Minimum distance separation between stations.

(a) Except for assignments made pursuant to § 73.213 or 73.215, FM allotments and assignments must be separated from other allotments and assignments on the same channel (co-channel) and five pairs of adjacent channels by not less than the minimum distances specified in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. The Commission will not accept petitions to amend the Table of Allotments unless the reference points meet all of the minimum distance separation requirements of this section. The Commission will not accept applications for new stations, or applications to change the channel or location of existing assignments unless transmitter sites meet the minimum distance separation requirements of this section, or such applications conform to the requirements of § 73.213 or 73.215. However, applications to modify the facilities of stations with short-spaced antenna locations authorized pursuant to prior waivers of the distance separation requirements may be accepted, provided that such applications propose to maintain or improve that particular spacing deficiency. Class D (secondary) assignments are subject only to the distance separation requirements contained in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. (See § 73.512 for rules governing the channel and location of Class D (secondary) assignments.) (b) The distances listed in Tables 1, 2, and 3 of this paragraph (b) apply to allotments and assignments on the same channel and each of five pairs of adjacent channels. The five pairs of adjacent channels are the first (200 kHz above and 200 kHz below the channel under consideration), the second (400 kHz above and below), the third (600 kHz above and below), the fifty-third (10.6 MHz above and below), and the fifty-fourth (10.8 MHz above and below). The distances in the Tables apply regardless of whether the proposed station class appears first or second in the “Relation” column of the table. (1) Domestic distance separation. Domestic allotments and assignments must be separated from each other by not less than the distances in Table 1 to this paragraph (b): Table 1 to Paragraph ( b )—Minimum Distance Separation Requirements in Kilometers [Miles] Relation Co-channel 200 kHz 400/600 kHz 10.6/10.8 MHz A to A 115 (71) 72 (45) 31 (19) 10 (6) A to B1 143 (89) 96 (60) 48 (30) 12 (7) A to B 178 (111) 113 (70) 69 (43) 15 (9) A to C3 142 (88) 89 (55) 42 (26) 12 (7) A to C2 166 (103) 106 (66) 55 (34) 15 (9) A to C1 200 (124) 133 (83) 75 (47) 22 (14) A to C0 215 (134) 152 (94) 86 (53) 25 (16) A to C 226 (140) 165 (103) 95 (59) 29 (18) B1 to B1 175 (109) 114 (71) 50 (31) 14 (9) B1 to B 211 (131) 145 (90) 71 (44) 17 (11) B1 to C3 175 (109) 114 (71) 50 (31) 14 (9) B1 to C2 200 (124) 134 (83) 56 (35) 17 (11) B1 to C1 233 (145) 161 (100) 77 (48) 24 (15) B1 to C0 248 (154) 180 (112) 87 (54) 27 (17) B1 to C 259 (161) 193 (120) 105 (65) 31 (19) B to B 241 (150) 169 (105) 74 (46) 20 (12) B to C3 211 (131) 145 (90) 71 (44) 17 (11) B to C2 241 (150) 169 (105) 74 (46) 20 (12) B to C1 270 (168) 195 (121) 79 (49) 27 (17) B to C0 272 (169) 214 (133) 89 (55) 31 (19) B to C 274 (170) 217 (135) 105 (65) 35 (22) C3 to C3 153 (95) 99 (62) 43 (27) 14 (9) C3 to C2 177 (110) 117 (73) 56 (35) 17 (11) C3 to C1 211 (131) 144 (90) 76 (47) 24 (15) C3 to C0 226 (140) 163 (101) 87 (54) 27 (17) C3 to C 237 (147) 176 (109) 96 (60) 31 (19) C2 to C2 190 (118) 130 (81) 58 (36) 20 (12) C2 to C1 224 (139) 158 (98) 79 (49) 27 (17) C2 to C0 239 (148) 176 (109) 89 (55) 31 (19) C2 to C 249 (155) 188 (117) 105 (65) 35 (22) C1 to C1 245 (152) 177 (110) 82 (51) 34 (21) C1 to C0 259 (161) 196 (122) 94 (58) 37 (23) C1 to C 270 (168) 209 (130) 105 (65) 41 (25) C0 to C0 270 (168) 207 (129) 96 (60) 41 (25) C0 to C 281 (175) 220 (137) 105 (65) 45 (28) C to C 290 (180) 241 (150) 105 (65) 48 (30) (2) Canadian border distance separation. Under the 1991 United States-Canada FM Broadcasting Agreement, as amended, any domestic U.S. allotment or assignment within 320 kilometers (199 miles) of the common border must either satisfy the contour overlap provisions set out in the Agreement or be separated from Canadian allotments and assignments by not less than the distance given in Table 2 to this paragraph (b), using the distance calculation methodology set out in the Agreement. When applying Table 2, U.S. Class C0 allotments and assignments are considered to be Class C; U.S. Class C2 allotments and assignments are considered to be Class B; and U.S. Class C3 allotments and assignments are considered to be Class B1. Table 2 to Paragraph ( b )—Minimum Distance Separation Requirements in Kilometers [Canada] Relation Co-channel 200 kHz 400 kHz 600 kHz 10.6/10.8 MHz (I.F.) A1 to A1 78 45 24 20 4 A1 to A 131 78 44 40 7 A1 to B1 164 98 57 53 9 A1 to B 190 117 71 67 12 A1 to C1 223 148 92 88 19 A1 to C 227 162 103 99 26 A to A 151 98 51 42 10 A to B1 184 119 64 55 12 A to B 210 137 78 69 15 A to C1 243 168 99 90 22 A to C 247 182 110 101 29 B1 to B1 197 131 70 57 24 B1 to B 223 149 84 71 24 B1 to C1 256 181 108 92 40 B1 to C 259 195 116 103 40 B to B 237 164 94 74 24 B to C1 271 195 115 95 40 B to C 274 209 125 106 40 C1 to C1 292 217 134 101 48 C1 to C 302 230 144 111 48 C to C 306 241 153 113 48 (3) Mexican border distance separation. Under the 1992 United States-Mexico FM Broadcasting Agreement, any domestic U.S. assignment or allotment within 320 kilometers (199 miles) of the common border must either satisfy the contour overlap provisions set out in section 7.3 of the Agreement or be separated from Mexican assignments or allotments by not less than the distances given in Table 3 to this paragraph (b), using the distance calculation methodology set out in the Agreement. The minimum required distance separation between I.F. allotments and assignments cannot be reduced. When applying Table 3— (i) U.S. or Mexican assignments or allotments which have been notified internationally as Class A are limited to a maximum of 3.0 kW ERP at 100 meters HAAT, or the equivalent; (ii) U.S. or Mexican assignments or allotments which have been notified internationally as Class AA are limited to a maximum of 6.0 kW ERP at 100 meters HAAT, or the equivalent; (iii) U.S. Class C3 assignments or allotments are considered Class B1; (iv) U.S. Class C2 assignments or allotments are considered Class B; (v) Class C1 assignments or allotments assume maximum facilities of 100 kW ERP at 300 meters HAAT. However, U.S. Class C1 stations may not, in any event, exceed the domestic U.S. limit of 100 kW ERP at 299 meters HAAT, or the equivalent; and (vi) U.S. Class C0 assignments or allotments are considered Class C. Table 3 to Paragraph ( b )—Minimum Distance Separation Requirements in Kilometers [Mexico] Relation Co-Channel 200 kHz 400 kHz or 600 kHz 10.6 or 10.8 MHz (I.F.) A to A 100 61 25 8 A to AA 111 68 31 9 A to B1 138 88 48 11 A to B 163 105 65 14 A to C1 196 129 74 21 A to C 210 161 94 28 AA to AA 115 72 31 10 AA to B1 143 96 48 12 AA to B 178 125 69 15 AA to C1 200 133 75 22 AA to C 226 165 95 29 B1 to B1 175 114 50 14 B1 to B 211 145 71 17 B1 to C1 233 161 77 24 B1 to C 259 193 96 31 B to B 237 164 65 20 B to C1 270 195 79 27 B to C 270 215 98 35 C1 to C1 245 177 82 34 C1 to C 270 209 102 41 C to C 290 228 105 48 (c) The distances listed below apply only to allotments and assignments on Channel 253 (98.5 MHz). The Commission will not accept petitions to amend the Table of Allotments, applications for new stations, or applications to change the channel or location of existing assignments where the following minimum distances (between transmitter sites, in kilometers) from any TV Channel 6 allotment or assignment are not met: Minimum Distance Separation From TV Channel 6 (82-88 MHz) FM Class TV Zone I TV Zones II & III A 17 22 B1 19 23 B 22 26 C3 19 23 C2 22 26 C1 29 33 C 36 41 [48 FR 29504, June 27, 1983, as amended at 49 FR 10264, Mar. 20, 1984; 49 FR 19670, May 9, 1984; 49 FR 50047, Dec. 26, 1984; 51 FR 26250, July 22, 1986; 54 FR 14963, Apr. 14, 1989; 54 FR 16366, Apr. 24, 1989; 54 FR 19374, May 5, 1989; 54 FR 35338, Aug. 25, 1989; 56 FR 27426, June 14, 1991; 56 FR 57293, Nov. 8, 1991; 62 FR 50256, Sept. 25, 1997; 65 FR 79776, Dec. 20, 2000; 87 FR 15342, Mar. 18, 2022]