{"data":{"id":"us/47-cfr-73.614","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"47 CFR 73.614","heading":"Power and antenna height requirements.","body":"(a) Minimum requirements. Applications will not be accepted for filing if they specify less than 100 watts horizontally polarized effective radiated power (ERP) in any horizontal direction. No minimum antenna height above average terrain (HAAT) is specified. For stations requesting DTS operation pursuant to § 73.626, this requirement applies to at least one site in the DTS.\n(b) Maximum power. Applications for new full power television stations, for changes in authorized full power television stations, and petitions for changes to the Table of TV Allotments, will not be accepted for filing if they specify a power which exceeds the maximum permitted boundaries specified in the following formulas:\n(1) A TV station that operates on a channel 2-6 allotment will be allowed a maximum ERP of 10 kW if its antenna HAAT is at or below 305 meters and it is located in Zone I or a maximum ERP of 45 kW if its antenna HAAT is at or below 305 meters and it is located in Zone II or Zone III.\n(i) At higher HAAT levels, such TV stations will be allowed to operate with lower maximum ERP levels in accordance with the following table and formulas (the allowable maximum ERP for intermediate values of HAAT is determined using linear interpolation based on the units employed in the table):\nTable 1 to Paragraph (b)(1)(i)—Maximum Allowable ERP and Antenna Height for TV Stations in Zones II or III on Channels 2-6\nAntenna HAAT (meters) ERP (kW)\n610 10\n580 11\n550 12\n520 14\n490 16\n460 19\n425 22\n395 26\n365 31\n335 37\n305 45\n(ii) For TV stations located in Zone I that operate on channels 2-6 with an HAAT that exceeds 305 meters, the allowable maximum ERP expressed in decibels above 1 kW (dBk) is determined using the following formula, with HAAT expressed in meters:\nERPmax = 92.57−33.24 * log10(HAAT)\n(iii) For TV stations located in Zone II or III that operate on channels 2-6 with an HAAT that exceeds 610 meters, the allowable maximum ERP expressed in decibels above 1 kW (dBk) is determined using the following formula, with HAAT expressed in meters:\nERPmax = 57.57−17.08 * log10(HAAT)\n(2) A TV station that operates on a channel 7-13 allotment will be allowed a maximum ERP of 30 kW if its antenna HAAT is at or below 305 meters and it is located in Zone I or a maximum ERP of 160 kW if its antenna HAAT is at or below 305 meters and it is located in Zone II or Zone III.\n(i) At higher HAAT levels, such TV stations will be allowed to operate with lower maximum ERP levels in accordance with the following table and formulas (the allowable maximum ERP for intermediate values of HAAT is determined using linear interpolation based on the units employed in the table):\nTable 2 to Paragraph (b)(2)(i)—Maximum Allowable ERP and Antenna Height for TV Stations in Zones II or III on Channels 7-13\nAntenna HAAT (meters) ERP (kW)\n610 30\n580 34\n550 40\n520 47\n490 54\n460 64\n425 76\n395 92\n365 110\n335 132\n305 160\n(ii) For TV stations located in Zone I that operate on channels 7-13 with an HAAT that exceeds 305 meters, the allowable maximum ERP expressed in decibels above 1 kW (dBk) is determined using the following formula, with HAAT expressed in meters:\nERPmax = 97.35−33.24 * log10(HAAT)\n(iii) For TV stations located in Zone II or III that operate on channels 7-13 with an HAAT that exceeds 610 meters, the allowable maximum ERP expressed in decibels above 1 kW (dBk) is determined using the following formula, with HAAT expressed in meters:\nERPmax = 62.34−17.08 * log10(HAAT)\n(3) A TV station that operates on a channel 14-36 allotment will be allowed a maximum ERP of 1000 kW if its antenna HAAT is at or below 365 meters.\n(i) At higher HAAT levels, such TV stations will be allowed to operates with lower maximum ERP levels in accordance with the following table and formulas (the allowable maximum ERP for intermediate values of HAAT is determined using linear interpolation based on the units employed in the table):\nTable 3 to Paragraph (b)(3)(i)—Maximum Allowable ERP and Antenna Height for TV Stations on Channels 14-36, All Zones\nAntenna HAAT (meters) ERP (kW)\n610 316\n580 350\n550 400\n520 460\n490 540\n460 630\n425 750\n395 900\n365 1000\n(ii) For TV stations located in Zone I, II or III that operate on channels 14-36 with an HAAT that exceeds 610 meters, the allowable maximum ERP expressed in decibels above 1 kW (dBk) is determined using the following formula, with HAAT expressed in meters:\nERPmax = 72.57−17.08 * log10(HAAT)\nWhere:\nERPmax = Maximum Effective Radiated Power measured in decibels above 1 kW (dBk).\nHAAT = Height Above Average Terrain measured in meters.\n(4)-(5) [Reserved]\n(6) The effective radiated power in any horizontal or vertical direction may not exceed the maximum values permitted by this section, except that licensees and permittees may request an increase in either ERP in some azimuthal direction or antenna HAAT, or both, up to the maximum permissible limits on TV power set forth in paragraph (b)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, as appropriate, up to that needed to provide the same geographic coverage area as the largest station within their market. Such requests must be accompanied by a technical showing that the increase complies with the technical criteria in § 73.620, and thereby will not result in new interference exceeding the de minimis standard set forth in that section, or statements agreeing to the change from any co-channel or adjacent channel stations that might be affected by potential new interference, in accordance with § 73.620(e). For the purposes of this paragraph:\n(i) The maximum ERP value shall not exceed the maximum permitted at any height within the relevant zone consistent with the values permitted in paragraph (b)(1), (2), or (3) of this section. The associated maximum height for that given ERP may be exceeded.\n(ii) Stations in the same Nielsen DMA are considered to be in the same market.\n(iii) “Geographic coverage area” is defined as the number of square kilometers found within a station's F(50,90) contour as calculated in § 73.619. A station taking advantage of this provision need not specify coverage that is congruent with or encompassed by the largest station in the market.\n(c) Determination of applicable rules. The zone in which the transmitter of a television station is located or proposed to be located determines the applicable rules with respect to maximum antenna heights and powers for VHF stations when the transmitter is located in Zone I and the channel to be employed is located in Zone II, or the transmitter is located in Zone II and the channel to be employed is located in Zone I.","path":["Title 47—Telecommunication","CHAPTER I—FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION","SUBCHAPTER C—BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES","PART 73—RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES","Subpart E—Television Broadcast Stations"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-47.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:26:28Z","sha256":"874754aeadd451b629a3d648800dec95bbd6404a444123d492455a98604bf221","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/47-cfr-73.613","next":"us/47-cfr-73.616"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}