Help Center

Getting Started

Creating an Account

Sign up with your email address or use Google OAuth for one-click registration. After signing up with email, you'll receive a verification link — click it to activate your account. All new accounts start on the Free tier.

Your Dashboard

The dashboard is your home base. It shows your current subscription tier, search usage for the current period, and quick links to start a new search. If you're on a limited plan, you'll see how many searches you have remaining.

Understanding Your Plan

F3C offers four tiers. All tiers search the same comprehensive FCC database — the difference is in volume, advanced features, and API access.

	Free	Non-Commercial	Commercial	Enterprise
Price	$0	$9/mo	$249/mo	Custom
Searches	5 lifetime	25/day	Unlimited	Unlimited
Results/search	25	100	Unlimited	Unlimited
Advanced RF	—	—	Included	Included
API Access	—	—	—	Included

Search Limits

Free accounts have 5 total searches for the lifetime of the account. Non-Commercial accounts get 25 searches per day, resetting at midnight UTC. Commercial and Enterprise accounts have unlimited searches. Your remaining searches are always visible on your dashboard and in search result footers.

Searching FCC Data

Geographic (Radius) Search

Enter latitude and longitude coordinates along with a search radius (0.1 to 500 km) to find all licensed transmitters in that area. Results include call sign, frequency, licensee, transmitter power, coordinates, and distance from your search point. This is the fastest way to understand the RF landscape around a specific location.

Call Sign Lookup

Enter a call sign to look up a license directly. Returns the full license record including all associated transmitter locations, licensee information, and license status. Useful when you know the call sign and need the technical details.

Advanced Search

Combine multiple filters for precise results: geographic area, call sign patterns (use * as wildcard), entity type (Licensee, Owner, Transferee, Assignor, Lessee, Contact), radio service code (140+ categories covering aviation, broadcast, cellular, maritime, public safety, and more), license status (Active, Expired, Cancelled, Terminated, Pending), and frequency range in MHz.

Understanding Results

Search results display: call sign, frequency (MHz), emission designator, transmitter power (ERP/EIRP in watts), antenna height, geographic coordinates, licensee name, and license status. Click any result row to view the full license detail page with complete FCC record information.

Saving Searches

Save frequently-used search parameters to quickly re-run them later. Saved searches are accessible from your dashboard and preserve all filter settings including coordinates, radius, and advanced filters.

Result Limits

The maximum number of results returned per search depends on your plan: Free accounts receive up to 25 results, Non-Commercial up to 100, and Commercial/Enterprise accounts have no limit.

Equipment Lookup

Browsing Equipment Authorizations

Search the FCC equipment authorization database by manufacturer, model name, or FCC ID. Find technical specifications, operating frequencies, and approval details for authorized radio equipment.

FCC ID Search

Enter a grantee code or full FCC ID to find specific equipment authorizations. Each authorization includes technical parameters, test report references, and the conditions under which the device is approved to operate.

Equipment Details

Equipment detail pages show frequency bands, power output, modulation type, and any associated documentation. This information is useful for identifying device capabilities and ensuring compatibility with your frequency coordination plans.

Locations

Commercial+

Creating a Location

Add a geographic point by entering coordinates directly or typing an address to geocode. Locations serve as anchor points for RF analysis and transmitter searches. Give each location a name and optional notes for easy identification.

Nearby Transmitters

From any location's detail page, search for licensed transmitters nearby. The search is pre-filled with your location's coordinates — just set a radius and go. Results are sorted by distance so you can quickly identify the closest transmitters.

Terrain Profiles

Generate line-of-sight elevation profiles between your location and any transmitter. The terrain profile visualizes hills, buildings, and other obstructions that may block or attenuate RF signals. Uses high-resolution elevation data for accurate analysis.

Advanced RF Environment

Commercial+

What is an RF Environment?

An RF environment scan catalogs all known transmitters in a geographic area across specified frequency bands. It's the foundation for frequency coordination — understanding what RF activity already exists before you assign new frequencies. Think of it as a snapshot of the spectrum at your location.

Creating a Scan

Select the frequency bands you need to scan from presets: VHF, UHF, ISM, DECT, Wi-Fi, C-Band, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, and microwave ranges. Set a scan radius (default 25 km) and choose your data sources: ULS (licensed transmitters), DTV (broadcast television stations), or both. Scans run in the background and typically complete within seconds.

Scan Results

Results are organized into two tabs: ULS Transmitters (licensed point-to-point, land mobile, microwave, etc.) and DTV Stations (broadcast TV using 6 MHz channel allocations). Each entry shows frequency, power, distance, and bearing from your location.

Managing Transmitters

Include or exclude individual transmitters from your frequency coordination. Excluded transmitters appear dimmed but remain visible for reference. Guard bands are automatically calculated based on transmitter power — higher power means wider protection. You can manually adjust guard bands when needed.

Exclusion Zones

Define frequency ranges that should be avoided. Hard exclusions are absolute no-go zones — no frequencies will be assigned within them. Soft exclusions generate warnings but allow override if necessary. Create exclusions manually through the UI, or import/export them as CSV files for batch management across multiple events.

Ambient Frequencies

Track known RF sources that aren't in the FCC database — things like in-ear monitors, production walkies, and intercom systems. These are factored into intermodulation distortion (IMD) analysis to prevent harmful mixing products between your equipment and ambient sources.

Multiple Environments

Create multiple RF environments per location — useful for different events at the same venue or for tracking how the RF landscape changes over time. Activate the current environment and archive previous scans for historical reference.

Account Management

Email & Password

Update your email address or change your password from Account Settings, accessible via the user menu in the top navigation bar.

Upgrading Your Plan

Visit the Billing page to upgrade your subscription. Payment is handled securely through Stripe. Upgrades take effect immediately — you'll have access to your new tier's features right away.

Downgrading & Cancellation

Manage your subscription through the Stripe billing portal (click "Manage Subscription" on the Billing page). Cancellations take effect at the end of your current billing period — you keep access until then. Your account reverts to the Free tier after cancellation.

API Keys Enterprise

Enterprise accounts can create up to 10 API keys for programmatic access. Keys use the format f3c_sk_xxxxx and authenticate via the Authorization: ApiKey header. Manage your keys from the API Keys page in the user menu.

Billing & Payments

How It Works

Subscriptions are billed monthly through Stripe. We accept all major credit and debit cards. Your subscription renews automatically each month unless you cancel.

Managing Payment Methods

Click "Manage Subscription" on the Billing page to open the Stripe billing portal. From there you can update your credit card, view past invoices, and download receipts for your records.

Cancellation

Cancel anytime from the Stripe billing portal. Your access continues through the end of your current paid period. There are no refunds for partial months.

Enterprise Billing

Enterprise plans are billed separately based on your individual agreement. For Enterprise inquiries, contact support@fusioncollective.net.