Sec. 97.3 Definitions.
(a) The definitions of terms used in part 97 are:
(1) Amateur operator. A person holding a written authorization to be
the control operator of an amateur station.
(2) Amateur radio services. The amateur service, the amateur-
satellite service and the radio amateur civil emergency service.
(3) Amateur-satellite service. A radiocommunication service using
stations on Earth satellites for the same purpose as those of the
amateur service.
(4) Amateur service. A radiocommunication service for the purpose of
self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried
out by amateurs, that is, duly authorized persons interested in radio
technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.
(5) Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service
consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on
radiocommunications.
(6) Automatic control. The use of devices and procedures for control
of a station when it is transmitting so that compliance with the FCC Rules is
achieved without the control operator being present at a control point.
(7) Auxiliary station. An amateur station, other than in a message
forwarding system, that is transmitting communications point-to-point
within a system of cooperating amateur stations.
(8) Bandwidth. The width of a frequency band outside of which the
mean power of the transmitted signal is attenuated at least 26 dB below
the mean power of the transmitted signal within the band.
(9) Beacon. An amateur station transmitting communications for the
purposes of observation of propagation and reception or other related
experimental activities.
(10) Broadcasting. Transmissions intended for reception by the
general public, either direct or relayed.
(11) Call sign system. The method used to select a call sign for
amateur station over-the-air identification purposes. The call sign
systems are:
(i) Sequential call sign system. The call sign is selected by the
FCC from an alphabetized list corresponding to the geographic region of
the licensee's mailing address and operator class. The call sign is
shown on the license. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing
the procedures of the sequential call sign system.
(ii) Vanity call sign system. The call sign is selected by the FCC
from a list of call signs requested by the licensee. The call sign is
shown on the license. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing
the procedures of the vanity call sign system.
(12) Control operator. An amateur operator designated by the
licensee of a station to be responsible for the transmissions from that
station to assure compliance with the FCC Rules.
(13) Control point. The location at which the control operator
function is performed.
(14) CSCE. Certificate of successful completion of an examination.
(15) Earth station. An amateur station located on, or within 50 km
of, the Earth's surface intended for communications with space stations
or with other Earth stations by means of one or more other objects in
space.
(16) EIC. Engineer in Charge of an FCC Field Facility.
(17) External RF power amplifier. A device capable of increasing
power output when used in conjunction with, but not an integral part of,
a transmitter.
(18) External RF power amplifier kit. A number of electronic parts,
which, when assembled, is an external RF power amplifier, even if
additional parts are required to complete assembly.
(19) FAA. Federal Aviation Administration.
(20) FCC. Federal Communications Commission.
(21) Frequency coordinator. An entity, recognized in a local or
regional area by amateur operators whose stations are eligible to be
auxiliary or repeater stations, that recommends transmit/receive
channels and associated operating and technical parameters for such
stations in order to avoid or minimize potential interference.
(22) Harmful interference. Interference which endangers the
functioning of a radionavigation service or of other safety services or
seriously degrades, obstructs or repeatedly interrupts a
radiocommunication service operating in accordance with the Radio
Regulations.
(23) Indicator. Words, letters or numerals appended to and separated
from the call sign during the station identification.
(24) Information bulletin. A message directed only to amateur
operators consisting solely of subject matter of direct interest to the
amateur service.
(25) International Morse code. A dot-dash code as defined in
International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT)
Recommendation F.1 (1984), Division B, I. Morse code.
(26) ITU. International Telecommunication Union.
(27) Line A. Begins at Aberdeen, WA, running by great circle arc to
the intersection of 48 deg.N, 120 deg.W, thence along parallel 48 deg.N,
to the intersection of 95 deg.W, thence by great circle arc through the
southernmost point of Duluth, MN, thence by great circle arc to
45 deg.N, 85 deg.W, thence southward along meridian 85 deg.W, to its
intersection with parallel 41 deg.N, thence along parallel 41 deg.N, to its intersection
with meridian 82 deg.W, thence by great circle arc through the
southernmost point of Bangor, ME, thence by great circle arc through the
southernmost point of Searsport, ME, at which point it terminates.
(28) Local control. The use of a control operator who directly
manipulates the operating adjustments in the station to achieve
compliance with the FCC Rules.
(29) Message forwarding system. A group of amateur stations
participating in a voluntary, cooperative, interactive arrangement where
communications are sent from the control operator of an originating
station to the control operator of one or more destination stations by
one or more forwarding stations.
(30) National Radio Quiet Zone. The area in Maryland, Virginia and
West Virginia Bounded by 39 deg. 15'N on the north, 78 deg. 30'W on the
east, 37 deg. 30'N on the south and 80 deg. 30'W on the west.
(31) Physician. For the purpose of this part, a person who is
licensed to practice in a place where the amateur service is regulated
by the FCC, as either a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of
Osteophathy (D.O.)
(32) Question pool. All current examination questions for a
designated written examination element.
(33) Question set. A series of examination on a given examination
selected from the question pool.
(34) Radio Regulations. The latest ITU Radio Regulations to which
the United States is a party.
(35) RACES (radio amateur civil emergency service). A radio service
using amateur stations for civil defense communications during periods
of local, regional or national civil emergencies.
(36) Remote control. The use of a control operator who indirectly
manipulates the operating adjustments in the station through a control
link to achieve compliance with the FCC Rules.
(37) Repeater. An amateur station that simultaneously retransmits
the transmission of another amateur station on a different channel or
channels.
(38) Space station. An amateur station located more than 50 km above
the Earth's surface.
(39) Space telemetry. A one-way transmission from a space station of
measurements made from the measuring instruments in a spacecraft,
including those relating to the functioning of the spacecraft.
(40) Spurious emission. An emission, or frequencies outside the
necessary bandwidth of a transmission, the level of which may be reduced
without affecting the information being transmitted.
(41) Telecommand. A one-way transmission to initiate, modify, or
terminate functions of a device at a distance.
(42) Telecommand station. An amateur station that transmits
communications to initiate, modify or terminate functions of a space
station.
(43) Telemetry. A one-way transmission of measurements at a distance
from the measuring instrument.
(44) Third party communications. A message from the control operator
(first party) of an amateur station to another amateur station control
operator (second party) on behalf of another person (third party).
(45) VE. Volunteer examiner.
(46) VEC. Volunteer-examiner coordinator.
(b) The definitions of technical smybols used in this part are:
(1) EHF (extremely high frequency). The frequency range 30-300 GHz.
(2) HF (high frequency). The frequency range 3-30 MHz.
(3) Hz. Hertz.
(4) m. Meters.
(5) MF (medium frequency). The frequency range 300-3000 kHz.
(6) PEP (peak envelope power). The average power supplied to the
antenna transmission line by a transmitter during one RF cycle at the
crest of the modulation envelope taken under normal operating
conditions.
(7) RF. Radio frequency.
(8) SHF (super-high frequency). The frequency range 3-30 GHz.
(9) UHF (ultra-high frequency). The frequency range 300-3000 MHz.
(10) VHF (very-high frequency). The frequency range 30-300 MHz.
(11) W. Watts.
(c) The following terms are used in this part to indicate emission
types. Refer to Sec. 2.201 of the FCC Rules, Emission, modulation and
transmission characteristics, for information on emission type
designators.
(1) CW. International Morse code telegraphy emissions having
designators with A, C, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1 as the second
symbol; A or B as the third symbol; and emissions J2A and J2B.
(2) Data. Telemetry, telecommand and computer communications
emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first
symbol; 1 as the second symbol; D as the third symbol; and emission J2D.
Only a digital code of a type specifically authorized in this part may
be transmitted.
(3) Image. Facsimile and television emissions having designators
with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2 or 3 as the
second symbol; C or F as the third symbol; and emissions having B as the
first symbol; 7, 8 or 9 as the second symbol; W as the third symbol.
(4) MCW. Tone-modulated international Morse code telegraphy
emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H or R as the first
symbol; 2 as the second symbol; A or B as the third symbol.
(5) Phone. Speech and other sound emissions having designators with
A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2 or 3 as the second
symbol; E as the third symbol. Also speech emissions having B as the
first symbol; 7, 8 or 9 as the second symbol; E as the third symbol. MCW
for the purpose of performing the station identification procedure, or
for providing telegraphy practice interspersed with speech. Incidental
tones for the purpose of selective calling or alerting or to control the
level of a demodulated signal may also be considered phone.
(6) Pulse. Emissions having designators with K, L, M, P, Q, V or W
as the first symbol; 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 or X as the second symbol; A,
B, C, D, E, F, N, W or X as the third symbol.
(7) RTTY. Narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy emissions having
designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1 as the
second symbol; B as the third symbol; and emission J2B. Only a digital
code of a type specifically authorized in this part may be transmitted.
(8) SS. Spread-spectrum emissions using bandwidth-expansion
modulation emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as
the first symbol; X as the second symbol; X as the third symbol. Only a
SS emission of a type specifically authorized in this part may be
transmitted.
(9) Test. Emissions containing no information having the designators
with N as the third symbol. Test does not include pulse emissions with
no information or modulation unless pulse emissions are also authorized
in the frequency band.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 29, Jan. 2, 1991; 56 FR
56171, Nov. 1, 1991; 59 FR 18975, Apr. 21, 1994; 60 FR 7460, Feb. 8, 1995]
Sec. 97.5 Station license required.
(a) The person having physical control of the station apparatus must
have been granted a station license of the type listed in paragraph (b)
of this section, or hold an unexpired document of the type listed in
paragraph (c) of this section, before the station may transmit on any
amateur service frequency from any place that is:
(1) Within 50 km of the Earth's surface and at a place where the
amateur service is regulated by the FCC;
(2) Within 50 km of the Earth's surface and aboard any vessel or
craft that is documented or registered in the United States; or
(3) More than 50 km above the Earth's surface aboard any craft that
is documented or registered in the United States.
(b) The types of station licenses are:
(1) An operator/primary station license. One, but only one,
operator/primary station license is granted to each person who is
qualified to be an amateur operator. The primary station license is
granted together with the amateur operator license. Except for a
representative of a foreign government, any person who qualifies by
examination is eligible to apply for an operator/primary station
license. The operator/primary station license document is printed on FCC
Form 660.
(2) A club station license. A club station license is granted only
to the person who is the license trustee designated by an officer of the
club. The trustee must be a person who has been granted an Amateur
Extra, Advanced, General, Technician Plus, or Technician operator
license. The club must be composed of at least two persons and must have
a name, a document of organization, management, and a primary purpose
devoted to amateur service activities consistent with this part. The
club station license document is printed on FCC Form 660.
(3) A military recreation station license. A military recreation
station license is granted only to the person who is the license
custodian designated by the official in charge of the United States
military recreational premises where the station is situated. The person
must not be a representative of a foreign government. The person need
not have been granted an amateur operator license. The military
recreation station license document is printed on FCC Form 660.
(4) A RACES station license. A RACES station license is granted only
to the person who is the license custodian designated by the official
responsible for the governmental agency served by that civil defense
organization. The custodian must be the civil defense official
responsible for coordination of all civil defense activities in the area
concerned. The custodian must not be a representative of a foreign
government. The custodian need not have been granted an amateur operator
license. The RACES station license document is printed on FCC Form 660.
(c) The types of documents are:
(1) A reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee (FCC Form 610-AL)
issued to the person by the FCC.
(2) An amateur service license issued to the person by the
Government of Canada. The person must be a Canadian citizen.
(d) A person who has been granted a station license of the type
listed in paragraph (b) of this section, or who holds an unexpired
document of the type listed in paragraph (c) of this section, is
authorized to use in accordance with the FCC Rules all transmitting
apparatus under the physical control of the station licensee at points
where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC.
[59 FR 54831, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.7 Control operator required.
When transmitting, each amateur station must have a control
operator. The control operator must be a person who has been granted an
amateur operator/primary station license, or who holds an unexpired
document of the following types:
(a) A reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee (FCC Form 610-AL)
issued to the person by the FCC, or
(b) An amateur service license issued to the person by the
Government of Canada. The person must be a Canadian citizen.
[59 FR 54832, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.9 Operator license.
(a) The classes of amateur operator licenses are: Novice,
Technician, Technician Plus (until such licenses expire, a Technician
Class license granted before February 14, 1991, is considered a
Technician Plus Class license), General, Advanced, and Amateur Extra. A
person who has been granted an operator license is authorized to be the
control operator of an amateur station with the privileges of the
operator class specified on the license.
(b) A person who has been granted an operator license of Novice,
Technician, Technician Plus, General, or Advanced class and who has
properly submitted to the administering VEs an application document, FCC
Form 610, for an operator license of a higher class, and who holds a
CSCE indicating that the person has completed the necessary examinations
within the previous 365 days, is authorized to exercise the rights and
privileges of the higher operator class until final disposition of the
application or until 365 days following the passing of the examination,
whichever comes first.
[59 FR 54832, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.11 Stations aboard ships or aircraft.
(a) The installation and operation of an amateur station on a ship
or aircraft must be approved by the master of the ship or pilot in
command of the aircraft.
(b) The station must be separate from and independent of all other
radio apparatus installed on the ship or aircraft, except a common
antenna may be shared with a voluntary ship radio installation. The
station's transmissions must not cause interference to any other
apparatus installed on the ship or aircraft.
(c) The station must not constitute a hazard to the safety of life
or property. For a station aboard an aircraft, the apparatus shall not
be operated while the aircraft is operating under Instrument Flight
Rules, as defined by the FAA, unless the station has been found to
comply with all applicable FAA Rules.
Sec. 97.13 Restrictions on station location.
(a) Before placing an amateur station on land of environmental
importance or that is significant in American history, architecture or
culture, the licensee may be required to take certain actions prescribed
by Sec. 1.1301-1.1319 of the FCC Rules.
(b) A station within 1600 m (1 mile) of an FCC monitoring facility
must protect that facility from harmful interference. Failure to do so
could result in imposition of operating restrictions upon the amateur
station by an EIC pursuant to Sec. 97.121 of this part. Geographical
coordinates of the facilities that require protection are listed in
Sec. 0.121(c) of the FCC Rules.
(c) Before causing or allowing an amateur station to transmit from
any place where the operation of the station could cause human exposure
to levels of radiofrequency (RF) radiation in excess of that allowed
under Sec. 1.1310 of this chapter, the licensee is required to take
certain actions. A routine RF radiation evaluation, as discussed in
Sec. 1.1307(b) of this chapter, is required if the transmitter power
exceeds 50 watts peak envelope power; otherwise the operation is
categorically excluded from routine RF radiation evaluation except as
specified in Sec. 1.1307(c) and Sec. 1.1307(d) of this chapter. Where
the routine evaluation indicates that the RF radiation could be in
excess of the limits contained in Sec. 1.1310 of this chapter, the
licensee must take action to prevent such an occurrence. Further
information on evaluating compliance with these limits can be found in
the FCC's OST/OET Bulletin Number 65, ``Evaluation Compliance with FCC-
Specified Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Radiation.''
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 20398, May 16, 1990; 61
FR 41019, Aug. 7, 1996]
Sec. 97.15 Station antenna structures.
(a) Unless the amateur station license has received prior approval
from the FCC, no antenna structure, including the radiating elements,
tower, supports and all appurtenances, may be higher than 61 m (200
feet) above ground level at its site.
(b) Unless the amateur station licensee has received prior approval
from the FCC, no antenna structure, at an airport or heliport that is
available for public use and is listed in the Airport Directory of the
current Airman's Information Manual or in either the Alaska or Pacific
Airman's Guide and Chart Supplement; or at an airport or heliport under
construction that is the subject of a notice or proposal on file with
the FAA, and except for military airports, it is clearly indicated that
the airport will be available for public use; or at an airport or
heliport that is operated by the armed forces of the United States; or
at a place near any of these airports or heliports, may be higher than:
(1) 1 m above the airport elevation for each 100 m from the nearest
runway longer than 1 km within 6.1 km of the antenna structure.
(2) 2 m above the airport elevation for each 100 m from the nearest
runway shorter than 1 km within 3.1 km of the antenna structure.
(3) 4 m above the airport elevation for each 100 m from the nearest
landing pad within 1.5 km of the antenna structure.
(c) An amateur station antenna structure no higher than 6.1 m (20
feet) above ground level at its site or no higher than 6.1 m above any
natural object or existing manmade structure, other than an antenna structure,
is exempt from the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
section.
(d) Further details as to whether an aeronautical study is required
or if the structure must be registered, painted, or lighted are
contained in part 17 of this chapter, Construction, Marking, and
Lighting of Antenna Structures. To request approval to place an antenna
structure higher than the limits specified in paragraphs (a), (b), and
(c) of this section, the licensee must notify the FAA using FAA Form
7460-1 and the structure owner must register the structure using FCC
Form 854.
(e) Except as otherwise provided herein, a station antenna structure
may be erected at heights and dimensions sufficient to accommodate
amateur service communications. [State and local regulation of a station
antenna structure must not preclude amateur service communications.
Rather, it must reasonably accommodate such communications and must
constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the state or
local authority's legitimate purpose. [See PRB-1, 101 FCC 2d 952 (1985)
for details.]
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989, as amended at
60 FR 50123, Sept. 28, 1995; 61 FR 4369, Feb. 6, 1996]
Sec. 97.17 Application for new license or reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee.
(a) Any qualified person is eligible to apply for an amateur service
license.
(b) Each application for a new amateur service license must be made
on the proper document:
(1) FCC Form 610 for a new operator/primary station license;
(2) FCC Form 610-A for a reciprocal permit for alien amateur
licensee; and
(3) FCC Form 610-B for a new amateur service club or military
recreation station license.
(c) Each application for a new operator/primary station license must
be submitted to the VEs administering the qualifying examination.
(d) Any eligible person may apply for a reciprocal permit for alien
amateur licensee. The application document, FCC Form 610-A, must be
submitted to the FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.
(1) The person must be a citizen of a country with which the United
States has arrangements to grant reciprocal operating permits to
visiting alien amateur operators is eligible to apply for a reciprocal
permit for alien amateur licensee.
(2) The person must be a citizen of the same country that issued the
amateur service license.
(3) No person who is a citizen of the United States, regardless of
any other citizenship also held, is eligible for a reciprocal permit for
alien amateur licensee.
(4) No person who has been granted an amateur operator license is
eligible for a reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee.
(e) No person shall obtain or attempt to obtain, or assist another
person to obtain or attempt to obtain, an amateur service license or
reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee by fraudulent means.
(f) One unique call sign will be shown on the license of each new
primary, club, and military recreation station. The call sign will be
selected by the sequential call sign system.
(g) Each application for a new club or military recreation station
license must be submitted to the FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg,
PA 17325-7245. No new license for a RACES station will be issued.
[59 FR 54832, Nov. 2, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 7460, Feb. 8, 1995; 60
FR 53132, Oct. 12, 1995]
Sec. 97.19 Application for a vanity call sign.
(a) A person who has been granted an operator/primary station
license or a license trustee who has been granted a club station license
is eligible to make application for modification of the license, or the
renewal thereof, to show a call sign selected by the vanity call sign
system. RACES and military recreation stations are not eligible for a
vanity call sign.
(b) Each application for a modification of an operator/primary or
club station license, or the renewal thereof, to show a call sign
selected by the vanity call sign system must be made on FCC
Form 610-V. The form must be submitted with the appropriate fee to the
address specified in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Fee Filing
Guide.
(c) Only unassigned call signs that are available to the sequential
call sign system are available to the vanity call sign system with the
following exceptions:
(1) A call sign shown on an expired license is not available to the
vanity call sign system for 2 years following the expiration of the
license.
(2) A call sign shown on a surrendered, revoked, set aside,
cancelled, or voided license is not available to the vanity call sign
system for 2 years following the date such action is taken.
(3) Except for an applicant who is the spouse, child, grandchild,
stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister,
stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law, and
except for an applicant who is a club station license trustee acting
with the written consent of at least one relative, as listed above, of a
person now deceased, the call sign shown on the license of a person now
deceased is not available to the vanity call sign system for 2 years
following the person's death, or for 2 years following the expiration of
the license, whichever is sooner.
(d) The vanity call sign requested by an applicant must be selected
from the group of call signs corresponding to the same or lower class of
operator license held by the applicant as designated in the sequential
call sign system.
(1) The applicant must request that the call sign shown on the
current license be vacated and provide a list of up to 25 call signs in
order of preference.
(2) The first assignable call sign from the applicant's list will be
shown on the license grant. When none of those call signs are
assignable, the call sign vacated by the applicant will be shown on the
license grant.
(3) Vanity call signs will be selected from those call signs
assignable at the time the application is processed by the FCC.
(4) A call sign designated under the sequential call sign system for
Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean Insular Areas, and Pacific Insular areas will
be assigned only to a primary or club station whose licensee's mailing
address is in the corresponding state, commonwealth, or island. This
limitation does not apply to an applicant for the call sign as the
spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent,
brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or
in-law, of the former holder now deceased.
[60 FR 7460, Feb. 8, 1995, as amended at 60 FR 50123, Sept. 28, 1995; 60
FR 53132, Oct. 12, 1995]
Sec. 97.21 Application for a modified or renewed license.
(a) A person who has been granted an amateur station license that
has not expired:
(1) Must apply for a modification of the license as necessary to
show the correct mailing address, licensee name, club name, license
trustee name, or license custodian name. The application document must
be submitted to: FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.
For an operator/primary station license, the application must be made on
FCC Form 610. For a club, military recreation, or RACES station license,
the application must be made on FCC Form 610-B.
(2) May apply for a modification of the license to show a higher
operator class. The application must be made on FCC Form 610 and must be
submitted to the VEs administering the qualifying examination.
(3) May apply for renewal of the license for another term. (The FCC
may mail to the licensee an FCC Form 610-R that may be used for this
purpose.)
(i) When the license does not show a call sign selected by the
vanity call sign system, the application may be made on FCC Form 610-R
if it is received from the FCC. If the Form 610-R is not received from
the FCC within 30 days of the expiration date of the license for an
operator/primary station license, the application may be made on FCC
Form 610. For a club, military recreation, or RACES station license, the
application may be made on FCC Form 610-B. The application may be
submitted no more than 90 days before its expiration to: FCC, 1270
Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245. When the application for renewal
of the license has been received by the FCC at 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA
17325-7245 on or before the
license expiration date, the license operating authority is continued
until the final disposition of the application.
(ii) When the license shows a call sign selected by the vanity call
sign system, the application must be filed as specified in Section
97.19(b). When the application has been received at the proper address
specified in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Fee Filing Guide on
or before the license expiration date, the license operating authority
is continued until final disposition of the application.
(4) May apply for a modification of the license to show a different
call sign selected by the sequential call sign system. The application
document must be submitted to: FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA
17325-7245. The application must be made on FCC Form 610. This
modification is not available to club, military recreation, or RACES
stations.
(b) A person who had been granted an amateur station license, but
the license has expired, may apply for renewal of the license for
another term during a 2 year filing grace period. The application
document must be received by the FCC at 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg,
PA 17325-7245 prior to the end of the grace period. For an operator/
primary station license, the application must be made on FCC Form 610.
For a club, military recreation, or RACES station license, the
application must be made on FCC Form 610-B. Unless and until the license
is renewed, no privileges in this part are conferred.
(c) Each application for a modified or renewed amateur service
license must be accompanied by a photocopy (or the original) of the
license document unless an application for renewal using FCC Form 610-R
is being made, or unless the original document has been lost, mutilated
or destroyed.
(d) Unless the holder of a station license requests a change in call
sign, the same call sign will be assigned to the station upon renewal or
modification of a station license.
(e) A reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee cannot be
renewed. A new reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee may be
issued upon proper application.
[59 FR 54832, Nov. 2, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 7461, Feb. 8, 1995; 60
FR 53133, Oct. 12, 1995; 60 FR 54409, Oct. 23, 1995; 61 FR 21386, May
10, 1996]
Sec. 97.23 Mailing address.
(a) Each application for a license and each application for a
reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee must show a mailing address
in an area where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC and where
the licensee or permittee can receive mail delivery by the United States
Postal Service. Each application for a reciprocal permit for alien
amateur licensee must also show the permittee's mailing address in the
country of citizenship.
(b) When there is a change in the mailing address for a person who
has been granted an amateur operator/primary station license, the person
must file a timely application for a modification of the license.
Revocation of the station license or suspension of the operator license
may result when correspondence from the FCC is returned as undeliverable
because the person failed to provide the correct mailing address.
(c) When a person who has been granted a reciprocal permit for alien
amateur licensee changes the mailing address where he or she can receive
mail delivery by the United States Postal Service, the person must file
an application for a new permit. Cancellation of the reciprocal permit
for alien amateur licensee may result when correspondence from the FCC
is returned as undeliverable because the permittee failed to provide the
correct mailing address.
[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.25 License term.
(a) An amateur service license is normally granted for a 10-year
term.
(b) A reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee is normally
granted for a 1-year term.
[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.27 FCC modification of station license.
(a) The FCC may modify a station license, either for a limited time
or for the duration of the term thereof, if it determines:
(1) That such action will promote the public interest, convenience,
and necessity; or
(2) That such action will promote fuller compliance with the
provisions of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, or of any
treaty ratified by the United States.
(b) When the FCC makes such a determination, it will issue an order
of modification. The order will not become final until the licensee is
notified in writing of the proposed action and the grounds and reasons
therefor. The licensee will be given reasonable opportunity of no less
than 30 days to protest the modification; except that, where safety of
life or property is involved, a shorter period of notice may be
provided. Any protest by a licensee of an FCC order of modification will
be handled in accordance with the provisions of 47 U.S.C. 316.
[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.29 Replacement license document.
Each person who has been granted an amateur station license or
reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee whose original license
document or permit document is lost, mutilated or destroyed must request
a replacement. The request must be made to: FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road,
Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245. A statement of how the document was lost,
mutilated, or destroyed must be attached to the request. A replacement
document must bear the same expiration date as the document that it
replaces.
[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.101 General standards.
(a) In all respects not specifically covered by FCC Rules each
amateur station must be operated in accordance with good engineering and
good amateur practice.
(b) Each station licensee and each control operator must cooperate
in selecting transmitting channels and in making the most effective use
of the amateur service frequencies. No frequency will be assigned for
the exclusive use of any station.
(c) At all times and on all frequencies, each control operator must
give priority to stations providing emergency communications, except to
stations transmitting communications for training drills and tests in
RACES.
(d) No amateur operator shall willfully or maliciously interfere
with or cause interference to any radio communication or signal.
Sec. 97.103 Station licensee responsibilities.
(a) The station licensee is responsible for the proper operation of
the station in accordance with the FCC Rules. When the control operator
is a different amateur operator than the station licensee, both persons
are equally responsible for proper operation of the station.
(b) The station licensee must designate the station control
operator. The FCC will presume that the station licensee is also the
control operator, unless documentation to the contrary is in the station
records.
(c) The station licensee must make the station and the station
records available for inspection upon request by an FCC representative.
When deemed necessary by an EIC to assure compliance with the FCC Rules,
the station licensee must maintain a record of station operations
containing such items of information as the EIC may require in accord
with Sec. 0.314(x) of the FCC Rules.
Sec. 97.105 Control operator duties.
(a) The control operator must ensure the immediate proper operation
of the station, regardless of the type of control.
(b) A station may only be operated in the manner and to the extent
permitted by the privileges authorized for the class of operator license
held by the control operator.
Sec. 97.107 Alien control operator privileges.
(a) The privileges available to a control operator holding an
amateur service license issued by the Government of Canada are:
(1) The terms of the Convention Between the United States and Canada
(TIAS No. 2508) Relating to the Operation by Citizens of Either Country
of Certain Radio Equipment or Stations in the Other Country;
(2) The operating terms and conditions of the amateur service
license issued by the Government of Canada; and
(3) The applicable provisions of the FCC Rules, but not to exceed
the control operator privileges of an FCC-issued Amateur Extra Class
operator license.
(b) The privileges available to a control operator holding an FCC-
issued reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee are:
(1) The terms of the agreement between the alien's government and
the United States;
(2) The operating terms and conditions of the amateur service
license issued by the alien's government;
(3) The applicable provisions of the FCC Rules, but not to exceed
the control operator privileges of an FCC-issued Amateur Extra Class
operator license; and
(4) None, if the holder of the reciprocal permit has obtained an
FCC-issued operator/primary station license.
(c) At any time the FCC may, in its discretion, modify, suspend, or
cancel the amateur service privileges within or over any area where
radio services are regulated by the FCC of any Canadian amateur service
licensee or alien reciprocal permittee.
Sec. 97.109 Station control.
(a) Each amateur station must have at least one control point.
(b) When a station is being locally controlled, the control operator
must be at the control point. Any station may be locally controlled.
(c) When a station is being remotely controlled, the control
operator must be at the control point. Any station may be remotely
controlled.
(d) When a station is being automatically controlled, the control
operator need not be at the control point. Only stations specifically
designated elsewhere in this part may be automatically controlled.
Automatic control must cease upon notification by an EIC that the
station is transmitting improperly or causing harmful interference to
other stations. Automatic control must not be resumed without prior
approval of the EIC.
(e) No station may be automatically controlled while transmitting
third party communications, except a station transmitting a RTTY or data
emission. All messages that are retransmitted must originate at a
station that is being locally or remotely controlled.
[54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989, as amended at 60 FR 26001, May 16, 1995]
Sec. 97.111 Authorized transmissions.
(a) An amateur station may transmit the following types of two-way
communications:
(1) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with other stations
in the amateur service, except those in any country whose administration
has given notice that it objects to such communications. The FCC will
issue public notices of current arrangements for international
communications;
(2) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a station in
another FCC-regulated service while providing emergency communications;
(3) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a United
States government station, necessary to providing communications in
RACES; and
(4) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a station in a
service not regulated by the FCC, but authorized by the FCC to
communicate with amateur stations. An amateur station may exchange
messages with a participating United States military station during an
Armed Forces Day Communications Test.
(b) In addition to one-way transmissions specifically authorized
elsewhere in this part, an amateur station may transmit the following
types of one-way communications:
(1) Brief transmissions necessary to make adjustments to the
station;
(2) Brief transmissions necessary to establishing two-way
communications with other stations;
(3) Telecommand;
(4) Transmissions necessary to providing emergency communications;
(5) Transmissions necessary to assisting persons learning, or
improving proficiency in, the international Morse code; and
(6) Transmissions necessary to disseminate information bulletins.
(7) Transmissions of telemetry.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991]
Sec. 97.113 Prohibited transmissions.
(a) No amateur station shall transmit:
(1) Communications specifically prohibited elsewhere in this part;
(2) Communications for hire or for material compensation, direct or
indirect, paid or promised, except as otherwise provided in these rules;
(3) Communications in which the station licensee or control operator
has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an
employer. Amateur operators may, however, notify other amateur operators
of the availability for sale or trade of apparatus normally used in an
amateur station, provided that such activity is not conducted on a
regular basis;
(4) Music using a phone emission except as specifically provided
elsewhere in this section; communications intended to facilitate a
criminal act; messages in codes or ciphers intended to obscure the
meaning thereof, except as otherwise provided herein; obscene or
indecent words or language; or false or deceptive messages, signals or
identification;
(5) Communications, on a regular basis, which could reasonably be
furnished alternatively through other radio services.
(b) An amateur station shall not engage in any form of broadcasting,
nor may an amateur station transmit one-way communications except as
specifically provided in these rules; nor shall an amateur station
engage in any activity related to program production or news gathering
for broadcasting purposes, except that communications directly related
to the immediate safety of human life or the protection of property may
be provided by amateur stations to broadcasters for dissemination to the
public where no other means of communication is reasonably available
before or at the time of the event.
(c) A control operator may accept compensation as an incident of a
teaching position during periods of time when an amateur station is used
by that teacher as a part of classroom instruction at an educational
institution.
(d) The control operator of a club station may accept compensation
for the periods of time when the station is transmitting telegraphy
practice or information bulletins, provided that the station transmits
such telegraphy practice and bulletins for at least 40 hours per week;
schedules operations on at least six amateur service MF and HF bands
using reasonable measures to maximize coverage; where the schedule of
normal operating times and frequencies is published at least 30 days in
advance of the actual transmissions; and where the control operator does
not accept any direct or indirect compensation for any other service as
a control operator.
(e) No station shall retransmit programs or signals emanating from
any type of radio station other than an amateur station, except
propagation and weather forecast information intended for use by the
general public and originated from United States Government stations and
communications, including incidental music, originating on United States
Government frequencies between a space shuttle and its associated Earth
stations. Prior approval for shuttle retransmissions must be obtained
from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Such
retransmissions must be for the exclusive use of amateur operators.
Propagation, weather forecasts, and shuttle retransmissions may not be
conducted on a regular basis, but only occasionally, as an incident of
normal amateur radio communications.
(f) No amateur station, except an auxiliary, repeater, or space
station, may automatically retransmit the radio signals of other amateur
station.
[58 FR 43072, Aug. 13, 1993; 58 FR 47219, Sept. 8, 1993]
Sec. 97.115 Third party communications.
(a) An amateur station may transmit messages for a third party to:
(1) Any station within the jurisdiction of the United States.
(2) Any station within the jurisdiction of any foreign government
whose administration has made arrangements with the United States to
allow amateur stations to be used for transmitting international
communications on behalf of third parties. No station shall transmit
messages for a third party to any station within the jurisdiction of any
foreign government whose administration has not made such an
arrangement. This prohibition does not apply to a message for any third
party who is eligible to be a control operator of the station.
(b) The third party may participate in stating the message where:
(1) The control operator is present at the control point and is
continuously monitoring and supervising the third party's participation;
and
(2) The third party is not a prior amateur service licensee whose
license was revoked; suspended for less than the balance of the license
term and the suspension is still in effect; suspended for the balance of
the license term and relicensing has not taken place; or surrendered for
cancellation following notice of revocation, suspension or monetary
forfeiture proceedings. The third party may not be the subject of a
cease and desist order which relates to amateur service operation and
which is still in effect.
(c) At the end of an exchange of international third party
communications, the station must also transmit in the station
identification procedure the call sign of the station with which a third
party message was exchanged.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989]
Sec. 97.117 International communications.
Transmissions to a different country, where permitted, shall be made
in plain language and shall be limited to messages of a technical nature
relating to tests, and, to remarks of a personal character for which, by
reason of their unimportance, recourse to the public telecommunications
service is not justified.
Sec. 97.119 Station identification.
(a) Each amateur station, except a space station or telecommand
station, must transmit its assigned call sign on its transmitting
channel at the end of each communication, and at least every 10 minutes
during a communication, for the purpose of clearly making the source of
the transmissions from the station known to those receiving the
transmissions. No station may transmit unidentified communications or
signals, or transmit as the station call sign, any call sign not
authorized to the station.
(b) The call sign must be transmitted with an emission authorized
for the transmitting channel in one of the following ways:
(1) By a CW emission. When keyed by an automatic device used only
for identification, the speed must not exceed 20 words per minute;
(2) By a phone emission in the English language. Use of a phonetic
alphabet as an aid for correct station identification is encouraged;
(3) By a RTTY emission using a specified digital code when all or
part of the communications are transmitted by a RTTY or data emission;
(4) By an image emission conforming to the applicable transmission
standards, either color or monochrome, of Sec. 73.682(a) of the FCC
Rules when all or part of the communications are transmitted in the same
image emission; or
(5) By a CW or phone emission during SS emission transmission on a
narrow bandwidth frequency segment. Alternatively, by the changing of
one or more parameters of the emission so that a conventional CW or
phone emission receiver can be used to determine the station call sign.
(c) An indicator may be included with the call sign. It must be
separated from the call sign by the slant mark or by any suitable word
that denotes the slant mark. If the indicator is self-assigned, it must
be included after the call sign and must not conflict with any other
indicator specified by the FCC Rules or with any prefix assigned to
another country.
(d) When the operator license class held by the control operator
exceeds that of the station licensee, an indicator consisting of the
call sign assigned to the control operator's station must be included
after the call sign.
(e) When the control operator is a person who is exercising the
rights and privileges authorized by Sec. 97.9(b) of this part, an
indicator must be included after the call sign as follows:
(1) For a control operator who has requested a license modification
from Novice Class to Technical Class: KT;
(2) For a control operator who has requested a license modification
from Novice or Technical Class to General Class: AG;
(3) For a control operator who has requested a license modification
from Novice, Technician, or General Class operator to Advanced Class:
AA; or
(4) For a control operator who has requested a license modification
from Novice, Technician, General, or Advanced Class operator to Amateur
Extra Class: AE.
(f) When the station is transmitting under the authority of a
reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee, an indicator consisting of
the appropriate letter-numeral designating the station location must be
included before the call sign issued to the station by the licensing
country. When the station is transmitting under the authority of an
amateur service license issued by the Government of Canada, a station
location indicator must be included after the call sign. At least once
during each intercommunication, the identification announcement must
include the geographical location as nearly as possible by city and
state, commonwealth or possession.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989;
55 FR 30457, July 26, 1990; 56 FR 28, Jan. 2, 1991]
Sec. 97.121 Restricted operation.
(a) If the operation of an amateur station causes general
interference to the reception of transmissions from stations operating
in the domestic broadcast service when receivers of good engineering
design, including adequate selectivity characteristics, are used to
receive such transmissions, and this fact is made known to the amateur
station licensee, the amateur station shall not be operated during the
hours from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., local time, and on Sunday for the
additional period from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., local time, upon the
frequency or frequencies used when the interference is created.
(b) In general, such steps as may be necessary to minimize
interference to stations operating in other services may be required
after investigation by the FCC.
Sec. 97.201 Auxiliary station.
(a) Any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician,
General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license may be an
auxiliary station. A holder of a Technician, General, Advanced or
Amateur Extra Class operator license may be the control operator of an
auxiliary station, subject to the privileges of the class of operator
license held.
(b) An auxiliary station may transmit only on the 1.25 m and shorter
wavelength bands, except the 219-220 MHz, 222.000-222.150 MHz, 431-433
MHz, and 435-438 MHz segments.
(c) Where an auxiliary station causes harmful interference to
another auxiliary station, the licensees are equally and fully
responsible for resolving the interference unless one station's
operation is recommended by a frequency coordinator and the other
station's is not. In that case, the licensee of the non-coordinated
auxiliary station has primary responsibilty to resolve the interference.
(d) An auxiliary station may be automatically controlled.
(e) An auxiliary station may transmit one-way communications.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991; 60
FR 15687, Mar. 27, 1995]
Sec. 97.203 Beacon station.
(a) Any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician,
General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license may be a
beacon. A holder of a Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra
Class operator license may be the control operator of a beacon, subject to the privileges of
the class of operator license held.
(b) A beacon must not concurrently transmit on more than 1 channel
in the same amateur service frequency band, from the same station
location.
(c) The transmitter power of a beacon must not exceed 100 W.
(d) A beacon may be automatically controlled while it is
transmitting on the 28.20-28.30 MHz, 50.06-50.08 MHz, 144.275-144.300
MHz, 222.05-222.06 MHz or 432.300-432.400 MHz segments, or on the 33 cm
and shorter wavelength bands.
(e) Before establishing an automatically controlled beacon in the
National Radio Quiet Zone or before changing the transmitting frequency,
transmitter power, antenna height or directivity, the station licensee
must give written notification thereof to the Interference Office,
National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box 2, Green Bank, WV 24944.
(1) The notification must include the geographical coordinates of
the antenna, antenna ground elevation above mean sea level (AMSL),
antenna center of radiation above ground level (AGL), antenna
directivity, proposed frequency, type of emission, and transmitter
power.
(2) If an objection to the proposed operation is received by the FCC
from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, Pocahontas
County, WV, for itself or on behalf of the Naval Research Laboratory at
Sugar Grove, Pendleton County, WV, within 20 days from the date of
notification, the FCC will consider all aspects of the problem and take
whatever action is deemed appropriate.
(f) A beacon must cease transmissions upon notification by an EIC
that the station is operating improperly or causing undue interference
to other operations. The beacon may not resume transmitting without
prior approval of the EIC.
(g) A beacon may transmit one-way communications.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 9323, Mar. 13, 1990; 56
FR 19610, Apr. 29, 1991; 56 FR 32517, July 17, 1991]
Sec. 97.205 Repeater station.
(a) Any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician,
General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license may be a
repeater. A holder of a Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra
Class operator license may be the control operator of a repeater,
subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held.
(b) A repeater may receive and retransmit only on the 10 m and
shorter wavelength frequency bands except the 28.0-29.5 MHz, 50.0-51.0
MHz, 144.0-144.5 MHz, 145.5-146.0 MHz, 222.00-222.15 MHz, 431.0-433.0
Mhz, and 435.0-438.0 Mhz segments.
(c) Where the transmissions of a repeater cause harmful interference
to another repeater, the two station licensees are equally and fully
responsible for resolving the interference unless the operation of one
station is recommended by a frequency coordinator and the operation of
the other station is not. In that case, the licensee of the non-
coordinated repeater has primary responsibility to resolve the
interference.
(d) A repeater may be automatically controlled.
(e) Ancillary functions of a repeater that are available to users on
the input channel are not considered remotely controlled functions of
the station. Limiting the use of a repeater to only certain user
stations is permissible.
(f) Before establishing a repeater in the National Radio Quiet Zone
or before changing the transmitting frequency, tramsitter power, antenna
height or directivity, or the location of an existing repeater, the
station licensee must give written notification thereof to the
Interference Office, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box 2,
Green Bank, WV 24944.
(1) The notification must include the geographical coordinates of
the station antenna, antenna ground elevation above mean sea level
(AMSL), antenna center of radiation above ground level (AGL), antenna
directivity, proposed frequency, type of emission, and transmitter
power.
(2) If an objection to the proposed operation is received by the FCC
from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, Pocahontas
County, WV, for itself or on behalf of the Naval Research Laboratory at
Sugar Grove, Pendleton County, WV, within 20 days from the date of
notification, the FCC will consider all aspects of the problem and take
whatever action is deemed appropriate.
(g) The control operator of a repeater that retransmits
inadvertently communications that violate the rules in this part is not
accountable for the violative communications.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 4613, Feb. 9, 1990; 56
FR 32517, July 17, 1991; 58 FR 64385, Dec. 7, 1993; 59 FR 18975, Apr.
21, 1994]
Sec. 97.207 Space station.
(a) Any amateur station may be a space station. A holder of any
class operator license may be the control operator of a space station,
subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held by the
control operator.
(b) A space station must be capable of effecting a cessation of
transmissions by telecommand whenever such cessation is ordered by the
FCC.
(c) The following frequency bands and segments are authorized to
space stations:
(1) The 17 m, 15 m, 12 m, and 10 m bands, 6 mm, 4 mm, 2 mm and 1 mm
bands; and
(2) The 7.0-7.1 MHz, 14.00-14.25 MHz, 144-146 MHz, 435-438 MHz,
1260-1270 MHz, and 2400-2450 MHz, 3.40-3.41 GHz, 5.83-5.85 GHz, 10.45-
10.50 GHz, and 24.00-24.05 GHz segments.
(d) A space station may automatically retransmit the radio signals
of Earth stations and other space stations.
(e) A space station may transmit one-way communications.
(f) Space telemetry transmissions may consist of specially coded
messages intended to facilitate communications or related to the
function of the spacecraft.
(g) The licensee of each space station must give two written, pre-
space station notifications to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau,
FCC, Washington, DC 20554. Each notification must be in accord with the
provisions of Articles 11 and 13 of the Radio Regulations.
(1) The first notification is required no less than 27 months prior
to initiating space station transmissions and must specify the
information required by Appendix 4 and Resolution No. 642 of the Radio
Regulations.
(2) The second notification is required no less than 5 months prior
to initiating space station transmissions and must specify the
information required by Appendix 3 and Resolution No. 642 of the Radio
Regulations.
(h) The licensee of each space station must give a written, in-space
station notification to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC,
Washington, DC 20554, no later than 7 days following imitation of space
station transmissions. The notification must update the information
contained in the pre-space notification.
(i) The licensee of each space station must give a written, post-
space notification to the Wireless Telecommuncations Bureau, FCC,
Washington, DC 20554, no later than 3 months after termination of the
space station transmissions. When the termination is ordered by the FCC,
notification is required no later than 24 hours after termination.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989;
56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991; 57 FR 32736, July 23, 1992; 60 FR 50124,
Sept. 28, 1995]
Sec. 97.209 Earth station.
(a) Any amateur station may be an Earth station. A holder of any
class operator license may be the control operator of an Earth station,
subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held by the
control operator.
(b) The following frequency bands and segments are authorized to
Earth stations:
(1) The 17 m, 15 m, 12 m, and 10 m bands, 6 mm, 4 mm, 2 mm and 1 mm
bands; and
(2) The 7.0-7.1 MHz, 14.00-14.25 MHz, 144-146 MHz, 435-438 MHz,
1260-1270 MHz and 2400-2450 MHz, 3.40-3.41 GHz, 5.65-5.67 GHz, 10.45-
10.50 GHz and 24.00-24.05 GHz segments.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989]
Sec. 97.211 Space telecommand station.
(a) Any amateur station designated by the licensee of a space
station is eligible to transmit as a telecommand station for that space
station, subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held
by the control operator.
(b) A telecommand station may transmit special codes intended to
obscure the meaning of telecommand messages to the station in space
operation.
(c) The following frequency bands and segments are authorized to
telecommand stations:
(1) The 17 m, 15 m, 12 m and 10 m bands, 6 mm, 4 mm, 2 mm and 1 mm
bands; and
(2) The 7.0-7.1 MHz, 14.00-14.25 MHz, 144-146 MHz, 435-438 MHz,
1260-1270 MHz and 2400-2450 MHz, 3.40-3.41 GHz, 5.65-5.67 GHz, 10.45-
10.50 GHz and 24.00-24.05 GHz segments.
(d) A telecommand station may transmit one-way communications.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989;
56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991]
Sec. 97.213 Telecommand of an amateur station.
An amateur station on or within 50 km of the Earth's surface may be
under telecommand where:
(a) There is a radio or wireline control link between the control
point and the station sufficient for the control operator to perform
his/her duties. If radio, the control link must use an auxiliary
station. A control link using a fiber optic cable or another
telecommunication service is considered wireline.
(b) Provisions are incorporated to limit transmission by the station
to a period of no more than 3 minutes in the event of malfunction in the
control link.
(c) The station is protected against making, willfully or
negligently, unauthorized transmissions.
(d) A photocopy of the station license and a label with the name,
address, and telephone number of the station licensee and at least one
designated control operator is posted in a conspicuous place at the
station location.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991]
Sec. 97.215 Telecommand of model craft.
An amateur station transmitting signals to control a model craft may
be operated as follows:
(a) The station identification procedure is not required for
transmissions directed only to the model craft, provided that a label
indicating the station call sign and the station licensee's name and
address is affixed to the station transmitter.
(b) The control signals are not considered codes or ciphers intended
to obscure the meaning of the communication.
(c) The transmitter power must not exceed 1 W.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991]
Sec. 97.217 Telemetry.
Telemetry transmitted by an amateur station on or within 50 km of
the Earth's surface is not considered to be codes or ciphers intended to
obscure the meaning of communications.
[56 FR 56172, Nov. 1, 1991. Redesignated at 59 FR 18975, Apr. 21, 1994]
Sec. 97.219 Message forwarding system.
(a) Any amateur station may participate in a message forwarding
system, subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held.
(b) For stations participating in a message forwarding system, the
control operator of the station originating a message is primarily
accountable for any violation of the rules in this part contained in the
message.
(c) Except as noted in (d) of this section, for stations
participating in a message forwarding system, the control operators of
forwarding stations that retransmit inadvertently communications that
violate the rules in this part are not accountable for the violative
communications. They are, however, responsible for discontinuing such
communications once they become aware of their presence.
(d) For stations participating in a message forwarding system, the
control operator of the first forwarding station must:
(1) Authenticate the identity of the station from which it accepts
communications on behalf of the system; or
(2) Accept accountability for any violation of the rules in this
part contained in messages it retransmits to the system.
[59 FR 18975, Apr. 21, 1994]
Sec. 97.221 Automatically controlled digital station.
(a) This rule section does not apply to an auxiliary station, a
beacon station, a repeater station, an earth station, a space station,
or a space telecommand station.
(b) A station may be automatically controlled while transmitting a
RTTY or data emission on the 6 m or shorter wavelength bands, and on the
28.120-28.189 MHz, 24.925-24.930 MHz, 21.090-21.100 MHz, 18.105-18.110
MHz, 14.0950-14.0995 MHz, 14.1005-14.112 MHz, 10.140-10.150 MHz, 7.100-
7.105 MHz, or 3.620-3.635 MHz segments.
(c) A station may be automatically controlled while transmitting a
RTTY or data emission on any other frequency authorized for such
emission types provided that:
(1) The station is responding to interrogation by a station under
local or remote control; and
(2) No transmission from the automatically controlled station
occupies a bandwidth of more than 500 Hz.
[60 FR 26001, May 16, 1995]
Sec. 97.301 Authorized frequency bands.
The following transmitting frequency bands are available to an
amateur station located within 50 km of the Earth's surface, within the
specified ITU Region, and outside any area where the amateur service is
regulated by any authority other than the FCC.
(a) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an
operator license of Technician, Technician Plus, General, Advanced, or
Amateur Extra Class:
Sharing requirements see Sec. 97.303
| Wavelength band | ITU--Region 1 | ITU--Region 2 | ITU--Region 3 | |
| VHF | MHz | MHz | MHz | |
| 6 m | 50-54 | 50-54 | (a) | |
| 2 m | 144-146 | 144-148 | 144-148 | (a) |
| 1.25 m | 219-220 | (a), (e) | ||
| Do | 222-225 | (a) | ||
| UHF | MHz | MHz | MHz | |
| 70 cm | 430-440 | 420-450 | 420-450 | (a), (b), (f) |
| 33 cm | 902-928 | (a), (b), (g) | ||
| 23 cm | 1240-1300 | 1240-1300 | 1240-1300 | (j) |
| 13 cm | 2300-2310 | 2300-2310 | 2300-2310 | (a), (b), (j) |
| Do | 2390-2450 | 2390-2450 | 2390-2450 | (a), (b), (j) |
| SHF | GHz | GHz | GHz | |
| 9 cm | 3.3-3.5 | 3.3-3.5 | (a), (b), (k),(l) | |
| 5 cm | 5.650-5.850 | 5.650-5.925 | 5.650-5.850 | (a), (b), (m) |
| 3 cm | 10.00-10.50 | 10.00-10.50 | 10.00-10.50 | (a), (c), (i),(n) |
| 1.2 cm | 24.00-24.25 | 24.00-24.25 | 24.00-24.25 | (a), (b), (i),(o) |
| EHF | GHz | GHz | GHz | |
| 6 mm | 47.0-47.2 | 47.0-47.2 | 47.0-47.2 | |
| 4 mm | 75.5-81.0 | 75.5-81.0 | 75.5-81.0 | (b), (c), (h) |
| 2.5 mm | 119.98-120.02 | 119.98-120.02 | 119.98-120.02 | (k), (p) |
| 2 mm | 142-149 | 142-149 | 142-149 | (b), (c), (h),(k) |
| 1 mm | 241-250 | 241-250 | 241-250 | (b), (c), (h),(q) |
| above 300 | above 300 | above 300 | (k) | |
(b) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an
operator license of Amateur Extra Class:
| Wavelength band | ITU--Region 1 | ITU--Region 2 | ITU--Region 3 | |
| MF | kHz | kHz | kHz | |
| 160 m | 1810-1850 | 1800-2000 | 1800-2000 | (a), (b), (c) |
| HF | MHz | MHz | MHz | |
| 80 m | 3.50-3.75 | 3.50-3.75 | 3.50-3.75 | (a) |
| 75 m | 3.75-3.80 | 3.75-4.00 | 3.75-3.90 | (a) |
| 40 m | 7.0-7.1 | 7.0-7.3 | 7.0-7.1 | (a) |
| 30 m | 10.10-10.15 | 10.10-10.15 | 10.10-10.15 | (d) |
| 20 m | 14.00-14.35 | 14.00-14.35 | 14.00-14.35 | |
| 17 m | 18.068-18.168 | 18.068-18.168 | 18.068-18.168 | |
| 15 m | 21.00-21.45 | 21.00-21.45 | 21.00-21.45 | |
| 12 m | 24.89-24.99 | 24.89-24.99 | 24.89-24.99 | |
| 10 m | 28.0-29.7 | 28.0-29.7 | 28.0-29.7 | |
(c) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an
operator license of Advanced Class:
| Wavelength band | ITU--Region 1 | ITU--Region 2 | ITU--Region 3 | |
| MF | kHz | kHz | kHz | |
| 160 m | 1810-1850 | 1800-2000 | 1800-2000 | (a), (b), (c) |
| HF | MHz | MHz | MHz | |
| 80 m | 3.525-3.750 | 3.525-3.750 | 3.525-3.750 | (a) |
| 75 m | 3.775-3.800 | 3.775-4.000 | 3.775-3.900 | (a) |
| 40 m | 7.025-7.100 | 7.025-7.300 | 7.025-7.100 | (a) |
| 30 m | 10.10-10.15 | 10.10-10.15 | 10.10-10.15 | (d) |
| 20 m | 14.025-14.150 | 14.025-14.150 | 14.025-14.150 | |
| Do | 14.175-14.350 | 14.175-14.350 | 14.175-14.350 | |
| 17 m | 18.068-18.168 | 18.068-18.168 | 18.068-18.168 | |
| 15 m | 21.025-21.200 | 21.025-21.200 | 21.025-21.200 | |
| Do | 21.225-21.450 | 21.225-21.450 | 21.225-21.450 | |
| 12 m | 24.89-24.99 | 24.89-24.99 | 24.89-24.99 | |
| 10 m | 28.0-29.7 | 28.0-29.7 | 28.0-29.7 | |
(d) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an
operator license of General Class:
| Wavelength band | ITU--Region 1 | ITU--Region 2 | ITU--Region 3 | |
| MF | kHz | kHz | kHz | |
| 160 m | 1810-1850 | 1800-2000 | 1800-2000 | (a), (b), (c) |
| HF | MHz | MHz | MHz | |
| 80 m | 3.525-3.750 | 3.525-3.750 | 3.525-3.750 | (a) |
| 75 m | 3.85-4.00 | 3.85-3.90 | (a) | |
| 40 m | 7.025-7.100 | 7.025-7.150 | 7.025-7.100 | (a) |
| Do | 7.225-7.300 | (a) | ||
| 30 m | 10.10-10.15 | 10.10-10.15 | 10.10-10.15 | (d) |
| 20 m | 14.025-14.150 | 14.025-14.150 | 14.025-14.150 | |
| Do | 14.225-14.350 | 14.225-14.350 | 14.225-14.350 | |
| 17 m | 18.068-18.168 | 18.068-18.168 | 18.068-18.168 | |
| 15 m | 21.025-21.200 | 21.025-21.200 | 21.025-21.200 | |
| Do | 21.30-21.45 | 21.30-21.45 | 21.30-21.45 | |
| 12 m | 24.89-24.99 | 24.89-24.99 | 24.89-24.99 | |
| 10 m | 28.0-29.7 | 28.0-29.7 | 28.0-29.7 | |
(e) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an
operator license of Novice or Technician Plus Class:
| Wavelength band | ITU--Region 1 | ITU--Region 2 | ITU--Region 3 | |
| HF | MHz | MHz | MHz | |
| 80 m | 3.675-3.725 | 3.675-3.725 | 3.675-3.725 | (a) |
| 40 m | 7.050-7.075 | 7.10-7.15 | 7.050-7.075 | (a) |
| 15 m | 21.10-21.20 | 21.10-21.20 | 21.10-21.20 | |
| 10 m | 28.1-28.5 | 28.1-28.5 | 28.1-28.5 | |
(f) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an
operator license of Novice Class:
| Wavelength band | ITU--Region 1 | ITU--Region 2 | ITU--Region 3 | |
| VHF | MHz | MHz | MHz | |
| 1.25 m | 222-225 | (a) | ||
| UHF | MHz | MHz | MHz | |
| 23 cm | 1270-1295 | 1270-1295 | 1270-1295 | (i) |
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989, as amended at
55 FR 30457, July 26, 1990; 56 FR 28, Jan. 2, 1991; 56 FR 3043, Jan. 28,
1991; 56 FR 19610, Apr. 29, 1991; 56 FR 32518, July 17, 1991; 57 FR
32450, July 22, 1992; 58 FR 64385, Dec. 7, 1993; 59 FR 54833, Nov. 2,
1994; 60 FR 15687, Mar. 27, 1995]
Sec. 97.303 Frequency sharing requirements.
The following is a summary of the frequency sharing requirements
that apply to amateur station transmissions on the frequency bands
specified in Sec. 97.301 of this part. (For each ITU Region, each
frequency band allocated to the amateur service is designated as either
a secondary service or a primary service. A station in a secondary
service must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept
interference from, stations in a primary service. See Secs. 2.105 and
2.106 of the FCC Rules, United States Table of Frequency Allocations for
complete requirements.)
(a) Where, in adjacent ITU Regions or Subregions, a band of
frequencies is allocated to different services of the
same category, the basic principle is the equality of right to operate.
The stations of each service in one region must operate so as not to
cause harmful interference to services in the other Regions or
Subregions. (See ITU Radio Regulations, No. 346 (Geneva, 1979).)
(b) An auxiliary station may transmit only on shorter wavelength
bands, except the 431-433 MHz and 435-438 MHz segments.
(c) No amateur station transmitting in the 1900-2000 kHz segment,
the 3 cm band, the 76-81 GHz segment, the 144-149 GHz segment and the
241-248 GHz segment shall cause harmful interference to, nor is
protected from interference due to the operation of, stations in the
non-Government radiolocation service.
(d) No amateur station transmitting in the 30 meter band shall cause
harmful interference to stations authorized by other nations in the
fixed service. The licensee of the amateur station must make all
necessary adjustments, including termination of transmissions, if
harmful interference is caused.
(e) In the 1.25 m band:
(1) Use of the 219-220 MHz segment is limited to amateur stations
participating, as forwarding stations, in point-to-point fixed digital
message forwarding systems, including intercity packet backbone
networks. It is not available for other purposes.
(2) No amateur station transmitting in the 219-220 MHz segment shall
cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to
operation of Automated Maritime Telecommunications Systems (AMTS),
television broadcasting on channels 11 and 13, Interactive Video and
Data Service systems, Land Mobile Services systems, or any other service
having a primary allocation in or adjacent to the band.
(3) No amateur station may transmit in the 219-220 MHz segment
unless the licensee has given written notification of the station's
specific geographic location for such transmissions in order to be
incorporated into a data base that has been made available to the
public. The notification must be given at least 30 days prior to making
such transmissions. The notification must be given to: The American
Radio Relay, Inc., 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494.
(4) No amateur station may transmit in the 219-220 MHz segment from
a location that is within 640 km of an AMTS Coast Station that uses
frequencies in the 217-218/219-220 MHz AMTS bands unless the amateur
station licensee has given written notification of the station's
specific geographic location for such transmissions to the AMTS
licensee. The notification must be given at least 30 days prior to
making such transmissions. The location of AMTS Coast Stations using the
217-218/219-220 MHz channels may be obtained from either:
The American Radio Relay League, Inc.
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111-1494
or
Interactive Systems, Inc.
Suite 1103, 1601 North Kent Street
Arlington, VA 22209
Fax: (703) 812-8275
Phone: (703) 812-8270
(5) No amateur station may transmit in the 219-220 MHz segment from
a location that is within 80 km of an AMTS Coast Station that uses
frequencies in the 217-218/219-220 MHz AMTS bands unless that amateur
station licensee holds written approval from that AMTS licensee. The
location of AMTS Coast Stations using the 217-218/219-220 MHz channels
may be obtained as noted in paragraph (e)(4) of this section.
(f) In the 70 cm band:
(1) No amateur station shall transmit from north of Line A in the
420-430 MHz segment.
(2) The 420-430 MHz segment is allocated to the amateur service in
the United States on a secondary basis, and is allocated in the fixed
and mobile (except aeronautical mobile) services in the International
Table of allocations on a primary basis. No amateur station transmitting
in this band shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from
interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other
nations in the fixed and mobile (except aeronautical mobile) services.
(3) The 430-440 MHz segment is allocated to the amateur service on a
secondary basis in ITU Regions 2 and 3. No amateur station transmitting
in this band in ITU Regions 2 and 3 shall cause
harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the
operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the radiolocation
service. In ITU Region 1, the 430-440 MHz segment is allocated to the
amateur service on a co-primary basis with the radiolocation service. As
between these two services in this band in ITU Region 1, the basic
principle that applies is the equality of right to operate. Amateur
stations authorized by the United States and radiolocation stations
authorized by other nations in ITU Region 1 shall operate so as not to
cause harmful interference to each other.
(4) No amateur station transmitting in the 449.75-450.25 MHz segment
shall cause interference to, nor is protected from itnerference due to
the operation of stations in, the space operation service and the space
research service or Government or non-Government stations for space
telecommand.
(g) In the 33 cm band:
(1) No amateur station shall transmit from within the States of
Colorado and Wyoming, bounded on the south by latitude 39 deg.N., on the
north by latitude 42 deg.N., on the east by longitude 105 deg.W., and on
the west by longitude 108 deg.W. This band is allocated on a secondary
basis to the amateur service subject to not causing harmful interference
to, and not receiving protection from any interference due to the
operation of, industrial, scientific and medical devices, automatic
vehicle monitoring systems or Government stations authorized in this
band.
(2) No amateur station shall transmit from those portions of the
States of Texas and New Mexico bounded on the south by latitude
31 deg.41'N., on the north by latitude 34 deg.30'N., on the east by
longitude 104 deg.11'W., and on the west by longitude 107 deg.30'W.
(h) No amateur station transmitting in the 23 cm band, the 3 cm
band, the 24.05-24.25 GHz segment, the 76-81 GHz segment, the 144-149
GHz segment and the 241-248 GHz segment shall cause harmful interference
to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations
authorized by other nations in the radiolocation service.
(i) In the 1240-1260 MHz segment, no amateur station shall cause
harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the
operation of, stations in the radionavigation-satellite service, the
aeronautical radionavigation service, or the radiolocation service.
(j) In the 13 cm band:
(1) The amateur service is allocated on a secondary basis in all ITU
Regions. In ITU Region 1, no amateur station shall cause harmful
interference to, and is not protected from interference due to the
operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed service.
In ITU Regions 2 and 3, no station shall cause harmful interference to,
and is not protected from interference due to the operation of, stations
authorized by other nations in the fixed, mobile and radiolocation
services.
(2) In the United States, 2300-2310 MHz segment is allocated to the
amateur service on a co-secondary basis with the Government fixed and
mobile services. In this segment, the fixed and mobile services must not
cause harmful interference to the amateur service. No amateur station
transmitting in the 2400-2450 MHz segment is protected from interference
due to the operation of industrial, scientific and medical devices on
2450 MHz.
(k) No amateur station transmitting in the 3.332-3.339 GHz and
3.3458-3525 GHz segments, the 2.5 mm band, the 144.68-144.98 GHz,
145.45-145.75 GHz and 146.82-147.12 GHz segments and the 343-348 GHz
segment shall cause harmful interference to stations in the radio
astronomy service. No amateur station transmitting in the 300-302 GHz,
324-326 GHz, 345-347 GHz, 363-365 GHz and 379-381 GHz segments shall
cause harmful interference to stations in the space research service
(passive) or Earth exploration-satellite service (passive).
(l) In the 9 cm band:
(1) In ITU Regions 2 and 3, the band is allocated to the amateur
service on a secondary basis.
(2) In the United States, the band is allocated to the amateur
service on a co-secondary basis with the non-Government radiolocation
service.
(3) In the 3.3-3.4 GHz segment, no amateur station shall cause
harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the
operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the radiolocation service.
(4) In the 3.4-3.5 GHz segment, no amateur station shall cause
harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the
operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed and
fixed-satellite service.
(m) In the 5 cm band:
(1) In the 5.650-5.725 GHz segment, the amateur service is allocated
in all ITU Regions on a co-secondary basis with the space research (deep
space) service.
(2) In the 5.725-5.850 GHz segment, the amateur service is allocated
in all ITU Regions on a secondary basis. No amateur station shall cause
harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the
operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed-
satellite service in ITU Region 1.
(3) No amateur station transmitting in the 5.725-5.875 GHz segment
is protected from interference due to the operation of industrial,
scientific and medical devices operating on 5.8 GHz.
(4) In the 5.650-5.850 GHz segment, no amateur station shall cause
harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the
operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the radiolocation
service.
(5) In the 5.850-5.925 GHz segment, the amateur service is allocated
in ITU Region 2 on a co-secondary basis with the radiolocation service.
In the United States, the segment is allocated to the amateur service on
a secondary basis to the non-Government fixed-satellite service. No
amateur station shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected
from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other
nations in the fixed, fixed-satellite and mobile services. No amateur
station shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from
interference due to the operation of, stations in the non-Government
fixed-satellite service.
(n) In the 3 cm band:
(1) In the United States, the 3 cm band is allocated to the amateur
service on a co-secondary basis with the non-government radiolocation
service.
(2) In the 10.00-10.45 GHz segment in ITU Regions 1 and 3, no
amateur station shall cause interference to, nor is protected from
interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other
nations in the fixed and mobile services.
(o) No amateur station transmitting in the 1.2 cm band is protected
from interference due to the operation of industrial, scientific and
medical devices on 24.125 GHz. In the United States, the 24.05-24.25 GHz
segment is allocated to the amateur service on a co-secondary basis with
the non-government radiolocation and Government and non-government Earth
exploration-satellite (active) services.
(p) The 2.5 mm band is allocated to the amateur service on a
secondary basis. No amateur station transmitting in this band shall
cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to
the operation of, stations in the fixed, inter-satellite and mobile
services.
(q) No amateur station transmitting in the 244-246 GHz segment of
the 1 mm band is protected from interference due to the operation of
industrial, scientific and medical devices on 245 GHz.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR 39536, Sept. 27, 1989, as amended at
56 FR 19611, Apr. 29, 1991; 56 FR 23025, May 20, 1991; 56 FR 32518, July
17, 1991; 56 FR 40801, Aug. 16, 1991; 57 FR 40344, Sept. 3, 1992; 60 FR
15687, Mar. 27, 1995; 61 FR 15386, Apr. 8, 1996]
Sec. 97.305 Authorized emission types.
(a) An amateur station may transmit a CW emission on any frequency
authorized to the control operator.
(b) A station may transmit a test emission on any frequency
authorized to the control operator for brief periods for experimental
purposes, except that no pulse modulation emission may be transmitted on
any frequency where pulse is not specifically authorized.
(c) A station may transmit the following emission types on the
frequencies indicated, as authorized to the control operator, subject to
the standards specified in Sec. 97.307(f) of this part.
| Wavelength band | Frequencies | Emission types authorized | Standards see Sec. 97.307(f), paragraph: |
| MF: | |||
| 160 m | Entire band | RTTY, data | (3) |
| 160 m | Entire band | Phone, image | (1), (2) |
| HF: | |||
| 80 m | Entire band | RTTY, data | (3), (9) |
| 75 m | Entire band | Phone, image | (1), (2) |
| 40 m | 7.000-7.100 MHz | RTTY, data | (3), (9) |
| 40 m | 7.075-7.100 MHz | Phone, image | (1), (2), (9), (11) |
| 40 m | 7.100-7.150 MHz | RTTY, data | (3), (9) |
| 40 m | 7.150-7.300 MHz | Phone, image | (1), (2) |
| 30 m | Entire band | RTTY, data | (3) |
| 20 m | 14.00-14.15 MHz | RTTY, data | (3) |
| 20 m | 14.15-14.35 MHz | Phone, image | (1), (2) |
| 17 m | 18.068-18.110 MHz | RTTY, data | (3) |
| 17 m | 18.110-18.168 MHz | Phone, image | (1), (2) |
| 15 m | 21.0-21.2 MHz | RTTY, data | (3), (9) |
| 15 m | 21.20-21.45 MHz | Phone, image | (1), (2) |
| 12 m | 24.89-24.93 MHz | RTTY, data | (3) |
| 12 m | 24.93-24.99 MHz | Phone, image | (1), (2) |
| 10 m | 28.0-28.3 MHz | RTTY, data | (4) |
| 10 m | 28.3-28.5 MHz | Phone, image | (1), (2), (10) |
| 10 m | 28.5-29.0 MHz | Phone, image | (1), (2) |
| 10 m | 29.0-29.7 MHz | Phone, image | (2) |
| VHF: | |||
| 6 m | 50.1-51.0 MHz | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data | (2), (5) |
| Do | 51.0-54.0 MHz | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, test | (2), (5), (8) |
| 2 m | 144.1-148.0 MHz | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, test | (2), (5), (8) |
| 1.25 m | 219-220 MHz | Data | (13) |
| Do | 222-225 MHz | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, test | (2), (6), (8) |
| UHF: | |||
| 70 cm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test | (6), (8) |
| 33 cm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
| 23 cm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test | (7), (8), and (12) |
| 13 cm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
| SHF: | |||
| 9 cm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
| 5 cm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
| 3 cm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test | (7), (8), and (12) |
| 1.2 cm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
| EHF: | |||
| 6 mm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
| 4 mm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
| 2.5 mm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
| 2 mm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
| 1mm | Entire band | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
| -- | Above 300 GHz | MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse | (7), (8), and (12) |
Sec. 97.309 RTTY and data emission codes.
(a) Where authorized by Secs. 97.305(c) and 97.307(f) of the part,
an amateur station may transmit a RTTY or data emission using the
following specified digital codes:
(1) The 5-unit, start-stop, International Telegraph Alphabet No. 2,
code defined in International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative
Committee Recommendation F.1, Division C (commonly known as Baudot).
(2) The 7-unit code specified in International Radio Consultative
Committee Recommendation CCIR 476-2 (1978), 476-3 (1982), 476-4 (1986)
or 625 (1986) (commonly known as AMTOR).
(3) The 7-unit code defined in American National Standards Institute
X3.4-1977 or International Alphabet No. 5 defined in International
Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee Recommendation T.50 or in
International Organization for Standardization, International Standard
ISO 646 (1983), and extensions as provided for in CCITT Recommendation
T.61 (Malaga-Torremolinos, 1984) (commonly known as ASCII).
(4) An amateur station transmitting a RTTY or data emission using a
digital code specified in this paragraph may use any technique whose
technical characteristics have been documented publicly, such as CLOVER,
G-TOR, or PacTOR, for the purpose of facilitating communications.
(b) Where authorized by Secs. 97.305(c) and 97.307(f) of this part,
a station may transmit a RTTY or data emission using an unspecified
digital code, except to a station in a country with which the United
States does not have an agreement permitting the code to be used. RTTY
and data emissions using unspecified digital codes must not be
transmitted for the purpose of obscuring the meaning of any
communication. When deemed necessary by an EIC to assure compliance with
the FCC Rules, a station must:
(1) Cease the transmission using the unspecified digital code;
(2) Restrict transmissions of any digital code to the extent
instructed;
(3) Maintain a record, convertible to the original information, of
all digital communications transmitted.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39537, Sept. 27, 1989;
56 FR 56172, Nov. 1, 1991; 60 FR 55486, Nov. 1, 1995]
Sec. 97.311 SS emission types.
(a) SS emission transmissions by an amateur station are authorized
only for communications between points within areas where the amateur
service is regulated by the FCC. SS emission transmissions must not be
used for the purpose of obscuring the meaning of any communication.
(b) Stations transmitting SS emission must not cause harmful
interference to stations employing other authorized emissions, and must
accept all interference caused by stations employing other authorized
emissions. For the purposes of this paragraph, unintended triggering of
carrier operated repeaters is not considered to be harmful interference.
(c) Only the following types of SS emission transmissions are
authorized (hybrid SS emissions transmissions involving both spreading
techniques are prohibited):
(1) Frequency hopping where the carrier of the transmitted signal is
modulated with unciphered information and changes frequency at fixed
intervals under the direction of a high speed code sequence.
(2) Direct sequence where the information is modulo-2 added to a
high speed code sequence. The combined information and code are then
used to modulate the RF carrier. The high speed code sequence dominates
the modulation function, and is the direct cause of the wide spreading
of the transmitted signal.
(d) The only spreading sequences that are authorized are from the
output of one binary linear feedback shift register (which may be
implemented in hardware or software).
(1) Only the following sets of connections may be used:
| Number of stages in shift register |
Taps used in feedback |
| 7 | 7,1 |
| 13 | 13,4, 3, and 1 |
| 19 | 19, 5, 2, and 1 |
Sec. 97.313 Transmitter power standards.
(a) An amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power
necessary to carry out the desired communications.
(b) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5
kW PEP.
(c) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 200 W
PEP on:
(1) The 3.675-3.725 MHz, 7.10-7.15 MHz, 10.10-10.15 MHz, and 21.1-
21.2 MHz segments;
(2) The 28.1-28.5 MHz segment when the control operator is a Novice
or Technician operator; or
(3) The 7.050-7.075 MHz segment when the station is within ITU
Regions 1 or 3.
(d) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 25 W
PEP on the VHF 1.25 m band when the control operator is a Novice
operator.
(e) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 5 W
PEP on the UHF 23 cm band when the control operator is a Novice
operator.
(f) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W
PEP on the UHF 70 cm band from an area specified in footnote US7 to
Sec. 2.106 of the FCC Rules, unless expressly authorized by the FCC
after mutual agreement, on a case-by-case basis, between the EIC of the
applicable field facility and the military area frequency coordinator at
the applicable military base. An Earth station or telecommand station,
however, may transmit on the 435-438 MHz segment with a maximum of 611 W
effective radiated power (1 kW equivalent isotropically radiated power)
without the authorization otherwise required. The transmitting antenna
elevation angle between the lower half-power (-3 dB relative to the peak
or antenna bore sight) point and the horizon must always be greater than
10 deg..
(g) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W
PEP on the 33 cm band from within 241 km of the boundaries of the White
Sands Missile Range. Its boundaries are those portions of Texas and New
Mexico bounded on the south by latitude 31 deg. 41' North, on the east
by longitude 104 deg. 11' West, on the north by latitude 34 deg. 30'
North, and on the west by longitude 107 deg. 30' West.
(h) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W
PEP on the 219-220 MHz segment of the 1.25 m band.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 37161, Aug. 5, 1991; 56
FR 3043, Jan. 28, 1991; 60 FR 15688, Mar. 27, 1995]
Sec. 97.315 Type acceptance of external RF power amplifiers.
(a) No more than 1 unit of 1 model of an external RF power amplifier
capable of operation below 144 MHz may be constructed or modified during
any calendar year by an amateur operator for use at a station without a
grant of type acceptance. No amplifier capable of operation below 144
MHz may be constructed or modified by a non-amateur operator without a
grant of type acceptance from the FCC.
(b) Any external RF power amplifier or external RF power amplifier
kit (see Sec. 2.815 of the FCC Rules), manufactured, imported or
modified for use in a station or attached at any station must be type
accepted for use in the amateur service in accordance with subpart J of
part 2 of the FCC Rules. This requirement does not apply if one or more
of the following conditions are met:
(1) The amplifier is not capable of operation on frequencies below
144 MHz. For the purpose of this part, an amplifier will be deemed to be
incapable of operation below 144 MHz if it is not capable of being
easily modified to increase its amplification characteristics below 120
MHz and either:
(i) The mean output power of the amplifier decreases, as frequency
decreases from 144 MHz, to a point where 0 dB or less gain is exhibited
at 120 MHz; or
(ii) The amplifier is not capable of amplifying signals below 120
MHz even for brief periods without sustaining permanent damage to its
amplification circuitry.
(2) The amplifier was manufactured before April 28, 1978, and has
been issued a marketing waiver by the FCC, or the amplifier was
purchased before April 28, 1978, by an amateur operator for use at that
amateur operator's station.
(3) The amplifier was:
(i) Constructed by the licensee, not from an external RF power
amplifier kit, for use at the licensee's station; or
(ii) Modified by the licensee for use at the licensee's station.
(4) The amplifier is sold by an amateur operator to another amateur
operator or to a dealer.
(5) The amplifier is purchased in used condition by an equipment
dealer from an amateur operator and the amplifier is further sold to
another amateur operator for use at that operator's station.
(c) A list of type accepted equipment may be inspected at FCC
headquarters in Washington, DC, or at any FCC field location. Any
external RF power amplifier appearing on this list as type accepted for
use in the amateur service may be marketed for use in the amateur
service.
Sec. 97.317 Standards for type acceptance of external RF power amplifiers.
(a) To receive a grant of type acceptance, the amplifier must
satisfy the spurious emission standards of Sec. 97.307(d) or (e) of this part, as applicable, when the amplifier
is:
(1) Operated at its full output power;
(2) Placed in the ``standby'' or ``off'' positions, but still
connected to the transmitter; and
(3) Driven with at least 50 W mean RF input power (unless higher
drive level is specified.)
(b) To receive a grant of type acceptance, the amplifier must not be
capable of operation on any frequency or frequencies between 24 MHz and
35 MHz. The amplifier will be deemed incapable of such operation if it:
(1) Exhibits no more than 6 dB gain between 24 MHz and 26 MHz and
between 28 MHz and 35 MHz. (This gain will be determined by the ratio of
the input RF driving signal (mean power measurement) to the mean RF
output power of the amplifier); and
(2) Exhibits no amplification (0 dB gain) between 26 MHz and 28 MHz.
(c) Type acceptance may be denied when denial would prevent the use
of these amplifiers in services other than the amateur service. The
following features will result in dismissal or denial of an application
for type acceptance:
(1) Any accessible wiring which, when altered, would permit
operation of the amplifier in a manner contrary to the FCC Rules;
(2) Circuit boards or similar circuitry to facilitate the addition
of components to change the amplifier's operating characteristics in a
manner contrary to the FCC Rules;
(3) Instructions for operation or modification of the amplifier in a
manner contrary to FCC Rules;
(4) Any internal or external controls or adjustments to facilitate
operation of the amplifier in a manner contrary to the FCC Rules;
(5) Any internal RF sensing circuitry or any external switch, the
purpose of which is to place the amplifier in the transmit mode;
(6) The incorporation of more gain in the amplifier than is
necessary to operate in the amateur service; for purposes of this
paragraph, the amplifer must:
(i) Not be capable of achieving designed output power when driven
with less than 50 W mean RF input power;
(ii) Not be capable of amplifying the input RF driving signal by
more than 15 dB, unless the amplifier has a designed transmitter power
of less than 1.5 kW (in such a case, gain must be reduced by the same
number of dB as the transmitter power relationship to 1.5 kW; This gain
limitation is determined by the ratio of the input RF driving signal to
the RF output power of the amplifier where both signals are expressed in
peak envelope power or mean power);
(iii) Not exhibit more gain than permitted by paragraph (c)(6)(ii)
of this section when driven by an RF input signal of less than 50 W mean
power; and
(iv) Be capable of sustained operation at its designed power level;
(7) Any attenuation in the input of the amplifier which, when
removed or modified, would permit the amplifier to function at its
designed transmitter power when driven by an RF frequency input signal
of less than 50 W mean power; or
(8) Any other features designed to facilitate operation in a
telecommunication service other than the Amateur Radio Services, such as
the Citizens Band (CB) Radio Service.
Sec. 97.401 Operation during a disaster.
(a) When normal communication systems are overloaded, damaged or
disrupted because a disaster has occurred, or is likely to occur, in an
area where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC, an amateur
station may make transmissions necessary to meet essential communication needs and facilitate relief actions.
(b) When normal communication systems are overloaded, damaged or
disrupted because a natural disaster has occurred, or is likely to
occur, in an area where the amateur service is not regulated by the FCC,
a station assisting in meeting essential communication needs and
facilitating relief actions may do so only in accord with ITU Resolution
No. 640 (Geneva, 1979). The 80 m, 75 m, 40 m, 30 m, 20 m, 17 m, 15 m, 12
m, and 2 m bands may be used for these purposes.
(c) When a disaster disrupts normal communication systems in a
particular area, the FCC may declare a temporary state of communication
emergency. The declaration will set forth any special conditions and
special rules to be observed by stations during the communication
emergency. A request for a declaration of a temporary state of emergency
should be directed to the EIC in the area concerned.
(d) A station in, or within 92.6 km of, Alaska may transmit
emissions J3E and R3E on the channel at 5.1675 Mhz for emergency
communications. The channel must be shared with stations licensed in the
Alaska-private fixed service. The transmitter power must not exceed 150
W.
Sec. 97.403 Safety of life and protection of property.
No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station
of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential
communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human
life and immediate protection of property when normal communication
systems are not available.
Sec. 97.405 Station in distress.
(a) No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur
station in distress of any means at its disposal to attract attention,
make known its condition and location, and obtain assistance.
(b) No provision of these rules prevents the use by a station, in
the exceptional circumstances described in paragraph (a) of this
section, of any means of radiocommunications at its disposal to assist a
station in distress.
Sec. 97.407 Radio amateur civil emergency service.
(a) No station may transmit in RACES unless it is an FCC-licensed
primary, club, or military recreation station and it is certified by a
civil defense organization as registered with that organization, or it
is an FCC-licensed RACES station. No person may be the control operator
of a RACES station, or may be the control operator of an amateur station
transmitting in RACES unless that person holds a FCC-issued amateur
operator license and is certified by a civil defense organization as
enrolled in that organization.
(b) The frequency bands and segments and emissions authorized to the
control operator are available to stations transmitting communications
in RACES on a shared basis with the amateur service. In the event of an
emergency which necessitates the invoking of the President's War
Emergency Powers under the provisions of Section 706 of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 606, RACES stations
and amateur stations participating in RACES may only transmit on the
following frequencies:
(1) The 1800-1825 kHz, 1975-2000 kHz, 3.50-3.55 MHz, 3.93-3.98 MHz,
3.984-4.000 MHz, 7.079-7.125 MHz, 7.245-7.255 MHz, 10.10-10.15 MHz,
14.047-14.053 MHz, 14.22-14.23 MHz, 14.331-14.350 MHz, 21.047-21.053
MHz, 21.228-21.267 MHz, 28.55-28.75 MHz, 29.237-29.273 MHz, 29.45-29.65
MHz, 50.35-50.75 MHz, 52-54 MHz, 144.50-145.71 MHz, 146-148 MHz, 2390-
2450 MHz segments;
(2) The 1.25 m, 70 cm and 23 cm bands; and
(3) The channels at 3.997 MHz and 53.30 MHz may be used in emergency
areas when required to make initial contact with a military unit and for
communications with military stations on matters requiring coordination.
(c) A RACES station may only communicate with:
(1) Another RACES station;
(2) An amateur station registered with a civil defense organization;
(3) A United States Government station authorized by the responsible
agency to communicate with RACES stations;
(4) A station in a service regulated by the FCC whenever such
communication is authorized by the FCC.
(d) An amateur station registered with a civil defense organization
may only communicate with:
(1) A RACES station licensed to the civil defense organization with
which the amateur station is registered;
(2) The following stations upon authorization of the responsible
civil defense official for the organization with which the amateur
station is registered:
(i) A RACES station licensed to another civil defense organization;
(ii) An amateur station registered with the same or another civil
defense organization;
(iii) A United States Government station authorized by the
responsible agency to communicate with RACES stations; and
(iv) A station in a service regulated by the FCC whenever such
communication is authorized by the FCC.
(e) All communications transmitted in RACES must be specifically
authorized by the civil defense organization for the area served. Only
civil defense communications of the following types may be transmitted:
(1) Messages concerning impending or actual conditions jeopardizing
the public safety, or affecting the national defense or security during
periods of local, regional, or national civil emergencies;
(2) Messages directly concerning the immediate safety of life of
individuals, the immediate protection of property, maintenance of law
and order, alleviation of human suffering and need, and the combating of
armed attack or sabotage;
(3) Messages directly concerning the accumulation and dissemination
of public information or instructions to the civilian population
essential to the activities of the civil defense organization or other
authorized governmental or relief agencies; and
(4) Communications for RACES training drills and tests necessary to
ensure the establishment and maintenance of orderly and efficient
operation of the RACES as ordered by the responsible civil defense
organization served. Such drills and tests may not exceed a total time
of 1 hour per week. With the approval of the chief officer for emergency
planning in the applicable State, Commonwealth, District or territory,
however, such tests and drills may be conducted for a period not to
exceed 72 hours no more than twice in any calendar year.
Sec. 97.503 Element standards.
(a) A telegraphy examination must be sufficient to prove that the
examinee has the ability to send correctly by hand and to receive
correctly by ear texts in the international Morse code at not less than
the prescribed speed, using all the letters of the alphabet, numerals 0-
9, period, comma, question mark, slant mark and prosigns ar, bt, and sk.
(1) Element 1(A): 5 words per minute;
(2) Element 1(B): 13 words per minute;
(3) Element 1(C): 20 words per minute.
(b) A written examination must be such as to prove that the examinee
possesses the operational and technical qualifications required to
perform properly the duties of an amateur service licensee. Each written
examination must be comprised of a question set as follows:
(1) Element 2: 35 questions concerning the privileges of a Novice
Class operator license. The minimum passing score is 26 questions
answered correctly.
(2) Element 3(A): 30 questions concerning the privileges of a
Technician Class operator license. The minimum passing score is 22
questions answered correctly.
(3) Element 3(B): 30 questions concerning the privileges of a
General Class operator license. The minimum passing score is 22
questions answered correctly.
(4) Element 4(A): 50 questions concerning the additional privileges
of an Advanced Class operator license. The minimum passing score is 37
questions answered correctly.
(5) Element 4(B): 40 questions concerning the additional privileges
of an Amateur Extra Class operator license. The minimum passing score is
30 questions answered correctly.
(c) The topics and number of questions required in each question set
are listed below for the appropriate examination element:
| Element: | |||||||||
| Topics | 2 | 3(A) | 3(B) | 4(A) | 4(B) | ||||
| (1) FCC rules for the amateur radio services | 10 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 8 | ||||
| (2) Amateur station operating procedures | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||
| (3) Radio wave propagation characteristics of amateur service frequency bands | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| (4) Amateur radio practices | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| (5) Electrical principles as applied to amateur station equipment | 4 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 | ||||
| (6) Amateur station equipment circuit components | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | ||||
| (7) Practical circuits employed in amateur station equipment | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 | ||||
| (8) Signals and emissions transmitted by amateur stations | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | ||||
| (9) Amateur station antennas and feed lines | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||||
| (10) Radiofrequency environmental safety practices at an amateur station | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Appendix 1 to Part 97--Places Where the Amateur Service is Regulated by the FCC
In ITU Region 2, the amateur service is regulated by the FCC within
the territorial limits of the 50 United States, District of Columbia,
Caribbean Insular areas [Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, United States
Virgin Islands (50 islets and cays) and Navassa Island], and Johnston
Island (Islets East, Johnston, North and Sand) and Midway Island (Islets
Eastern and Sand) in the Pacific Insular areas.
In ITU Region 3, the amateur service is regulated by the FCC within
the Pacific Insular territorial limits of American Samoa (seven
islands), Baker Island, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam
Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Kingman Reef, Palmyra Island
(more than 50 islets) and Wake Island (Islets Peale, Wake and Wilkes).
Appendix 2 to Part 97--VEC Regions
1. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and
Vermont.
2. New Jersey and New York.
3. Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
4. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee and Virginia.
5. Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
6. California.
7. Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and
Wyoming.
8. Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
9. Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
10. Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota
and South Dakota.
11. Alaska.
12. Caribbean Insular areas.
13. Hawaii and Pacific Insular areas.
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