Lots of us have lots more licenses than we may immediately think of. More of us than ever before now have translators or boosters. Many radio stations have Marti systems for remotes, although now with the widespread wireless Internet they’re admittedly becoming less popular. And lots of us have licenses for our studio-to-transmitter microwave links. A few stations may even have the fairly rare Intercity Relay. These licenses need to be renewed, too!
Thankfully the FCC has made renewing these “Auxiliary” licenses easier than ever before.
When you sit down to work on your main station license renewal using the now-required on-line FCC form, you’ll come to a part about renewing these “Auxiliary” licenses.
Page 8 of the renewal Form 2100 Schedule 303-S asks “Does this application include one or more translator stations. . .” If you answer “Yes,” a list will open labeled “Available Stations.” This is really convenient! It’s up to you, however, to make certain that what the FCC’s list shows is complete and accurate. Still, it’s a great way to renew translators without having to file a separate renewal form for each one!
Now, what about those Marti Remote Pick-Up systems, any microwaves, or other “Auxiliary” stations?
A quick search with Google brings up this quote: All radio broadcast station licenses are scheduled to expire between 2019 and 2022. … Related auxiliary stations (backup facilities), and FM booster stations are renewed with the main station license; do not file separate renewal applications for auxiliary or FM booster stations. This is from a release dated February 10, 2021.
Auxiliary stations can mean either a second site licensed with an AM or and FM transmitter used as a backup site in case the main site’s facilities fail (or as in Texas in February, run out of electricity), or auxiliary can mean stations that carry program material for broadcast, such as and FM booster, and FM translator, or an STL microwave or a Remote Pick-Up system (Marti).
Here’s one caveat. Do you have licenses for any Marti, STL, or other auxiliary broadcast facilities that you haven’t used in a year? If so, the Rules require that you turn in your license. Many broadcasters make certain that anything they have that’s licensed gets used at least once a year to keep the license “alive.” After all, these auxiliary licenses are lots easier to keep than to apply all over again if they’ve expired!
All in all radio license renewal has been made easier for most stations in this current round of renewals, but diligence, accuracy, and timeliness still matter ! And please remember – I am not an attorney, and nothing I write is to be taken as legal advice!
Good luck with your renewal!
Mike/
