This subpart contains rules that apply only to the CB Radio Service.

CB Radio Service (CBRS). A mobile and fixed two-way voice communication service for facilitating personal, business or voluntary public service activities, including communications to provide assistance to highway travelers.

CBRS station. Any transmitter, with or without an incorporated antenna or receiver, which is certified by the FCC to be operated in the CBRS.

Conversation. An exchange of transmissions between two CBRS stations.

Wireless remote control. Operation of a CBRS station from a remote location using a wireless link.

A person's authorization to operate a CBRS station without an individual license pursuant to § 95.305 is voided if that person violates any of the operating rules in this subpart, this part, or other parts of this chapter.

The operator of a CBRS transmitter may replace parts of the CBRS transmitter as stated in this section. All other internal maintenance and repairs must be carried out in accordance with § 95.319.

(a) A damaged antenna on a hand-held portable CBRS transmitter may be replaced by another antenna of the same or a compatible similar type.

(b) Batteries in a hand-held portable CBRS transmitter may be replaced with batteries of a type specified by the manufacturer.

(c) A detachable external microphone may be replaced with any external microphone that does not alter the modulation characteristics in a way that results in a violation of §§ 95.967, 95.973, 95.975 or 95.979.

(d) Changing plug-in modules which were certified as part of the CBRS transmitter.

If an authorized FCC representative requests to inspect a CBRS station, the operator must make the station and any station records available for inspection.

(a) A CBRS station includes all of the equipment used in connection with that station.

(b) Station records include the following documents, as applicable:

(1) A copy of each response to an FCC violation notice or an FCC letter.

(2) Each written permission received from the FCC.

If harmonic or other spurious emissions result in harmful interference, the FCC may require appropriate technical changes in the CBRS station equipment to alleviate the interference, including the use of a low pass filter between the transmitter antenna terminals and the antenna feed line.

If a CBRS station causes harmful interference to broadcast or communications services received by the public, and such harmful interference can not be eliminated by technical means (i.e., filters), the FCC may, by written notice to the CBRS station operator, impose limits on the hours of operation of the CBRS station.

The operator of a CBRS station may use that station to transmit two-way plain language voice communications to other CBRS stations and to other stations that are authorized to transmit on CBRS frequencies.

(a) Emergency communications. Any CBRS channel may be used for emergency communications or for traveler assistance.

(1) Operators of CBRS stations must, at all times and on all channels, give priority to emergency communications.

(2) CBRS Channel 9 may be used only for emergency communications or traveler assistance. It must not be used for any other purpose.

(b) One-way communications. The operator of a CBRS station may use that station to transmit one-way communications for the following purposes:

(1) To call for help or transmit other emergency communications;

(2) To provide warnings of hazardous road conditions to travelers;

(3) To make brief test transmissions (“radio checks”); or,

(4) To transmit voice paging.

(c) Travelers assistance communications. The operator of a CBRS station may transmit communications necessary to assist a traveler to reach a destination or to receive necessary services.

In addition to the prohibited uses set forth in § 95.333, the operator of a CBRS station must not use a CBRS station:

(a) To transmit one-way communications other than those permitted in § 95.931(b) (transmissions to seek to initiate two-way communications with another station are not considered to be one-way communications);

(b) To advertise or solicit the sale of any goods or services;

(c) To advertise a political candidate or political campaign (a CBRS station may be used for the business or organizational aspects of a campaign);

(d) To communicate with stations in other countries, except General Radio Service stations in Canada;

(e) To transmit communications for live or delayed broadcast on a radio or television broadcast station (a CBRS station may be used to gather news items or to prepare programs);

(f) To transmit music, whistling, sound effects or any other audio material to amuse or entertain; or

(g) To transmit any sound effects solely to attract attention.

The operator of a CBRS station must not use a non-CBRS transmitter to communicate with or attempt to communicate with stations in the CBRS.

(a) Non-CBRS transmitters. For the purposes of this section, “non-CBRS transmitters” are transmitters that are technically capable of operation in the 26-30 MHz frequency range, but are intended for use in the Amateur Radio Service (see part 97 of this chapter) or other government or non-government radio services, and are not certified for use in the CBRS.

(b) Unlicensed operation. The operation of non-CBRS transmitters on the CBRS channels is not authorized by § 95.305 of this part. Accordingly, the FCC considers any such operation to be a violation of section 301 of the Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 301).

The operator of a CBRS station must not use an external radio frequency power amplifier to increase the transmitting power of that CBRS station under any circumstances. There are no exceptions to this rule.

(a) The FCC will presume that the operator of a CBRS station has used an external radio frequency power amplifier in violation of this section if it is in the operator's possession or on the operator's premises and there is other evidence that the CBRS station has been operated with more transmitting power than allowed by § 95.967.

(b) The operator of a CBRS station must not attach an external radio frequency power amplifier to a certified CBRS transmitter.

The operator of a CBRS station must ensure that the transmitting antenna for the station is not higher than 18.3 meters (60 feet) above the ground, or 6.1 meters (20 feet) higher than the highest point of the building or tree on which it is mounted, whichever is higher. CBRS station antennas must also meet the requirements in § 95.317 regarding menaces to air navigation. See § 95.317 and consult part 17 of the FCC's Rules for more information.

This section sets forth the conditions under which a CBRS station may be operated by remote control, pursuant to the exception in § 95.345. Operation of a CBRS station using a hands-free or other type of cordless microphone or headset authorized under part 15 is not considered to be remote control.

(a) Wireless remote control. No person shall operate a CBRS station by wireless remote control.

(b) Wired remote control. Before operating an CBRS station by wired remote control, the operator must obtain specific approval from the FCC. To obtain FCC approval, the operator must explain why wired remote control is needed. See § 95.329 regarding contacting the FCC.

A CBRS station may be connected, acoustically or electrically, to the public switched network, subject to the rules in this section. The purpose of this is to allow operators of other CBRS stations to speak to and hear individuals on the telephone through the connected CBRS station.

(a) The operator of the connected CBRS station must:

(1) Manually make the connection;

(2) Continue to control the station while it is connected;

(3) Listen to each conversation during the connection; and

(4) Stop transmissions immediately if any violation of the CBRS rules occurs.

(b) If a CBRS station is directly (electrically) connected to the public switched network, the connection, including the interface device used, must be in full compliance with all applicable rules in part 68 of this chapter.

(a) Except as specified in (b) and (c) of this section, the operator of a CBRS station must limit each on-air conversation with the operators of other CBRS stations to no more than five minutes. After an on-air conversation has ended, the operator of a CBRS station must not transmit again on the same channel for at least one minute.

(b) When a CBRS operator is directly participating in emergency communications, it does not have to comply with paragraph (a) of this section regarding length of transmissions and pauses between transmissions. However, the operator must obey all other rules.

(c) When an operator is using its CBRS station to assist a traveler, it does not have to comply with paragraph (a) of this section regarding length of transmissions and pauses between transmissions. However, the operator must obey all other rules.

(a) Each CBRS transmitter (a transmitter that operates or is intended to operate at a station in the CBRS) must be certified in accordance with this subpart and part 2 of this chapter.

(b) A grant of equipment certification for the CBRS will not be issued for any CBRS transmitter type that fails to comply with all of the applicable rules in this subpart.

The channels listed in this section are allotted for shared use in the CBRS. Each CBRS channel is designated by its center frequency in Megahertz (MHz).

Each CBRS transmitter type must be designed such that the transmit carrier frequency (or in the case of SSB transmissions, the reference frequency) remains within 50 parts-per-million of the channel center frequencies specified in § 95.963 under all normal operating conditions.

Each CBRS transmitter type must be designed such that the transmitter power can not exceed the following limits:

(a) When transmitting amplitude modulated (AM) voice signals or frequency modulated (FM) voice signals, the mean carrier power must not exceed 4 Watts.

(b) When transmitting single sideband (SSB) voice signals, the peak envelope power must not exceed 12 Watts.

Each CBRS transmitter type must be designed such that its capabilities are in compliance with the emission type rules in this section.

(a) Permitted emission types. CBRS transmitter types must transmit AM voice emission type A3E or SSB voice emission types J3E, R3E or H3E, and may also transmit FM voice emission type F3E.

(b) SSB requirements. Each CBRS transmitter type that transmits emission type J3E, R3E, or H3E must be capable of transmitting only the upper sideband with suppressed, reduced or full carrier, respectively, but may additionally be capable of transmitting only the lower sideband, with suppressed, reduced or full carrier, respectively.

Each CBRS transmitter type must be designed such that the occupied bandwidth does not exceed the authorized bandwidth for the emission type under test.

(a) AM and FM. The authorized bandwidth for emission types A3E and F3E is 8 kHz.

(b) SSB. The authorized bandwidth for emission types J3E, R3E, and H3E is 4 kHz.

Each CBRS transmitter type must be designed such that the modulation characteristics are in compliance with the rules in this section.

(a) When emission type A3E is transmitted with voice modulation, the modulation percentage must be at least 85%, but not more than 100%.

(b) When emission type A3E is transmitted by a CBRS transmitter having a transmitter output power of more than 2.5 W, the transmitter must contain a circuit that automatically prevents the modulation percentage from exceeding 100%.

(c) When emission type F3E is transmitted the peak frequency deviation shall not exceed ±2 kHz.

In addition to the tones permitted under § 95.377, CBRS transmitter types may be designed to transmit brief tones to indicate the beginning or end of a transmission.

Each CBRS transmitter type must be designed to comply with the applicable unwanted emissions limits in this section.

(a) Attenuation requirements. The power of unwanted emissions must be attenuated below the transmitter output power in Watts (P) as specified in the applicable paragraphs listed in the following table:

(1) 25 dB (decibels) in the frequency band 4 kHz to 8 kHz removed from the channel center frequency;

(2) 25 dB in the frequency band 2 kHz to 6 kHz removed from the channel center frequency;

(3) 35 dB in the frequency band 8 kHz to 20 kHz removed from the channel center frequency;

(4) 35 dB in the frequency band 6 kHz to 10 kHz removed from the channel center frequency;

(5) 53 + 10 log (P) dB in any frequency band removed from the channel center frequency by more than 250% of the authorized bandwidth.

(6) 60 dB in any frequency band centered on a harmonic (i.e., an integer multiple of two or more times) of the carrier frequency.

(b) Measurement bandwidths. The power of unwanted emissions in the frequency bands specified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section is measured with a reference bandwidth of 300 Hz. The power of unwanted emissions in the frequency ranges specified in paragraphs (a)(5) and (6) of this section is measured with a reference bandwidth of at least 30 kHz.

(c) Measurement conditions and procedures. Subject to additional measurement standards and procedures established pursuant to part 2, subpart J, the following conditions and procedures must be used.

(1) The unwanted emissions limits requirements in this section must be met both with and without the connection of permitted attachments, such as external speakers, microphones, power cords and/or antennas.

(2) Either mean power output or peak envelope power output may be used for measurements, as appropriate for the emission type under test, provided that the same type of power measurement is used for both the transmitter output power and the power of the unwanted emissions.

Each CBRS transmitter type must be designed to satisfy all of the additional requirements in this section.

(a) Transmit frequency capability. Each CBRS transmitter type must be designed to transmit only on one or more of the channels listed in § 95.963. No CBRS transmitter type will be certified for use in the CBRS service if it is capable of transmitting on any frequency or channel other than those listed in § 95.963, unless such transmitter type is also certified for use in another radio service for which the frequency capability is authorized and for which FCC certification is also required.

(b) Frequency determining circuitry. All frequency determining circuitry (including crystals) and programming controls in each CBRS transmitter type must be internal to the transmitter and must not be accessible from the operating panel or from the exterior of the transmitter enclosure.

(c) Final amplifier component ratings. The dissipation rating of all the semiconductors or electron tubes which supply RF power to the antenna terminals of each CB transmitter must not exceed 10 Watts. For semiconductors, the dissipation rating is the greater of the collector or device dissipation value established by the manufacturer of the semiconductor. These values may be temperature de-rated by no more than 50 °C. For an electron tube, the dissipation rating is the Intermittent Commercial and Amateur Service plate dissipation value established by the manufacturer of the electron tube.

(d) External controls. Only the external transmitter controls, connections or devices listed in this paragraph are allowed to be incorporated in a CBRS transmitter type. The FCC, however, may authorize additional controls, connections or devices after considering the functions to be performed by such additions.

(1) Primary power connection. External power supplies may be used.

(2) Microphone connection.

(3) Antenna connection.

(4) Headphone and speaker output connections and related selector switch.

(5) On-off switch for primary power to the transmitter. This switch may be combined with receiver controls such as the receiver on-off switch and volume control.

(6) Upper/lower sideband selector switch (for a transmitter that is capable of transmitting SSB emissions).

(7) Carrier level selector control (for a transmitter that is capable of transmitting SSB emissions). This control may be combined with the sideband selector switch.

(8) Channel selector switch.

(9) Transmit/receive selector switch.

(10) Meter(s) and selector switch(es) for monitoring transmitter performance.

(11) Pilot lamp(s), meter(s), light emitting diodes, liquid crystal devices or other types of visual display devices to indicate the presence of RF output power or that the transmitter control circuits are activated to transmit.

Marketing of devices that could be used with CBRS stations resulting in violation of the rules in this part is prohibited.

(a) External radio frequency power amplifiers. No person shall manufacture, import, sell or offer for sale any external radio frequency power amplifier capable of operation below 144 MHz and intended for use in the CBRS. See § 2.815 of this chapter.

(b) External frequency determining devices. No person shall manufacture, import, sell or offer for sale, any add-on device, whether internal or external, the function of which is to extend the transmitting frequency capability of a CBRS transmitter beyond that allowed by §§ 95.963 and 95.965.