(a) Notwithstanding the requirements of §§78.15 and 78.20, in circumstances requiring immediate or temporary use of facilities, a request may be made for special temporary authority to install and operate new equipment or to operate licensed equipment in a manner different from that authorized in a station license. Any such request may be in letter form, and shall be submitted in duplicate: Provided, however, That in cases of emergency involving danger to life or property or due to damage to equipment, such request may be made by telephone or telegraph with the understanding that a written request shall be submitted within ten (10) days thereafter.

(b) Special temporary authority may also be requested to conduct a field survey to determine necessary data in connection with the preparation of a formal application for installation of a radio system under this part. Such authority may be granted to equipment suppliers and others who are not operators of cable television systems or other eligible systems, as well as to cable operators or other eligible system operators, to conduct equipment, program, service, and path tests.

(c) Any request for special temporary authority shall be clear and complete within itself as to the authority requested. In addition, such requests shall contain the following information:

(1) Name, address, and citizenship of applicant;

(2) Grounds for special action, including a description of any emergency or damage to equipment;

(3) Type of operation to be conducted;

(4) Purpose of operation;

(5) Time and date of proposed operation;

(6) Class of station and nature of service;

(7) Location of station;

(8) Equipment to be used, specifying manufacturer, model number, and number of units;

(9) Frequency or frequencies desired, consistent with §78.18: Provided, however, That in the case of events of widespread interest and importance that cannot be transmitted successfully on these frequencies, frequencies assigned to other services may be requested on a showing that operation thereon will not cause interference to established stations: And provided, further, That in no case will a cable television relay service operation be authorized on frequencies employed for the safety of life and property;

(10) Plate power input to final radio frequency stage;

(11) Type of emission;

(12) Description of antenna to be used, including height. In the event that the proposed antenna installations will increase the height of any natural formation, or existing manmade structure, by more than 6.1 meters (20 feet), a vertical plan sketch showing the height of the structures proposed to be erected, the height above ground of any existing structure, the elevation of the site above mean sea level, and the geographic coordinates of the proposed sites shall be submitted with the application.

(d) Except in emergencies involving safety of life or property or due to damage to equipment, a request for special temporary authority shall be filed at least ten (10) days prior to the date of proposed operation, or shall be accompanied by a statement of reasons for the delay in submitting such request.

(e) If the Commission finds that special temporary authority is in the public interest, it may grant such authority for a period not exceeding ninety (90) days, and, on a like finding, may extend such authority for one additional period not to exceed ninety (90) days.

[37 FR 15927, Aug. 8, 1972, as amended at 55 FR 46015, Oct. 31, 1990; 58 FR 44952, Aug. 25, 1993]