---
kind: "section"
citation: "47 C.F.R. § 73.6023"
title: "47"
number: "73.6023"
heading: "Distributed transmission systems."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/47/73.6023"
---

# §73.6023. Distributed transmission systems.

- (a) Station licensees may operate a commonly owned group of Class A stations with contiguous predicted TV noise-limited contours (pursuant to [§ 73.619(c)](/cfr/47/73.619.md?p=c)) on a common television channel in a distributed transmission system.
- (b) A Class A TV station may be authorized to operate multiple synchronized transmitters on its assigned channel to provide service consistent with the requirements of this section. Such operation is called a distributed transmission system (DTS). Except as expressly provided in this section, Class A stations operating a DTS facility must comply with all rules in this part applicable to Class A single-transmitter stations.
- (c) For purposes of compliance with this section, a Class A station's “authorized facility” is the facility authorized for the station in a license or construction permit for non-DTS, single-transmitter-location operation. A Class A station's “authorized service area” is defined as the area within its protected contour (described by [§ 73.6010(c)](/cfr/47/73.6010.md?p=c)) as determined using the authorized facility.
- (d) The protected area for each DTS transmitter is determined based on the F(50,90) field strength given in [§ 73.6010(c)](/cfr/47/73.6010.md?p=c), calculated in accordance with [§ 73.625(b)](/cfr/47/73.625.md?p=b). The combined protected area of a Class A DTS station is the logical union of the protected areas of all DTS transmitters, that falls within the station's authorized service area as defined in [paragraph (c)](#c) of this section.
- (e) The DTS limiting area for each DTS transmitter is determined using the field strength from [§ 73.6010(c)](/cfr/47/73.6010.md?p=c) and the F(50,50) curves.
- (f) An application proposing use of DTS will not be accepted for filing unless it meets all of the following conditions:
  - (1) The combined protected area covers all of the applicant's authorized service area;
  - (2) Each DTS transmitter's Class A DTS limiting contour falls within the authorized facility's Class A DTS limiting contour;
  - (3) Each DTS transmitter's protected area is contiguous with at least one other DTS transmitter's protected area;
  - (4) The “combined field strength” of all DTS transmitters in a network does not cause interference to another station in excess of the criteria specified in §§ [73.6017](/cfr/47/73.6017.md), [73.6018](/cfr/47/73.6018.md), [73.6019](/cfr/47/73.6019.md), and [73.6020](/cfr/47/73.6020.md). The combined field strength at a given location is determined by a “root-sum-square” calculation, in which the combined field strength is equal to the square root of the sum of the squared field strengths from each transmitter in the DTS network at that location; and
  - (5) Each DTS transmitter must be located within the station's authorized service area.
  - (6) All DTS transmitters must use the same emission mask. See [§ 73.6024(d)](/cfr/47/73.6024.md?p=d).
- (g) All transmitters operating under a single Class A DTS license must follow the same digital broadcast television transmission standard.

## Notes

### Amendments

[89 FR 7264, Feb. 1, 2024, as amended at 91 FR 2874, Jan. 23, 2026]

### Source

Source: 65 FR 30009, May 10, 2000, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 155, 301, 303, 307, 309, 310, 334, 336, 339.

### Amendments

[89 FR 7264, Feb. 1, 2024, as amended at 91 FR 2874, Jan. 23, 2026]