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FCC Releases Form, Guidelines for MDCL Notification

Media Bureau requires licensees using the control technology to submit Form 338 starting next month

Today is the day that the rules adopted in the recent AM Revitalization Order officially go into effect — Feb. 18, 2016 — with the exception of one small section: the rules that surround an AM station’s Modulation Dependent Carrier Level control technology.

That one section — known as Section 73.1560 of the commission’s rules — required Office of Management and Budget approval before it could be formally adopted. That approval was announced earlier this month, and as of March 3 stations have the go-ahead to commence operation using MDCL control technology without prior FCC authority — provided that within 10 days after commencement of MDCL operation the AM station licensee submits a specific FCC form, known in long-form FCC parlance as FCC Form 338 AM Station MDCL Notification.

This form serves several purposes: it both identifies the AM station and specifies the technical details of the station’s MDCL operation.

FCC Form 338 will shortly be available for downloading on the commission’s website here. Following completion of the form by the AM station licensee, the licensee must then submit completed FCC Form 338 into the Electronic Comment Filing System using the following procedure:
1. Go to the ECFS main page
2. On left side of page, select “Submit a Non-Docketed Filing”
3. Using the dropdown box for “Inbox” select “Form 338: AM Station MDCL Notification”
4. Complete “Contact Info”
5. For “Filing Type” select “Other”
6. Complete “Address”
7. For “Document” attach a completed FCC Form 338
8. Select “Continue”
9. Select “Confirm”

The FCC reminds stations that only FCC Form 338 can be filed using this procedure, and any other filings submitted to this ECFS Inbox using this procedure will be deleted without review.

More information can be found by contacting Susan N. Crawford of the Media Bureau via email or call or (202) 418-2754.

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