Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems and their Impact on the Terrestrial Radio Broadcast Service; Form 2100, Schedule 335-FM – FM Digital Notification; Form 2100, Schedule 335-AM – AM Digital....

On September 24, 2024, the Commission adopted the First Report and Order in the Modifying Rules for FM Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems proceeding to allow digital FM station operation with asymmetric power on the digital sidebands. This asymmetric sideband operation will allow digital FM stations to operate with different power levels on the upper and lower digital sidebands, as a way to facilitate greater digital FM radio coverage without interfering with adjacent-channel FM stations, upon notification to the Commission on FCC Form 2100, Schedule 335-FM. Prior to adoption of the FM Digital First R&O, an FM digital station that wished to employ asymmetric sideband operation had to apply for an experimental authorization and renew that authorization annually. Initiating such operation by notification rather than experimental authorization will be simpler and less expensive to the licensee, and thus less burdensome. Additionally, eliminating the requirement of annual experimental authorization will remove a regulatory barrier and incentivize more digital FM stations to adopt such operations. This submission is therefore being made to OMB for approval of new or modified Information Collection requirements stemming from the FM Digital First R&O. The changes as adopted in the FM Digital First R&O require modifications to Schedule 335-FM and rule sections 73.404 and 73.406. Specifically, the FM Digital First R&O permits digital FM stations to use asymmetric sideband operation by notifying the Commission using Schedule 335-FM, and modifies that schedule by including fields to report the digital ERP being transmitted on each digital sideband, as well as the total digital ERP. Therefore, Schedule 335-FM is being amended to provide fields for the notifying station to indicate the digital ERP transmitted on each digital sideband, as well as the total digital ERP.

The latest form for Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems and their Impact on the Terrestrial Radio Broadcast Service; Form 2100, Schedule 335-FM – FM Digital Notification; Form 2100, Schedule 335-AM – AM Digital.... expires 2028-04-30 and can be found here.