SBCA Safety & Regulatory Compliance 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under FCC rules, how far in advance must an applicant notify the FAA before constructing an antenna structure that requires FAA notification?
- At least 7 days before construction
- At least 30 days before construction using FAA Form 7460-1 (Correct answer)
- At least 90 days before construction
- At least 6 months before construction
Correct answer: At least 30 days before construction using FAA Form 7460-1
FAA regulations require filing Form 7460-1 at least 30 days prior to construction of structures that trigger FAA notification requirements under FAR Part 77.
Question 2: A satellite dish installer must cross a public right-of-way to lay underground coaxial cable. Which entity typically must issue a permit for this work?
- The FCC directly
- The local municipality or county public works department (Correct answer)
- The satellite operator's corporate office
- The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
Correct answer: The local municipality or county public works department
Work in public rights-of-way requires permits from the local municipality or county, which governs excavation, trenching, and restoration of public property.
Question 3: What SBCA best practice addresses the minimum diameter size of grounding conductors used for satellite dish coaxial shield bonding?
- No. 18 AWG copper wire is sufficient
- No. 10 AWG copper wire minimum is recommended (Correct answer)
- No. 6 AWG copper wire is mandated by SBCA
- No. 4 AWG aluminum wire is required
Correct answer: No. 10 AWG copper wire minimum is recommended
SBCA guidelines and NEC Article 820 recommend a minimum No. 10 AWG copper conductor for grounding the coaxial cable shield to the building's grounding electrode system.
Question 4: What condition triggers an FCC requirement for an earth station operator to file a Special Temporary Authority (STA)?
- When normal operations fall within licensed parameters
- When the operator needs to deviate from licensed technical parameters on a temporary basis (Correct answer)
- When upgrading to a larger dish antenna permanently
- When renewing an existing license for another term
Correct answer: When the operator needs to deviate from licensed technical parameters on a temporary basis
An STA allows earth station operators to temporarily deviate from their licensed technical parameters (e.g., frequency, power, or location) while awaiting a formal license modification.
Question 5: Which OSHA regulation requires that electrical hazard controls be verified through lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures before a technician services satellite equipment connected to AC power?
- 29 CFR 1910.147 — Control of Hazardous Energy (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.305 — Wiring Methods
- 29 CFR 1926.416 — Electrical Safety
- 29 CFR 1910.333 — Selection and Use of Work Practices
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1910.147 — Control of Hazardous Energy
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 establishes lockout/tagout requirements to control hazardous energy, including electrical energy, before servicing equipment.
Question 6: What does the FCC's 'must-carry' rule require of cable operators regarding local broadcast satellite-delivered signals?
- Cable operators must carry all local broadcast stations that request carriage on their systems (Correct answer)
- Cable operators must only carry pay-per-view satellite content
- Cable operators must provide free dishes to subscribers who request them
- Cable operators must retransmit all international satellite channels without charge
Correct answer: Cable operators must carry all local broadcast stations that request carriage on their systems
The FCC's must-carry rules (Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act) require cable operators to carry local broadcast television stations upon their request.
Question 7: What is the purpose of the FCC's Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) system?
- To register all satellite dishes over 1 meter in diameter
- To maintain a database of antenna towers and structures for safety and interference management (Correct answer)
- To license individual satellite receivers
- To track spectrum usage by frequency band
Correct answer: To maintain a database of antenna towers and structures for safety and interference management
The ASR system maintains a database of registered antenna structures, facilitating FAA coordination, emergency response, and interference investigation.
SBCA Safety & Regulatory Compliance 4
Under FCC rules, how far in advance must an applicant notify the FAA before constructing an antenna structure that requires FAA notification?