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Industrial / Business Licensing
Individuals or entities desiring to operate on frequencies listed in the Industrial/Business Pool are required to obtain a radio station license for these frequencies.
Below is some helpful information to aid you with the licensing process.
Licensing Process
- Gathering Information Preparing to License outlines the important information about your radio system that you gather before you contact a frequency coordinator.
- Frequency Coordination Frequency coordinators are FCC certified to recommend the most appropriate frequencies for applicants in the designated Part 90 radio services. Applications for new frequency assignments, changes to existing facilities or operation at temporary locations must include a showing of frequency coordination.
- Filing Your Application New applications and other actions which require frequency coordination are normally filed with the FCC through the recognized frequency coordinator. Other actions such as minor modifications or administrative updates may be filed with the FCC through the Universal Licensing System (ULS).
- STAs and Conditional Authority Applicants proposing operations that are compliant with requirements of 47 CFR 90.159 may begin operating on a conditional basis for a period of 180 days upon the filing of a properly completed application. In addition, you may apply for a Special Temporary Authority pursuant to 47 CFR 1.931(b) of the Commission’s rules. In emergency situations as defined in 47 CFR 1.915(b)(1), a request for STA may be made by telePhone: or email provided a properly signed application is filed within 10 days of such request.
- Notification of Construction A licensee must notify the Commission that its system is constructed and placed into operation within 12 months of the date of grant or their license will automatically cancel. (See 47 CFR 90.155(a) ). Notification is made by filing FCC Form 601 through ULS (Purpose CodEmail: NT). You may also request an extension of the construction period through Form 601 before the expiration of the construction period. This filing must be made within 15 days of the expiration of the applicable construction period. (See 47 CFR 1.946 (d) ). You may also request an extension of the construction period through Form 601 (Purpose CodEmail: EX) before the expiration of the construction period. (See 47 CFR 1.946(e) ).
- Renewal of License You must file for renewal of your license no later than the expiration date of your license period, and no sooner than 90 days prior to expiration by filing FCC Form 601 (Purpose CodEmail: RO) through ULS . (See 47 CFR 1.949 ).
Eligibility
- The operation of a commercial activity;
- The operation of educational, philanthropic, or ecclesiastical institutions;
- Clergy activities; or
- The operation of hospitals, clinics, or medical associations.
Emission Designators
- First Symbol - type of modulation of the main carrier.
- Second Symbol - nature of signal(s) modulating the main carrier.
- Third Symbol - type of information to be transmitted.

Designator Examples
Frequency coordinators.
- For frequencies in the 470-512 MHz band, applicants may use any frequency coordinator.
- For frequencies below 470 MHz and above 512 MHz, applicants must choose a frequency coordinator as specified below.
- Contact information for each of the certified coordinators is below.
Below 800 MHz Coordinators
800/900 mhz coordinators, radio service code, preparing to license.
- Frequency/ Frequency Band What frequency band or specific frequency you want to operate on. NotEmail: Frequencies in the 470-512 MHz band are shared with UHF-TV channels 14-20 and are only available in 11 cities. The Commission's rules require licensees to show that any assigned channels in this band in a particular urbanized area are at full capacity before they will be assigned additional 470-512 MHz channels in that area. See Shared Frequencies for more information.
- Mobile Radio Count The number of mobile radios that will operate on the system.
- Output Power/ERP The output power of the system amplifier, as well as the effective radiated power (ERP), which is the system's power at the antenna.
- Emission Designators Includes several pieces of vital information: modulation, signal, type of information and size of the channel. This determines the channel width your system will occupy.
- International Coordination For stations near the Canadian border, refer to the Industry Canada site to access Canadian licensing information. Note that the Canadian database does not show all valid stations.
Antenna Information
- B - Building with side mounted antenna
- BANT - Building with antenna on top
- MAST - Self-supported structure
- PIPE - Pipe antenna
- POLE - Any type of pole antenna
- GTOWER - Guyed structure used for communication purposes
- LTOWER - Lattice Tower
- Height Antenna height from ground to tip, in meters.
- Support Structure Height If antenna is mounted on top of a building, it is the distance from ground to the top of the building. Check with your building management company for this information.
- Coordinates All coordinates (latitude/longitude) must be referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). Latitude and longitude must be listed in degrees, minutes and seconds.
- Site Elevation The antenna site ground elevation above sea level. This information should always be in meters.
- FAA Antenna Structure Registration Refer to ASR TOWAIR Determination to determine if your antenna needs to be registered with the FCC.
Shared Frequencies
- Channel 15 in Chicago
- Channel 20 in Philadelphia
- Channel 17 in Washington
Available Cities

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densities do not exceed assignment restrictions. (2) With concurrent operations in adjacent or overlapping geographic areas, to ensure composite pulse density restrictions are not exceeded. b. Individual units will deconflict operations to ensure compliance with frequency assignment restrictions. If local units are unable to deconflict, the
FCC Frequency Assignment Databases The following is an index to radio assignment information extracted from the various licensing systems at the Commission and made available to the public via the Commissions Web site.
SAMPLE FREQUENCY ASSIGNMENT REQUEST – Type of Assignment: Temporary – Name of Assignment: Link 16 Mission Enhancement – Location of Operation (Include Military Bases, Restricted Areas, Warning Areas, Military Operating Areas, if applicable): Edwards AFB (200 nm around 345424N1175446W)
authorization of radiation (with a temporary frequency assignment) in support of experimentation for systems that radiate into the environment and are subject to these procedures. Certification at Stage 2 may be requested for new technological concepts, modified operational equipment, or initial design models that can be used to determine
This frequency coordination process is intended to make more efficient use of the PLMR spectrum for the benefit of all members of the public. In general, applications for new frequency assignments, changes to existing facilities or operation at temporary locations must include a showing of frequency coordination (See CFR 47, Section 90.175).