.6625 217.6625

168 219.6875 217.6875

169 219.7125 217.7125

170 219.7375 217.7375

171 219.7625 217.7625

172 219.7875 217.7875

173 219.8125 217.8125

174 219.8375 217.8375

175 219.8625 217.8625

176 219.8875 217.8875

177 219.9125 217.9125

178 219.9375 217.9375

179 219.9625 217.9625

180 219.9875 217.9875

1 Ship transmit frequencies in Groups C and D are not authorized for AMTS use.

2 Coast station operation on frequencies in Groups C and D are not currently assignable and are shared on a secondary basis with the Low Power Radio Service in part 95 of this chapter. Frequencies in the band 216.750-217.000 MHz band are available for low power point-to-point network control communications by AMTS coast stations under the Low Power Radio Service (LPRS). LPRS operations are subject to the conditions that no harmful interference is caused to the United States Navy's SPASUR radar system (216.88-217.08 MHz) or to TV reception within the Grade B contour of any TV channel 13 station or within the 68 dBu predicted contour of any low power TV or TV translator station operating on channel 13.

3 Ship transmit frequencies in Groups A and B are permitted to provide mobile-to-mobile communications where the written consent of all affected licensees is obtained.

(3) As listed in the table in this paragraph (a)(3), AMTS Areas (AMTSAs) are based on, and composed of one or more of, the U.S Department of Commerce's 172 Economic Areas (EAs). See 60 FR 13114 (March 10, 1995). In addition, the Commission shall treat Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Gulf of Mexico as EA-like areas. The Gulf of Mexico EA extends from 12 nautical miles off the United States Gulf coast outward into the Gulf. See § 27.6(a)(2) of this chapter and 62 FR 9636. Maps of the EAs and AMTSAs are available for public inspection through the Federal Communications Commission's Reference Information Center. These maps and data are also available on the FCC website at www.fcc.gov/oet/info/maps/areas/. These maps and data are also available on the FCC Web site at www.fcc.gov/oet/info/maps/areas/. The Group A and B frequency pairs listed in the table in paragraph (a)(2) of this section are available for assignment to a single licensee in each of the AMTSAs listed in the table in this paragraph (a)(3). In addition to the listed EAs listed in the table in this paragraph (a)(3), each AMTSA also includes the adjacent waters under the jurisdiction of the United States.

AMTS areas (AMTSAs)

AMTSAs EAs

1 (Northern Atlantic) 1-5, 10 9, 11-23, 25, 42, 46

2 (Mid-Atlantic) 24, 26-34, 37, 38, 40, 41, 174

3 (Southern Atlantic) 35, 36, 39, 43-45, 47-53, 67-107, 113, 116-120, 122-125, 127, 130-134, 176 6-8, 54-66, 108, 109

4 (Mississippi River) 160-165 147, 166-170

5 (Great Lakes) 172

6 (Southern Pacific) 171 110-112, 114-115, 121, 126, 128, 129, 135-146, 148-159

7 (Northern Pacific)

8 (Hawaii)

9 (Alaska)

10 (Mountain)

(4) Channels in the 219-220 MHz band are also used on a secondary, non-interference basis by amateur stations participating in digital message forwarding systems. Amateur stations may not cause harmful interference to AMTS operations and must accept any harmful interference from AMTS operation. Amateur stations within 80 km (50 miles) of an AMTS coast station must obtain written approval from the AMTS licensee prior to operating in the 219-220 MHz band. Amateur stations within 640 km (398 miles) of an AMTS coast station must notify the AMTS licensee in writing at least 30 days prior to initiation of operations in the 219-220 MHz band. All amateur stations must notify the American Radio Relay League in writing at least 30 days prior to initiation of operations in the 219-220 MHz band (ARRL, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111-1494).

(b) Subject to the requirements of § 1.924 of this chapter, §§ 80.215(h), and 80.475(a), each AMTS geographic area licensee may place stations anywhere within its region without obtaining prior Commission approval provided:

(1) The AMTS geographic area licensee must locate its stations at least 120 kilometers from the stations of co-channel site-based AMTS licensees. Shorter separations between such stations will be considered by the Commission on a case-by-case basis upon submission of a technical analysis indicating that at least 18 dB protection will be provided to a site-based licensee's predicted 38 dBu signal level contour. The site-based licensee's predicted 38 dBu signal level contour shall be calculated using the F(50, 50) field strength chart for Channels 7-13 in § 73.699 (Fig. 10) of this chapter, with a 9 dB correction for antenna height differential. The 18 dB protection to the site-based licensee's predicted 38 dBu signal level contour shall be calculated using the F(50, 10) field strength chart for Channels 7-13 in § 73.699 (Fig. 10a) of this chapter, with a 9 dB correction factor for antenna height differential.

(2) The locations and/or technical parameters of the transmitters are such that individual coordination of the channel assignment(s) with a foreign administration, under applicable international agreements and rules in this part, is not required.

(3) For any construction or alteration that would exceed the requirements of § 17.7 of this chapter, licensees must notify the appropriate Regional Office of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA Form 7460-1) and file a request for antenna height clearance and obstruction marking and lighting specifications (FCC Form 854) with the FCC, Attn: Information Processing Branch, 1270 Fairfield Rd., Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.

(4) [Reserved]

(c) Any recovered frequency blocks will revert automatically to the holder of the geographic area license within which such frequencies are included. Any frequency blocks recovered where there is no geographic area licensee will be retained by the Commission for future licensing.