10Start up procedures

10 Start up procedures

A licensee or authorised person to which this Part applies must: (a) conduct test transmissions for a period of at least 168 continuous hours; (b) take reasonable steps to notify each potentially affected person prior to the commencement of test transmissions;

Note: The ACMA may request the licensee or authorised person to submit evidence of steps taken to provide notice of the test transmissions.

(c) without limiting paragraph (b), prior to the commencement of test transmissions, place a notice on the licensee’s website or an industry website that states:
(i) the date and time of commencement of the test transmissions;
(ii) the proposed duration of the test transmissions;
(iii) the frequency to be used for the test transmissions; and
(iv) the email address and telephone number of a person to contact in relation to the test transmissions;
(d) prior to the commencement of any test transmissions, provide the ACMA with a copy of the notice referred to in paragraph (c);
(e) include, in any test transmissions required to be conducted by this Part, regular voice announcements, or, in the case of a television broadcasting service, voice or visual information, identifying the licensee or authorised person and providing sufficient details for members of the public to contact the licensee or authorised person if the test transmissions cause interference to radiocommunications transmitted by another radiocommunications licensee;
(f) conduct test transmissions in accordance with the technical operating specifications specified or set out in a relevant DRCP, LAP or transmitter licence, as modified by these guidelines, or as these guidelines apply to the specifications, for a period of at least 168 continuous hours;

Note: If any part of the period mentioned in paragraph (a) is not conducted in accordance with the technical operating specifications, it is not included for the purposes of paragraph (f). For example, if, for the purposes of the test transmissions required by paragraph (a), a transmitter is operated at less than the maximum power specified in the relevant LAP for a period of 24 hours, that period does not count towards the minimum duration for the test transmissions required by paragraph (f).

(g) if, during the test transmissions, the operation of the transmitter caused interference to a broadcasting service or datacasting service – before the conclusion of the test transmissions adjust, or fit devices to, one or more of:
(i) the transmitter;
(ii) a receiver of the service to which interference was caused; or
undertake other measures in order to eliminate or minimise the interference at the licensee’s own expense;

Note: It may be an offence under section 197 of the Radiocommunications Act to engage in conduct and be reckless as to whether the conduct will result in substantial interference with radiocommunications.