47 CFR §73.183

1. (a)Interference that may be caused by a proposed assignment or an existing assignment during daytime hours should be determined, when possible, by measurements on the frequency involved or on another frequency over the same terrain and by means for the curves in § 73.184 entitled “Ground Wave Field Strength versus Distance.”
2. (b)
   1. (1)In all cases where measurements taken in accordance with the requirements are not available, the groundwave strength must be determined by means of the pertinent map of ground conductivity and the groundwave curves of field strength versus distance. The conductivity of a given terrain may be determined by measurements of any broadcast signal traversing the terrain involved. Figure M3 (See Note 1) shows the conductivity throughout the United States by general areas of reasonably uniform conductivity. When it is clear that only one conductivity value is involved, Figure R3 of § 73.190, may be used. It is a replica of Figure M3, and is contained in these standards. In all other situations Figure M3 must be employed. It is recognized that in areas of limited size or over a particular path, the conductivity may vary widely from the values given; therefore, these maps are to be used only when accurate and acceptable measurements have not been made.
   2. (2)For determinations of interference and service requiring a knowledge of ground conductivities in other countries, the ground conductivity maps comprising Appendix 1 to Annex 2 of each of the following international agreements may be used:
      1. (i)For Canada, the U.S.-Canada AM Agreement, 1984;
      2. (ii)For Mexico, the U.S.-Mexico AM Agreement, 1986; and
      3. (iii)For other Western Hemisphere countries, the Regional Agreement for the Medium Frequency Broadcasting Service in Region 2.
3. (c)Example of determining interference by the graphs in § 73.184:
4. (d)Where a signal traverses a path over which different conductivities exist, the distance to a particular groundwave field strength contour shall be determined by the use of the equivalent distance method. Reasonably accurate results may be expected in determining field strengths at a distance from the antenna by application of the equivalent distance method when the unattenuated field of the antenna, the various ground conductivities and the location of discontinuities are known. This method considers a wave to be propagated across a given conductivity according to the curve for a homogeneous earth of that conductivity. When the wave crosses from a region of one conductivity into a region of a second conductivity, the equivalent distance of the receiving point from the transmitter changes abruptly but the field strength does not. From a point just inside the second region the transmitter appears to be at that distance where, on the curve for a homogeneous earth of the second conductivity, the field strength equals the value that occurred just across the boundary in the first region. Thus the equivalent distance from the receiving point to the transmitter may be either greater or less than the actual distance. An imaginary transmitter is considered to exist at that equivalent distance. This technique is not intended to be used as a means of evaluating unattenuated field or ground conductivity by the analysis of measured data. The method to be employed for such determinations is set out in § 73.186.
5. (e)Example of the use of the equivalent distance method;