11 Minimum coverage criterion – transmitter located at the nominal location
(1) Subject to subguideline (2), this guideline applies in relation to a transmitter licence, other than a datacasting transmitter licence.
(2) This guideline applies unless otherwise specified in a LAP or DRCP that relates to the transmitter licence, or in the transmitter licence.
(3) If:
(a) a transmitter authorised by a transmitter licence is located at the nominal location specified in the LAP or DRCP that relates to the licence; and
(b) the LAP or DRCP specifies an omnidirectional output radiation pattern for the transmitter;
a transmission made by the transmitter must be at or between:
(c) 5 dB below the maximum CMF or ERP specified in the LAP or DRCP; and
(d) the maximum CMF or ERP specified in the LAP or DRCP.
(4) If:
(a) a transmitter authorised by a transmitter licence is located at the nominal location specified in the LAP or DRCP that relates to the licence; and
(b) the LAP or DRCP specifies a directional output radiation pattern for the transmitter;
a transmission made by the transmitter must be at or between:
(c) 5 dB below the maximum CMF or ERP specified in the LAP or DRCP over at least 60 per cent of each arc specified in the LAP or DRCP for the pattern; and
(d) the maximum CMF or ERP specified in the LAP or DRCP over at least 60 per cent of each arc specified in the LAP or DRCP for the pattern.
12 Minimum coverage criterion – transmitter not located at the nominal location
If a transmitter, other than a transmitter operated to provide a datacasting service is not located at the nominal location specified in the LAP or DRCP that relates to the transmitter licence that authorises operation of the transmitter, the licensee must provide a service to those urban centres in the licence area or designated BSA radio area that relates to the service and that would have received the service from a transmitter operating from the nominal location at the minimum CMF or ERP permitted by guideline 11.
Note: No minimum coverage criterion requirements are applicable to datacasting services. However, protection of a datacasting service against interference from other services will generally only be provided on the basis that the datacasting service provides a median field strength equal to, or greater than, the planned minimum field strength.
13 Overspill criterion – transmitter not located at the nominal location
(1) This guideline applies in relation to a transmitter, other than a transmitter operated to provide a datacasting service, that is not located at the nominal location specified in the LAP or DRCP that relates to the transmitter licence that authorises operation of the transmitter (relevant transmitter licence).
(2) The licensee of the relevant transmitter licence must ensure that the estimated population able to receive a broadcasting service transmitted by the transmitter outside the licence area or designated BSA radio area of the licence does not exceed the estimated population that would be able to receive the service outside that area if the transmitter were located at the nominal location.
(3) In this guideline, a person is able to receive a broadcasting service transmitted by a transmitter if a receiver at the person’s location would receive a signal level:
(a) greater than 68 dBμV/m (2.5 mV/m) where the service is an AM radio service;
(b) greater than 64 dBμV/m where the service is a digital radio service;
(c) greater than the planned minimum field strength, for all other broadcasting services.
14 Overspill criterion – transmitter with no nominal location specified
If, for a transmitter, there is no nominal location specified in a LAP or DRCP that relates to the transmitter licence that authorises operation of the transmitter, the median field strength of a transmission made by the transmitter in any urban centre outside the licence area or designated BSA radio area for the licence must not exceed the greater of the:
(a) planned minimum field strength; or
(b) field strength that would be achieved by a transmitter operating with the nominal transmission parameters.
15 Overspill criterion – datacasting services
A transmitter authorised to transmit a datacasting service in a particular datacasting service area must be located within the relevant datacasting service area.
16 Interference to other services – broadcasting services and datacasting services
(1) If the operation of a transmitter causes interference to a broadcasting service or datacasting service, the licensee must (at the licensee’s own expense) adjust, or fit devices to, one or more of:
(a) the transmitter;
(b) a receiver of a service to which interference was caused; or
undertake other measures in order to eliminate or minimise the interference.
(2) Subguideline (1) only applies in relation to interference caused to a broadcasting service or datacasting service if:
(a) the transmitter that provides the service operates in accordance with the LAP or DRCP (if any) that applies in relation to the transmitter licence that authorises operation of the transmitter; and
(b) the transmitter that provides the service operates in accordance with the transmitter licence that authorises the operation of a transmitter; and
(c) the interference is caused to the service within:
(i) if the service is a commercial broadcasting service or a community broadcasting service – the licence area for the commercial broadcasting licence or community broadcasting licence for the service;
(ii) if the service is a national broadcasting service – for a transmitter that transmits the service, the national signal reception area for the transmitter;
(iii) if the service is a datacasting service – the datacasting service area for the service;
(iv) if the service is a narrowcasting service – the narrowcasting service area for the service;
(v) if the service is authorised by a DRMT licence – the designated BSA radio area; and
(d) the service is, or but for the interference would be, received with a median field strength equal to, or greater than, the planned minimum field strength; and
(e) the receiving system does not incorporate any active components external to the receiver (such as mast head amplifiers or distribution amplifiers) that result in the receiving system being more susceptible to interference than would otherwise be the case.
17 Interference to other services – radiocommunications
If the operation of a transmitter causes interference to other services provided by radiocommunications licensees, the licensee of the transmitter that is causing the interference must, in consultation with affected persons, resolve complaints of interference caused to those other services.
Subguideline (1) only applies where the radiocommunications devices affected by the interference are operated, installed and maintained in good order and are appropriate for the electromagnetic environment of the site.