47 C.F.R. § 80.385

Current through October 31, 2024
Section 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
transmit1 3
Coast transmit2 Group
101216.0125D
102216.0375
103216.0625
104216.0875
105216.1125
106216.1375
107216.1625
108216.1875
109216.2125
110216.2375
111216.2625
112216.2875
113216.3125
114216.3375
115216.3625
116216.3875
117216.4125
118216.4375
119216.4625
120216.4875
121216.5125C
122216.5375
123216.5625
124216.5875
125216.6125
126216.6375
127216.6625
128216.6875
129216.7125
130216.7375
131216.7625
132216.7875
133216.8125
134216.8375
135216.8625
136216.8875
137216.9125
138216.9375
139216.9625
140216.9875
141219.0125217.0125B
142219.0375217.0375
143219.0625217.0625
144219.0875217.0875
145219.1125217.1125
146219.1375217.1375
147219.1625217.1625
148219.1875217.1875
149219.2125217.2125
150219.2375217.2375
151219.2625217.2625
152219.2875217.2875
153219.3125217.3125
154219.3375217.3375
155219.3625217.3625
156219.3875217.3875
157219.4125217.4125
158219.4375217.4375
159219.4625217.4625
160219.4875217.4875
161219.5125217.5125A
162219.5375217.5375
163219.5625217.5625
164219.5875217.5875
165219.6125217.6125
166219.6375217.6375
167219.6625217.6625
168219.6875217.6875
169219.7125217.7125
170219.7375217.7375
171219.7625217.7625
172219.7875217.7875
173219.8125217.8125
174219.8375217.8375
175219.8625217.8625
176219.8875217.8875
177219.9125217.9125
178219.9375217.9375
179219.9625217.9625
180219.9875217.9875

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) The transmitters must not have a significant environmental effect as defined by §§ 1.1301 through 1.1319 of this chapter.
(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.

47 C.F.R. §80.385

51 FR 31213, Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at 54 FR 29041, July 11, 1989; 56 FR 3783, Jan. 31, 1991; 57 FR 26780, June 16, 1992; 60 FR 15687, Mar. 27, 1995; 61 FR 46566, Sept. 4, 1996; 67 FR 48565 , July 25, 2002; 69 FR 19948 , Apr. 15, 2004; 69 FR 44471 , July 26, 2004; 73 FR 4486 , Jan. 25, 2008; 75 FR 10692 , Mar. 9, 2010 ; 85 FR 64409 , Oct. 13, 2020; 88 FR 21449 , Apr. 10, 2023
85 FR 64409, 10/13/2020; 88 FR 21449, 4/10/2023