97.19 Application for a vanity call sign.
(a) The person named in an operator/primary station license
grant or in a club station license grant is eligible to make application
for modification of the license grant, or the renewal thereof, to show a
call sign selected by the vanity call sign system. Effective February
14, 2011, the person named in a club station license grant that shows on
the license a call sign that was selected by a trustee is not eligible
for an additional vanity call sign. (The person named in a club station
license grant that shows on the license a call sign that was selected by
a trustee is eligible for a vanity call sign for his or her
operator/primary station license grant on the same basis as any other
person who holds an operator/primary station license grant.) 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 grant, or the renewal thereof, to show a call
sign selected by the vanity call sign system must be filed in accordance
with §1.913 of this chapter.
(c) Unassigned call signs are available to the vanity call sign system with the following exceptions:
(1) A call sign shown on an expired license grant 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 or canceled license
grant (except for a license grant that is canceled pursuant to §97.31)
is not available to the vanity call sign system for 2 years following
the date such action is taken. (The availability of a call sign shown on
a license canceled pursuant to §97.31 is governed by paragraph (c)(3)
of this section.)
(i) This 2-year period does not apply to any license grant
pursuant to paragraph (c)(3)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section that is
surrendered, canceled, revoked, voided, or set aside because the grantee
acknowledged or the Commission determined that the grantee was not
eligible for the exception. In such a case, the call sign is not
available to the vanity call sign system for 30 days following the date
such action is taken, or for the period for which the call sign would
not have been available to the vanity call sign system pursuant to
paragraphs (c)(2) or (3) of this section but for the intervening grant
to the ineligible applicant, whichever is later.
(ii) An applicant to whose operator/primary station license
grant, or club station license grant for which the applicant is the
trustee, the call sign was previously assigned is exempt from the 2-year
period set forth in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(3) A call sign shown on a license canceled pursuant to §97.31
of this part 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 grant, whichever is sooner. If, however, a license is
canceled more than 2 years after the licensee's death (or within 30 days
before the second anniversary of the licensee's death), the call sign
is not available to the vanity call sign system for 30 days following
the date such action is taken. The following applicants are exempt from
this 2-year period:
(i) An applicant to whose operator/primary station license
grant, or club station license grant for which the applicant is the
trustee, the call sign was previously assigned; or
(ii) An applicant who is the spouse, child, grandchild,
stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister,
stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law of the
person now deceased or of any other deceased former holder of the call
sign, provided that the vanity call sign requested by the applicant is
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; or
(iii) An applicant who is a club station license trustee acting
with a written statement of consent signed by either the licensee ante mortem but
who is now deceased, or by at least one relative as listed in paragraph
(c)(3)(ii) of this section, of the person now deceased or of any other
deceased former holder of the call sign, provided that the deceased
former holder was a member of the club during his or her life.
(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
license grant be vacated and provide a list of up to 25 call signs in
order of preference. In the event that the Commission receives more than
one application requesting a vanity call sign from an applicant on the
same receipt day, the Commission will process only the first such
application entered into the Universal Licensing System. Subsequent
vanity call sign applications from that applicant with the same receipt
date will not be accepted.
(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; 63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998; 71 FR
66461, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 78170, Dec. 15, 2010]
97.21 Application for a modified or renewed license grant.
(a) A person holding a valid amateur station license grant:
(1) Must apply to the FCC for a modification of the license
grant as necessary to show the correct mailing address, licensee name,
club name, license trustee name, or license custodian name in accordance
with §1.913 of this chapter. For a club or military recreation station
license grant, the application must be presented in document form to a
Club Station Call Sign Administrator who must submit the information
thereon to the FCC in an electronic batch file. The Club Station Call
Sign Administrator must retain the collected information for at least 15
months and make it available to the FCC upon request. A Club Station
Call Sign Administrator shall not file with the Commission any
application to modify a club station license grant that was submitted by
a person other than the trustee as shown on the license grant, except
an application to change the club station license trustee. An
application to modify a club station license grant to change the license
trustee name must be submitted to a Club Station Call Sign
Administrator and must be signed by an officer of the club.
(2) May apply to the FCC for a modification of the
operator/primary station license grant to show a higher operator class.
Applicants must present the administering VEs with all information
required by the rules prior to the examination. The VEs may collect all
necessary information in any manner of their choosing, including
creating their own forms.
(3) May apply to the FCC for renewal of the license grant for
another term in accordance with §§1.913 and 1.949 of this chapter.
Application for renewal of a Technician Plus Class operator/primary
station license will be processed as an application for renewal of a
Technician Class operator/primary station license.
(i) For a station license grant showing a call sign obtained
through the vanity call sign system, the application must be filed in
accordance with §97.19 of this part in order to have the vanity call
sign reassigned to the station.
(ii) For a primary station license grant showing a call sign
obtained through the sequential call sign system, and for a primary
station license grant showing a call sign obtained through the vanity
call sign system but whose grantee does not want to have the vanity call
sign reassigned to the station, the application must be filed with the
FCC in accordance with §1.913 of this chapter. When the application has
been received by the FCC on or before the license expiration date, the
license operating authority is continued until the final disposition of
the application.
(iii) For a club station or military recreation station license
grant showing a call sign obtained through the sequential call sign
system, and for a club station license grant showing a call sign
obtained through the vanity call sign system but whose grantee does not
want to have the vanity call sign reassigned to the station, the
application must be presented in document form to a Club Station Call
Sign Administrator who must submit the information thereon to the FCC in
an electronic batch file. The replacement call sign will be selected by
the sequential call sign system. The Club Station Call Sign
Administrator must retain the collected information for at least 15
months and make it available to the FCC upon request.
(b) A person whose amateur station license grant has expired
may apply to the FCC for renewal of the license grant for another term
during a 2 year filing grace period. The application must be received at
the address specified above prior to the end of the grace period.
Unless and until the license grant is renewed, no privileges in this
part are conferred.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, a
call sign obtained under the sequential or vanity call sign system will
be reassigned to the station upon renewal or modification of a station
license.
[63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998, as amended at 64 FR 53242, Oct. 1,
1999; 65 FR 6550, Feb. 10, 2000; 75 FR 78170, Dec. 15, 2010; 79 FR
35291, July 21, 2014]
97.25 Mailing address.
Each license grant must show the grantee's correct name and
mailing address. The mailing address must be in an area where the
amateur service is regulated by the FCC and where the grantee can
receive mail delivery by the United States Postal Service. Revocation of
the station license or suspension of the operator license may result
when correspondence from the FCC is returned as undeliverable because
the grantee failed to provide the correct mailing address.
[63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998]
97.25 License term.
An amateur service license is normally granted for a 10-year term.
[63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998]
97.27 FCC modification of station license grant.
(a) The FCC may modify a station license grant, 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, as amended at 63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998]
97.29 Replacement license grant document.
Each grantee whose amateur station license grant document is
lost, mutilated or destroyed may apply to the FCC for a replacement in
accordance with §1.913 of this chapter.
[63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998]
97.31 Cancellation on account of the licensee's death.
(a) A person may request cancellation of an operator/primary
station license grant on account of the licensee's death by submitting a
signed request that includes a death certificate, obituary, or Social
Security Death Index data that shows the person named in the
operator/primary station license grant has died. Such a request may be
submitted as a pleading associated with the deceased licensee's
license. See §1.45 of this chapter. In addition, the
Commission may cancel an operator/primary station license grant if it
becomes aware of the grantee's death through other means. No action will
be taken during the last thirty days of the post-expiration grace
period (see
97.21(b)) on a request to cancel a license due to the licensee's death.
(b) A license that is canceled due to the licensee's death is canceled as of the date of the licensee's death.
[75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010]
Subpart B-Station Operation Standards
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.
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.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 27201, May 14, 2010]
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.
97.107 Reciprocal operating authority.
A non-citizen of the United States (“alien”) holding an amateur
service authorization granted by the alien's government is authorized
to be the control operator of an amateur station located at places where
the amateur service is regulated by the FCC, provided there is in
effect a multilateral or bilateral reciprocal operating arrangement, to
which the United States and the alien's government are parties, for
amateur service operation on a reciprocal basis. The FCC will issue
public announcements listing the countries with which the United States
has such an arrangement. No citizen of the United States or person
holding an FCC amateur operator/primary station license grant is
eligible for the reciprocal operating authority granted by this section.
The privileges granted to a control operator under this authorization
are:
(a) For an amateur service license granted by the Government of Canada:
(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 rules of this part, but not to exceed the
control operator privileges of an FCC-granted Amateur Extra Class
operator license.
(b) For an amateur service license granted by any country,
other than Canada, with which the United States has a multilateral or
bilateral agreement:
(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 granted by the alien's government;
(3) The applicable rules of this part, but not to exceed the
control operator privileges of an FCC-granted Amateur Extra Class
operator license; and
(c) At any time the FCC may, in its discretion, modify, suspend
or cancel the reciprocal operating authority granted to any person by
this section.
[63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998]
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 a Regional
Director that the station is transmitting improperly or causing harmful
interference to other stations. Automatic control must not be resumed
without prior approval of the Regional Director.
[54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989, as amended at 60 FR 26001, May 16, 1995; 69 FR 24997, May 5, 2004; 80 FR 53753, Sept. 8, 2015]
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 notified the ITU that it objects to such
communications. The FCC will issue public notices of current
arrangements for international communications.
(2) Transmissions necessary to meet essential communication needs and to facilitate relief actions.
(3) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a station
in another FCC-regulated service while providing emergency
communications;
(4) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a United
States government station, necessary to providing communications in
RACES; and
(5) 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; 71 FR 25982, May 3, 2006; 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006]
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, with the following exceptions:
(i) A station licensee or station control operator may
participate on behalf of an employer in an emergency preparedness or
disaster readiness test or drill, limited to the duration and scope of
such test or drill, and operational testing immediately prior to such
test or drill. Tests or drills that are not government-sponsored are
limited to a total time of one hour per week; except that no more than
twice in any calendar year, they may be conducted for a period not to
exceed 72 hours.
(ii) An amateur operator may 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.
(iii) 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.
(iv) 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.
(4) Music using a phone emission except as specifically
provided elsewhere in this section; communications intended to
facilitate a criminal act; messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring
their meaning, 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) 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 manned spacecraft and its
associated Earth stations. Prior approval for manned spacecraft
communications retransmissions must be obtained from the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Such retransmissions must be for
the exclusive use of amateur radio operators. Propagation, weather
forecasts, and manned spacecraft communications retransmissions may not
be conducted on a regular basis, but only occasionally, as an incident
of normal amateur radio communications.
(d) 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, as
amended at 71 FR 25982, May 3, 2006; 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR
46857, Aug. 4, 2010; 79 FR 35291, June 20, 2014]
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 when transmitting emergency or disaster relief communications
and 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 or not renewed after hearing and re-licensing
has not taken place; 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 re-licensing 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) No station may transmit third party communications while
being automatically controlled except a station transmitting a RTTY or
data emission.
(d) 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, as amended at 71 FR 25982, May 3, 2006; 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006]
97.117 International communications.
Transmissions to a different country, where permitted, shall be
limited to communications incidental to the purposes of the amateur
service and to remarks of a personal character.
[71 FR 25982, May 3, 2006]
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 §73.682(a) of the
FCC Rules when all or part of the communications are transmitted in the
same image emission
(c) One or more indicators may be included with the call sign.
Each indicator must be separated from the call sign by the slant mark
(/) or by any suitable word that denotes the slant mark. If an indicator
is self-assigned, it must be included before, after, or both before and
after, the call sign. No self-assigned indicator may conflict with any
other indicator specified by the FCC Rules or with any prefix assigned
to another country.
(d) When transmitting in conjunction with an event of special
significance, a station may substitute for its assigned call sign a
special event call sign as shown for that station for that period of
time on the common data base coordinated, maintained and disseminated by
the special event call sign data base coordinators. Additionally, the
station must transmit its assigned call sign at least once per hour
during such transmissions.
(e) 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.
(f) When the control operator is a person who is exercising the
rights and privileges authorized by §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 Technician to General Class: AG;
(3) For a control operator who has requested a license
modification from Novice, Technician, General, or Advanced Class to
Amateur Extra Class: AE.
(g) When the station is transmitting under the authority of
§97.107 of this part, an indicator consisting of the appropriate
letter-numeral designating the station location must be included before
the call sign that was issued to the station by the country granting the
license. For an amateur service license granted by the Government of
Canada, however, the 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; 62 FR
17567, Apr. 10, 1997; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998; 64 FR 51471, Sept. 23,
1999; 66 FR 20752, Apr. 25, 2001; 75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010]
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.
Subpart C-Special Operations
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 2 m and
shorter wavelength bands, except the 144.0-144.5 MHz, 145.8-146.0 MHz,
219-220 MHz, 222.00-222.15 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; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998; 71 FR
66462, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010]
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 a
Regional Director that the station is operating improperly or causing
undue interference to other operations. The beacon may not resume
transmitting without prior approval of the Regional Director.
(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; 62 FR
55536, Oct. 27, 1997; 63 FR 41204, Aug. 3, 1998; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14,
1998; 69 FR 24997, May 5, 2004; 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 78171,
Dec. 15, 2010; 80 FR 53753, Sept. 8, 2015]
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) [Reserved]
(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.
(h) The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to repeaters
that transmit on the 1.2 cm or shorter wavelength bands. Before
establishing a repeater within 16 km (10 miles) of the Arecibo
Observatory or before changing the transmitting frequency, transmitter
power, antenna height or directivity of an existing repeater, the
station licensee must give written notification thereof to the
Interference Office, Arecibo Observatory, HC3 Box 53995, Arecibo, Puerto
Rico 00612, in writing or electronically, of the technical parameters
of the proposal. Licensees who choose to transmit information
electronically should e-mail to: prcz@naic.edu.
(1) The notification shall state the geographical coordinates
of the antenna (NAD-83 datum), antenna height above mean sea level
(AMSL), antenna center of radiation above ground level (AGL), antenna
directivity and gain, proposed frequency and FCC Rule Part, type of
emission, effective radiated power, and whether the proposed use is
itinerant. Licensees may wish to consult interference guidelines
provided by Cornell University.
(2) If an objection to the proposed operation is received by
the FCC from the Arecibo Observatory, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, within 20
days from the date of notification, the FCC will consider all aspects of
the problem and take whatever action is deemed appropriate. The
licensee will be required to make reasonable efforts in order to resolve
or mitigate any potential interference problem with the Arecibo
Observatory.
[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; 62 FR 55536, Oct. 27, 1997; 63 FR 41205, Aug. 3,
1998; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998; 69 FR 24997, May 5, 2004; 70 FR 31374,
June 1, 2005]
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,
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 license grantee of each space station must make the
following written notifications to the International Bureau, FCC,
Washington, DC 20554.
(1) A pre-space notification within 30 days after the date of
launch vehicle determination, but no later than 90 days before
integration of the space station into the launch vehicle. The
notification must be in accordance with the provisions of Articles 9 and
11 of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radio Regulations
and must specify the information required by Appendix 4 and Resolution
No. 642 of the ITU Radio Regulations. The notification must also include
a description of the design and operational strategies that the space
station will use to mitigate orbital debris, including the following
information:
(i) A statement that the space station licensee has assessed
and limited the amount of debris released in a planned manner during
normal operations, and has assessed and limited the probability of the
space station becoming a source of debris by collisions with small
debris or meteoroids that could cause loss of control and prevent
post-mission disposal;
(ii) A statement that the space station licensee has assessed
and limited the probability of accidental explosions during and after
completion of mission operations. This statement must include a
demonstration that debris generation will not result from the conversion
of energy sources on board the spacecraft into energy that fragments
the spacecraft. Energy sources include chemical, pressure, and kinetic
energy. This demonstration should address whether stored energy will be
removed at the spacecraft's end of life, by depleting residual fuel and
leaving all fuel line valves open, venting any pressurized system,
leaving all batteries in a permanent discharge state, and removing any
remaining source of stored energy, or through other equivalent
procedures specifically disclosed in the application;
(iii) A statement that the space station licensee has assessed
and limited the probability of the space station becoming a source of
debris by collisions with large debris or other operational space
stations. Where a space station will be launched into a low-Earth orbit
that is identical, or very similar, to an orbit used by other space
stations, the statement must include an analysis of the potential risk
of collision and a description of what measures the space station
operator plans to take to avoid in-orbit collisions. If the space
station licensee is relying on coordination with another system, the
statement must indicate what steps have been taken to contact, and
ascertain the likelihood of successful coordination of physical
operations with, the other system. The statement must disclose the
accuracy—if any—with which orbital parameters of non-geostationary
satellite orbit space stations will be maintained, including apogee,
perigee, inclination, and the right ascension of the ascending node(s).
In the event that a system is not able to maintain orbital
tolerances, i.e., it lacks a propulsion system for orbital
maintenance, that fact should be included in the debris mitigation
disclosure. Such systems must also indicate the anticipated evolution
over time of the orbit of the proposed satellite or satellites. Where a
space station requests the assignment of a geostationary-Earth orbit
location, it must assess whether there are any known satellites located
at, or reasonably expected to be located at, the requested orbital
location, or assigned in the vicinity of that location, such that the
station keeping volumes of the respective satellites might overlap. If
so, the statement must include a statement as to the identities of those
parties and the measures that will be taken to prevent collisions;
(iv) A statement detailing the post-mission disposal plans for
the space station at end of life, including the quantity of fuel—if
any—that will be reserved for post-mission disposal maneuvers. For
geostationary-Earth orbit space stations, the statement must disclose
the altitude selected for a post-mission disposal orbit and the
calculations that are used in deriving the disposal altitude. The
statement must also include a casualty risk assessment if planned
post-mission disposal involves atmospheric re-entry of the space
station. In general, an assessment should include an estimate as to
whether portions of the spacecraft will survive re-entry and reach the
surface of the Earth, as well as an estimate of the resulting
probability of human casualty.
(v) If any material item described in this notification changes
before launch, a replacement pre-space notification shall be filed with
the International Bureau no later than 90 days before integration of
the space station into the launch vehicle.
(2) An in-space station notification is required no later than 7
days following initiation of space station transmissions. This
notification must update the information contained in the pre-space
notification.
(3) A post-space station notification is required no later than
3 months after termination of the space station transmissions. When
termination of transmissions is ordered by the FCC, the notification is
required no later than 24 hours after termination of transmissions.
[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; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998; 69 FR 54588, Sept. 9,
2004; 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 27201, May 14, 2010]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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 3.585-3.600 MHz segments.
(c) Except for channels specified in §97.303(h), 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, as amended at 72 FR 3082, Jan. 24, 2007; 77 FR 5412, Feb. 3, 2012]
Subpart D-Technical Standards
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 a Technician, General, Advanced, or Amateur Extra Class operator
license or who holds a CEPT radio-amateur license or IARP of any class:
|
Wavelength band
|
ITU region 1
|
ITU region 2
|
ITU region 3
|
requirements see 97.303
|
|
VHF
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
|
6 m
|
|
50-54
|
50-54
|
(a)
|
|
2 m
|
144-146
|
144-148
|
144-148
|
(a), (k)
|
|
1.25 m
|
|
219-220
|
|
(l)
|
|
Do
|
|
222-225
|
|
(a)
|
|
UHF
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
|
|
70 cm
|
430-440
|
420-450
|
430-440
|
(a), (b), (m)
|
|
33 cm
|
|
902-928
|
|
(a), (b), (e), (n)
|
|
23 cm
|
1240-1300
|
1240-1300
|
1240-1300
|
<span>(b), (d), (o)
|
|
13 cm
|
2300-2310
|
2300-2310
|
<span>2300-2310
|
(d), (p)
|
|
Do
|
2390-2450
|
2390-2450
|
2390-2450
|
(d), (e), (p)
|
|
SHF
|
GHz
|
GHz
|
GHz
|
|
|
9 cm
|
|
3.3-3.5
|
3.3-3.5
|
(a), (b), (f), (q)
|
|
5 cm
|
5.650-5.850
|
5.650-5.925
|
5.650-5.850
|
(a), (b), (e), (r)
|
|
3 cm
|
10.0-10.5
|
10.0-10.5
|
10.0-10.5
|
(a), (b), (k)
|
|
1.2 cm
|
24.00-24.25
|
24.00-24.25
|
24.00-24.25
|
(b), (d), (e)
|
|
EHF
|
GHz
|
GHz
|
GHz
|
|
|
6 mm
|
<span>47.0-47.2
|
47.0-47.2
|
47.0-47.2
|
|
|
4 mm
|
76-81
|
76-81
|
76-81
|
(c), (f), (s)
|
|
2.5 mm
|
122.25-123.00
|
122.25-123.00
|
122.25-123.00
|
(e), (t)
|
|
2 mm
|
134-141
|
134-141
|
134-141
|
(c), (f)
|
|
1 mm
|
241-250
|
241-250
|
241-250
|
(c), (e), (f)
|
|
|
Above 275
|
Above 275
|
Above 275
|
(f)
|
(b) For a station having a control
operator who has been granted an Amateur Extra Class operator license,
who holds a CEPT radio amateur license, or who holds a Class 1 IARP
license:
|
Wavelength band
|
ITU Region 1
|
ITU Region 2
|
ITU Region 3
|
Sharing requirements see §97.303
(paragraph)
|
|
LF
|
kHz
|
vkHz
|
vkHz
|
|
|
2200 m
|
135.7-137.8
|
135.7-137.8
|
v135.7-137.8
|
(a), (g).
|
|
Wavelength band
|
ITU region 1
|
ITU region 2
|
ITU region 3
|
Sharing requirements see §97.303
(paragraph)
|
|
MF
|
kHz
|
kHz
|
kHz
|
|
160 m
|
1810-1850
|
1800-2000
|
1800-2000
|
(a)
|
|
630 m
|
472-479
|
472-479
|
472-479
|
(g).
|
|
HF
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
|
|
80 m
|
3.500-3.600
|
3.500-3.600
|
3.500-3.600
|
(a)
|
|
75 m
|
3.600-3.800
|
3.600-4.000
|
3.600-3.900
|
(a)
|
|
60 m
|
|
See §97.303(h)
|
|
(h)
|
|
40 m
|
7.000-7.200
|
7.000-7.300
|
7.000-7.200
|
(i)
|
|
30 m
|
10.100-10.150
|
10.100-10.150
|
10.100-10.150
|
(j)
|
|
20 m
|
14.000-14.350
|
14.000-14.350
|
14.000-14.350
|
|
|
17 m
|
18.068-18.168
|
18.068-18.168
|
18.068-18.168
|
|
|
15 m
|
21.000-21.450
|
21.000-21.450
|
21.000-21.450
|
|
|
12 m
|
24.890-24.990
|
24.890-24.990
|
24.890-24.990
|
|
|
10 m
|
28.000-29.700
|
28.000-29.700
|
28.000-29.700
|
|
(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
|
Sharing requirements see §97.303
(paragraph)
|
|
LF
|
kHz
|
kHz
|
kHz
|
|
|
2200 m
|
135.7-137.8
|
135.7-137.8
|
135.7-137.8
|
(a), (g).
|
|
Wavelength band
|
ITU region 1
|
ITU region 2
|
ITU region 3
|
Sharing requirements see §97.303
(Paragraph)
|
|
MF
|
kHz
|
kHz
|
kHz
|
|
160 m
|
1810-1850
|
1800-2000
|
1800-2000
|
(a)
|
|
630 m
|
472-479
|
472-479
|
472-479
|
(g).
|
|
HF
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
|
|
80 m
|
3.525-3.600
|
3.525-3.600
|
<3.525-3.600
|
(a)
|
|
75 m
|
3.700-3.800
|
3.700-4.000
|
3.700-3.900
|
(a)
|
|
60 m
|
|
See 97.303(h)
|
|
(h)
|
|
40 m
|
7.025-7.200
|
7.025-7.300
|
7.025-7.200
|
(i)
|
|
30 m
|
10.100-10.150
|
10.100-10.150
|
10.100-10.150
|
(j)
|
|
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
|
24.890-24.990
|
24.890-24.990
|
24.890-24.990
|
|
|
10 m
|
28.000-29.700
|
28.000-29.700
|
28.000-29.700
|
|
(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
|
Sharing requirements see
<97.303
(paragraph)
|
|
LF
|
kHz
|
kHz
|
kHz
|
|
|
2200 m
|
135.7-137.8
|
135.7-137.8
|
135.7-137.8
|
(a), (g).
|
|
Wavelength band
|
ITU region 1
|
ITU region 2
|
ITU region 3
|
Sharing requirements see
97.303
(paragraph)
|
|
MF
|
kHz
|
kHz
|
kHz
|
|
160 m
|
1810-1850
|
1800-2000
|
1800-2000
|
v(a)
|
|
630 m
|
472-479
|
472-479
|
472-479
|
(g).
|
|
HF
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
|
|
80 m
|
3.525-3.600
|
3.525-3.600
|
3.525-3.600
|
(a)
|
|
75 m
|
|
3.800-4.000
|
3.800-3.900
|
(a)
|
|
60 m
|
|
See
97.303(h)
|
|
(h)
|
|
40 m
|
7.025-7.125
|
7.025-7.125
|
7.025-7.125
|
(i)
|
|
Do
|
7.175-7.200
|
7.175-7.300
|
7.175-7.200
|
(i)
|
|
30 m
|
10.100-10.150
|
10.100-10.150
|
10.100-10.150
|
(j)
|
|
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
|
21.275-21.450
|
21.275-21.450
|
21.275-21.450
|
|
|
12 m
|
24.890-24.990
|
24.890-24.990
|
24.890-24.990
|
|
|
10 m
|
28.000-29.700
|
28.000-29.700
|
28.000-29.700
|
|
(e) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an operator license of Novice Class or Technician Class:
|
Wavelength band
|
ITU region 1
|
ITU region 2
|
ITU region 3
|
Sharing requirements see
97.303
(paragraph)
|
|
HF
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
|
80 m
|
3.525-3.600
|
3.525-3.600
|
3.525-3.600
|
(a)
|
|
40 m
|
7.025-7.125
|
7.025-7.125
|
7.025-7.125
|
(i)
|
|
15 m
|
21.025-21.200
|
21.025-21.200
|
21.025-21.200
|
|
|
10 m
|
28.0-28.5
|
28.0-28.5
|
28.0-28.5
|
|
|
VHF
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
|
|
1.25 m
|
|
<span>222-225
|
|
(a)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UHF
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
MHz
|
|
|
23 cm
|
1270-1295
|
1270-1295
|
1270-1295
|
(d), (o)
|
[75 FR 27201, May 14, 2010, as amended at 75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010; 80 FR 38911, July 7, 2015; 82 FR 27214, June 14, 2017]
97.303 Frequency sharing requirements.
The following paragraphs summarize the frequency sharing
requirements that apply to amateur stations transmitting in the
frequency bands specified in §97.301 of this part. 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.
(a) Where, in adjacent ITU Regions or sub-Regions, a band of
frequencies is allocated to different services of the same category (i.e., primary
or secondary services), the basic principle is the equality of right to
operate. Accordingly, stations of each service in one Region or
sub-Region must operate so as not to cause harmful interference to any
service of the same or higher category in the other Regions or
sub-Regions.
(b) Amateur stations transmitting in the 70 cm band, the 33 cm
band, the 23 cm band, the 9 cm band, the 5 cm band, the 3 cm band, or
the 24.05-24.25 GHz segment must not cause harmful interference to, and
must accept interference from, stations authorized by the United States
Government in the radiolocation service.
(c) Amateur stations transmitting in the 76-81 GHz segment, the
136-141 GHz segment, or the 241-248 GHz segment must not cause harmful
interference to, and must accept interference from, stations authorized
by the United States Government, the FCC, or other nations in the
radiolocation service.
(d) Amateur stations transmitting in the 430-450 MHz segment,
the 23 cm band, the 3.3-3.4 GHz segment, the 5.65-5.85 GHz segment, the
13 cm band, or the 24.05-24.25 GHz segment, must not cause harmful
interference to, and must accept interference from, stations authorized
by other nations in the radiolocation service.
(e) Amateur stations receiving in the 33 cm band, the 2400-2450
MHz segment, the 5.725-5.875 GHz segment, the 1.2 cm band, the 2.5 mm
band, or the 244-246 GHz segment must accept interference from
industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) equipment.
(f) Amateur stations transmitting in the following segments
must not cause harmful interference to radio astronomy stations:
3.332-3.339 GHz, 3.3458-3.3525 GHz, 76-81 GHz, 136-141 GHz, 241-248 GHz,
275-323 GHz, 327-371 GHz, 388-424 GHz, 426-442 GHz, 453-510 GHz,
623-711 GHz, 795-909 GHz, or 926-945 GHz. In addition, amateur stations
transmitting in the following segments must not cause harmful
interference to stations in the Earth exploration-satellite service
(passive) or the space research service (passive): 275-277 GHz, 294-306
GHz, 316-334 GHz, 342-349 GHz, 363-365 GHz, 371-389 GHz, 416-434 GHz,
442-444 GHz, 496-506 GHz, 546-568 GHz, 624-629 GHz, 634-654 GHz, 659-661
GHz, 684-692 GHz, 730-732 GHz, 851-853 GHz, or 951-956 GHz.
(g) In the 2200 m and 630 m bands:
(1) Amateur stations in the 135.7-137.8 kHz (2200 m) and
472-479 kHz (630 m) bands shall only operate at fixed locations. Amateur
stations shall not operate within a horizontal distance of one
kilometer from a transmission line that conducts a power line carrier
(PLC) signal in the 135.7-137.8 kHz or 472-479 kHz bands. Horizontal
distance is measured from the station's antenna to the closest point on
the transmission line.
(2) Prior to commencement of operations in the 135.7-137.8 kHz
(2200 m) and/or 472-479 kHz (630 m) bands, amateur operators shall
notify the Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) of their intent to operate by
submitting their call signs, intended band or bands of operation, and
the coordinates of their antenna's fixed location. Amateur stations will
be permitted to commence operations after the 30-day period unless UTC
notifies the station that its fixed location is located within one
kilometer of PLC systems operating in the same or overlapping
frequencies.
(3) Amateur stations in the 135.7-137.8 kHz (2200 m) band shall
not cause harmful interference to, and shall accept interference from:
(i) Stations authorized by the United States Government in the fixed and maritime mobile services;
(ii) Stations authorized by other nations in the fixed, maritime mobile, and radionavigation service.
(4) Amateur stations in the 472-479 kHz (630 m) band shall not
cause harmful interference to, and shall accept interference from:
(i) Stations authorized by the FCC in the maritime mobile service;
(ii) Stations authorized by other nations in the maritime mobile and aeronautical radionavigation services.
(5) Amateur stations causing harmful interference shall take
all necessary measures to eliminate such interference—including
temporary or permanent termination of transmissions.
(h) 60 m band: (1) In the 5330.5-5406.4 kHz
band (60 m band), amateur stations may transmit only on the five center
frequencies specified in the table below. In order to meet this
requirement, control operators of stations transmitting phone, data, and
RTTY emissions (emission designators 2K80J3E, 2K80J2D, and 60H0J2B,
respectively) may set the carrier frequency 1.5 kHz below the center
frequency as specified in the table below. For CW emissions (emission
designator 150HA1A), the carrier frequency is set to the center
frequency. Amateur operators shall ensure that their emissions do not
occupy more than 2.8 kHz centered on each of these center frequencies.
60 M Band Frequencies (kHz)
|
Carrier
|
Center
|
|
5330.5
|
5332.0
|
|
5346.5
|
5348.0
|
|
5357.0
|
5358.5
|
|
5371.5
|
5373.0
|
|
5403.5
|
5405.0
|
(2) Amateur stations transmitting
on the 60 m band must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept
interference from, stations authorized by:
(i) The United States (NTIA and FCC) and other nations in the fixed service; and
(ii) Other nations in the mobile except aeronautical mobile service.
(i) Amateur stations transmitting in the 7.2-7.3 MHz segment
must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference
from, international broadcast stations whose programming is intended for
use within Region 1 or Region 3.
(j) Amateur stations transmitting in the 30 m band must not
cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from,
stations 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.
(k) For amateur stations located in ITU Regions 1 and 3:
Amateur stations transmitting in the 146-148 MHz segment or the
10.00-10.45 GHz segment must not cause harmful interference to, and must
accept interference from, stations of other nations in the fixed and
mobile services.
(l) In the 219-220 MHz segment:
(1) Use is restricted to amateur stations participating as
forwarding stations in fixed point-to-point digital message forwarding
systems, including intercity packet backbone networks. It is not
available for other purposes.
(2) Amateur stations must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from, stations authorized by:
(i) The FCC in the Automated Maritime Telecommunications System
(AMTS), the 218-219 MHz Service, and the 220 MHz Service, and
television stations broadcasting on channels 11 and 13; and
(ii) Other nations in the fixed and maritime mobile services.
(3) No amateur station may transmit unless the licensee has
given written notification of the station's specific geographic location
for such transmissions in order to be incorporated into a database 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 League, Inc., 225 Main
Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494.
(4) No amateur station may transmit from a location that is
within 640 km of an AMTS coast station that operates in the 217-218 MHz
and 219-220 MHz 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 as noted in paragraph (l)(3) of this section.
(5) No amateur station may transmit from a location that is
within 80 km of an AMTS coast station that uses frequencies in the
217-218 MHz and 219-220 MHz 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 (l)(3) of this section.
(m) In the 70 cm band:
(1) No amateur station shall transmit from north of Line A in
the 420-430 MHz segment. See §97.3(a) for the definition of Line A.
(2) Amateur stations transmitting in the 420-430 MHz segment
must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference
from, stations authorized by the FCC in the land mobile service within
80.5 km of Buffalo, Cleveland, and Detroit. See 2.106, footnote US230
for specific frequencies and coordinates.
(3) Amateur stations transmitting in the 420-430 MHz segment or
the 440-450 MHz segment must not cause harmful interference to, and
must accept interference from, stations authorized by other nations in
the fixed and mobile except aeronautical mobile services.
(n) In the 33 cm band:
(1) Amateur stations must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from, stations authorized by:
(i) The United States Government;
(ii) The FCC in the Location and Monitoring Service; and
(iii) Other nations in the fixed service.
(2) No amateur station shall transmit from those portions of Texas and New Mexico that are bounded by latitudes 3141? and 34°30? North and longitudes 10411? and 10730? West; or from outside of the United States and its Region 2 insular areas.
(3) No amateur station shall transmit from those portions of
Colorado and Wyoming that are bounded by latitudes 39 and 42 North and
longitudes 103 and 108 West in the following segments: 902.4-902.6
MHz, 904.3-904.7 MHz, 925.3-925.7 MHz, and 927.3-927.7 MHz.
(o) Amateur stations transmitting in the 23 cm band must not
cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from,
stations authorized by:
(1) The United States Government in the aeronautical
radionavigation, Earth exploration-satellite (active), or space research
(active) services;
(2) The FCC in the aeronautical radionavigation service; and
(3) Other nations in the Earth exploration-satellite (active),
radionavigation-satellite (space-to-Earth) (space-to-space), or space
research (active) services.
(p) In the 13 cm band:
(1) Amateur stations must not cause harmful interference to,
and must accept interference from, stations authorized by other nations
in fixed and mobile services.
(2) Amateur stations transmitting in the 2305-2310 MHz segment
must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference
from, stations authorized by the FCC in the fixed, mobile except
aeronautical mobile, and radiolocation services.
(q) Amateur stations transmitting in the 3.4-3.5 GHz segment
must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference
from, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed and
fixed-satellite (space-to-Earth) services.
(r) In the 5 cm band:
(1) Amateur stations transmitting in the 5.650-5.725 GHz
segment must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept
interference from, stations authorized by other nations in the mobile
except aeronautical mobile service.
(2) Amateur stations transmitting in the 5.850-5.925 GHz
segment must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept
interference from, stations authorized by the FCC and other nations in
the fixed-satellite (Earth-to-space) and mobile services and also
stations authorized by other nations in the fixed service. In the United
States, the use of mobile service is restricted to Dedicated Short
Range Communications operating in the Intelligent Transportation System.
(s) [Reserved]
(t) Amateur stations transmitting in the 2.5 mm band must not
cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from,
stations authorized by the United States Government, the FCC, or other
nations in the fixed, inter-satellite, or mobile services.
Note to §97.303: The Table of Frequency
Allocations contains the complete, unabridged, and legally binding
frequency sharing requirements that pertain to the Amateur Radio
Service. See 47 CFR 2.104, 2.105, and 2.106. The United
States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are in Region 2 and
other U.S. insular areas are in either Region 2 or 3; see appendix 1 to
part 97.
[75 FR 27203, May 14, 2010, as amended at 77 FR 5412, Feb. 3,
2012; 80 FR 38912, July 7, 2015; 82 FR 27215, June 14, 2017; 82 FR
43872, Sept. 20, 2017]
97.305 Authorized emission types.
(a) Except as specified elsewhere in this part, 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 and no SS
modulation emission may be transmitted on any frequency where SS 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
97.307(f) of this part.
|
Wavelength band
|
Frequencies
|
Emission types authorized
|
Standards see §97.307(f), paragraph:
|
|
LF:
|
|
|
|
|
2200 m
|
Entire band
|
RTTY, data
|
(3).
|
|
2200 m
|
Entire band
|
Phone, image
|
(1), (2).
|
|
MF:
|
|
|
|
|
160 m
|
Entire band
|
RTTY, data
|
(3).
|
|
160 m
|
Entire band
|
Phone, image
|
(1), (2).
|
|
630 m
|
Entire band
|
RTTY, data
|
(3).
|
|
630 m
|
Entire band
|
Phone, image
|
(1), (2).
|
|
HF:
|
|
|
|
|
80 m
|
Entire band
|
RTTY, data
|
(3), (9).
|
|
75 m
|
Entire band
|
Phone, image
|
(1), (2).
|
|
60 m
|
5.332, 5.348, 5.3585, 5.373 and 5.405 MHz
|
Phone, RTTY, data
|
(14).
|
|
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
|
7.100-7.125 MHz
|
RTTY, data
|
(3), (9)
|
|
40 m
|
7.125-7.300 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
|
RTTY, data, test MCW, phone, SS, image
|
(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).
|
|
v23 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 275 GHz
|
MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, test, pulse
|
(7), (8), and (12).
|
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR
39536, Sept. 27, 1989; 55 FR 22013, May 30, 1990, as amended at 55 FR
30457, July 26, 1990; 60 FR 15688, Mar. 27, 1995; 64 FR 51471, Sept. 23,
1999; 71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 27204, May 14, 2010; 77 FR
5412, Feb. 3, 2012; 82 FR 27215, June 14, 2017]
97.307 Emission standards.
(a) No amateur station transmission shall occupy more bandwidth
than necessary for the information rate and emission type being
transmitted, in accordance with good amateur practice.
(b) Emissions resulting from modulation must be confined to the
band or segment available to the control operator. Emissions outside
the necessary bandwidth must not cause splatter or keyclick interference
to operations on adjacent frequencies.
(c) All spurious emissions from a station transmitter must be
reduced to the greatest extent practicable. If any spurious emission,
including chassis or power line radiation, causes harmful interference
to the reception of another radio station, the licensee of the
interfering amateur station is required to take steps to eliminate the
interference, in accordance with good engineering practice.
(d) For transmitters installed after January 1, 2003, the mean
power of any spurious emission from a station transmitter or external RF
power amplifier transmitting on a frequency below 30 MHz must be at
least 43 dB below the mean power of the fundamental emission. For
transmitters installed on or before January 1, 2003, the mean power of
any spurious emission from a station transmitter or external RF power
amplifier transmitting on a frequency below 30 MHz must not exceed 50 mW
and must be at least 40 dB below the mean power of the fundamental
emission. For a transmitter of mean power less than 5 W installed on or
before January 1, 2003, the attenuation must be at least 30 dB. A
transmitter built before April 15, 1977, or first marketed before
January 1, 1978, is exempt from this requirement.
(e) The mean power of any spurious emission from a station
transmitter or external RF power amplifier transmitting on a frequency
between 30-225 MHz must be at least 60 dB below the mean power of the
fundamental. For a transmitter having a mean power of 25 W or less, the
mean power of any spurious emission supplied to the antenna transmission
line must not exceed 25 µW and must be at least 40 dB below the mean
power of the fundamental emission, but need not be reduced below the
power of 10 µW. A transmitter built before April 15, 1977, or first
marketed before January 1, 1978, is exempt from this requirement.
(f) The following standards and limitations apply to transmissions on the frequencies specified in §97.305(c) of this part.
(1) No angle-modulated emission may have a modulation index greater than 1 at the highest modulation frequency.
(2) No non-phone emission shall exceed the bandwidth of a
communications quality phone emission of the same modulation type. The
total bandwidth of an independent sideband emission (having B as the
first symbol), or a multiplexed image and phone emission, shall not
exceed that of a communications quality A3E emission.
(3) Only a RTTY or data emission using a specified digital code
listed in §97.309(a) of this part may be transmitted. The symbol rate
must not exceed 300 bauds, or for frequency-shift keying, the frequency
shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz.
(4) Only a RTTY or data emission using a specified digital code
listed in §97.309(a) of this part may be transmitted. The symbol rate
must not exceed 1200 bauds, or for frequency-shift keying, the frequency
shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz.
(5) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified
digital code listed in §97.309(a) of this part may be transmitted. The
symbol rate must not exceed 19.6 kilobauds. A RTTY, data or multiplexed
emission using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed
in §97.309(b) of this part also may be transmitted. The authorized
bandwidth is 20 kHz.
(6) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified
digital code listed in §97.309(a) of this part may be transmitted. The
symbol rate must not exceed 56 kilobauds. A RTTY, data or multiplexed
emission using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed
in §97.309(b) of this part also may be transmitted. The authorized
bandwidth is 100 kHz.
(7) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified
digital code listed in §97.309(a) of this part or an unspecified digital
code under the limitations listed in §97.309(b) of this part may be
transmitted.
(8) A RTTY or data emission having designators with A, B, C, D,
E, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2, 7, 9 or X as the second
symbol; and D or W as the third symbol is also authorized.
(9) A station having a control operator holding a Novice or
Technician Class operator license may only transmit a CW emission using
the international Morse code.
(10) A station having a control operator holding a Novice Class
operator license or a Technician Class operator license may only
transmit a CW emission using the international Morse code or phone
emissions J3E and R3E.
(11) Phone and image emissions may be transmitted only by
stations located in ITU Regions 1 and 3, and by stations located within
ITU Region 2 that are west of 130° West longitude or south of 20° North
latitude.
(12) Emission F8E may be transmitted.
(13) A data emission using an unspecified digital code under
the limitations listed in
97.309(b) also may be transmitted. The
authorized bandwidth is 100 kHz.
(14) In the 60 m band:
(i) A station may transmit only phone, RTTY, data, and CW
emissions using the emission designators and any additional restrictions
that are specified in the table below (except that the use of a
narrower necessary bandwidth is permitted):
60 M Band Emission Requirements
|
Emission type
|
Emission designator
|
Restricted to:
|
|
Phone
|
2K80J3E
|
Upper sideband transmissions (USB).
|
|
Data
|
2K80J2D
|
USB (for example, PACTOR-III).
|
|
RTTY
|
60H0J2B
|
USB (for example, PSK31).
|
|
CW
|
150HA1A
|
Morse telegraphy by means of on-off keying.
|
(ii) The following requirements also apply:
(A) When transmitting the phone, RTTY, and data emissions, the
suppressed carrier frequency may be set as specified in §97.303(h).
(B) The control operator of a station transmitting data or RTTY
emissions must exercise care to limit the length of transmission so as
to avoid causing harmful interference to United States Government
stations.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR 30823, July 24, 1989, as
amended at 54 FR 39537, Sept. 27, 1989; 60 FR 15688, Mar. 27, 1995; 65
FR 6550, Feb. 10, 2000; 69 FR 24997, May 5, 2004; 77 FR 5412, Feb. 3,
2012; 79 FR 35291, June 20, 2014]
97.309 RTTY and data emission codes.
(a) Where authorized by
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 ITU-T Recommendation F.1, Division C (commonly
known as
Baudot).
(2) The 7-unit code specified in ITU-R Recommendations M.476-5 and M.625-3 (commonly known as “AMTOR”).
(3) The 7-unit, International Alphabet No. 5, code defined in IT--T Recommendation T.50 (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 97.305(c) and 97.307(f), 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 a Regional Director 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; 71 FR
25982, May 3, 2006; 71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006; 80 FR 53753, Sept. 8,
2015]
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 and between an area where the
amateur service is regulated by the FCC and an amateur station in
another country that permits such communications. SS emission
transmissions must not be used for the purpose of obscuring the meaning
of any communication.
(b) A station transmitting SS emissions must not cause harmful
interference to stations employing other authorized emissions, and must
accept all interference caused by stations employing other authorized
emissions.
(c) When deemed necessary by a Regional Director to assure compliance with this part, a station licensee must:
(1) Cease SS emission transmissions;
(2) Restrict SS emission transmissions to the extent instructed; and
(3) Maintain a record, convertible to the original information
(voice, text, image, etc.) of all spread spectrum communications
transmitted.
[64 FR 51471, Sept. 23, 1999, as amended at 76 FR 17569, Mar. 30, 2011; 80 FR 53753, Sept. 8, 2015]
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 output exceeding 200 W PEP:
(1) On the 10.10-10.15 MHz segment;
(2) On the 3.525-3.60 MHz, 7.025-7.125 MHz, 21.025-21.20 MHz,
and 28.0-28.5 MHz segment when the control operator is a Novice Class
operator or a Technician Class 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 paragraph (a)
of footnote US270 in §2.106, unless expressly authorized by the FCC
after mutual agreement, on a case-by-case basis, between the Regional
Director 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.
(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°41? North, on the east by longitude 104°11? West, on the north by latitude 3430? North, and on the west by longitude 10730? 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.
(i) No station may transmit with an effective radiated power
(ERP) exceeding 100 W PEP on the 60 m band. For the purpose of computing
ERP, the transmitter PEP will be multiplied by the antenna gain
relative to a half-wave dipole antenna. A half-wave dipole antenna will
be presumed to have a gain of 1 (0 dBd). Licensees using other antennas
must maintain in their station records either the antenna manufacturer's
data on the antenna gain or calculations of the antenna gain.
(j) No station may transmit with a transmitter output exceeding 10 W PEP when the station is transmitting a SS emission type.
(k) No station may transmit in the 135.7-137.8 kHz (2200 m)
band with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5 kW PEP or a radiated power
exceeding 1 W EIRP.
(l) No station may transmit in the 472-479 kHz (630 m) band
with a transmitter power exceeding 500 W PEP or a radiated power
exceeding 5 W EIRP, except that in Alaska, stations located within 800
kilometers of the Russian Federation may not transmit with a radiated
power exceeding 1 W EIRP.
(m) No station may transmit with a peak equivalent
isotropically radiated power (EIRP) exceeding 316 W in the 76-81 GHz (4
mm) 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; 65 FR
6550, Feb. 10, 2000; 71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 27204, May 14,
2010; 75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010; 76 FR 17569, Mar. 30, 2011; 77 FR
5413, Feb. 3, 2012; 80 FR 53753, Sept. 8, 2015; 82 FR 27216, June 14,
2017; 82 FR 43872, Sept. 20, 2017]
97.315 Certification of external RF power amplifiers.
(a) Any external RF power amplifier (see §2.815 of the FCC
Rules) manufactured or imported for use at an amateur radio station must
be certificated for use in the amateur service in accordance with
subpart J of part 2 of the FCC Rules. No amplifier capable of operation
below 144 MHz may be constructed or modified by a non-amateur service
licensee without a grant of certification from the FCC.
(b) The requirement of paragraph (a) does not apply if one or more of the following conditions are met:
(1) The amplifier is constructed or modified by an amateur radio operator for use at an amateur station.
(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 radio operator for use at
that operator's station.
(3) The amplifier is sold to an amateur radio operator or to a
dealer, the amplifier is purchased in used condition by a dealer, or the
amplifier is sold to an amateur radio operator for use at that
operator's station.
(c) Any external RF power amplifier appearing in the
Commission's database as certificated for use in the amateur service may
be marketed for use in the amateur service.
[71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006]
97.317 Standards for certification of external RF power amplifiers.
(a) To receive a grant of certification, the amplifier must:
(1) Satisfy the spurious emission standards of §97.307 (d) or
(e) of this part, as applicable, when the amplifier is operated at the
lesser of 1.5 kW PEP or its full output power and when the amplifier is
placed in the “standby” or “off” positions while connected to the
transmitter.
(2) Not be capable of amplifying the input RF power (driving
signal) by more than 15 dB gain. Gain is defined as the ratio of the
input RF power to the output RF power of the amplifier where both power
measurements are expressed in peak envelope power or mean power.
(3) Exhibit no amplification (0 dB gain) between 26 MHz and 28 MHz.
(b) Certification shall be denied when:
(1) The Commission determines the amplifier can be used in services other than the Amateur Radio Service, or
(2) The amplifier can be easily modified to operate on frequencies between 26 MHz and 28 MHz.
[71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006]
Subpart E-Providing Emergency Communications
97.401 Operation during a disaster.
A station in, or within 92.6 km (50 nautical miles) of, Alaska
may transmit emissions J3E and R3E on the channel at 5.1675 MHz
(assigned frequency 5.1689 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 PEP. A
station in, or within 92.6 km of, Alaska may transmit communications for
tests and training drills necessary to ensure the establishment,
operation, and maintenance of emergency communication systems.
[71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006]
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.
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.
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. No person 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 invoking 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, amateur stations
participating in RACES may only transmit on the frequency segments
authorized pursuant to part 214 of this chapter.
(c) An amateur station registered with a civil defense
organization may only communicate with the following stations upon
authorization of the responsible civil defense official for the
organization with which the amateur station is registered:
(1) An amateur station registered with the same or another civil defense organization; and
(2) A station in a service regulated by the FCC whenever such communication is authorized by the FCC.
(d) 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.
[75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010]
Subpart F-Qualifying Examination Systems
97.501 Qualifying for an amateur operator license.
Each applicant must pass an examination for a new amateur
operator license grant and for each change in operator class. Each
applicant for the class of operator license grant specified below must
pass, or otherwise receive examination credit for, the following
examination elements:
(a) Amateur Extra Class operator: Elements 2, 3, and 4;
(b) General Class operator: Elements 2 and 3;
(c) Technician Class operator: Element 2.
[65 FR 6550, Feb. 10, 2000, as amended at 72 FR 3082, Jan. 24, 2007]
97.503 Element standards.
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:
(a) Element 2: 35 questions concerning the privileges of a
Technician Class operator license. The minimum passing score is 26
questions answered correctly.
(b) Element 3: 35 questions concerning the privileges of a
General Class operator license. The minimum passing score is 26
questions answered correctly.
(c) Element 4: 50 questions concerning the privileges of an
Amateur Extra Class operator license. The minimum passing score is 37
questions answered correctly.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 61 FR 41019, Aug. 7, 1996; 65 FR 6550, Feb. 10, 2000; 72 FR 3082, Jan. 24, 2007]
97.505 Element credit.
(a) The administering VEs must give credit as specified below to an examinee holding any of the following license grants:
|
Operator class
|
Unexpired (or within the renewal
grace period)
|
Expired and beyond the renewal
grace period
|
|
(1) Amateur Extra
|
Not applicable
|
Elements 3 and 4.
|
|
(2) Advanced; General; or Technician granted before March 21, 1987
|
Elements 2 and 3
|
Element 3.
|
|
(3) Technician Plus; or Technician granted on or after March 21, 1987
|
Element 2
|
No credit.
|
(b) The administering VEs must
give credit to an examinee holding a CSCE for each element the CSCE
indicates the examinee passed within the previous 365 days.
[79 FR 35291, June 20, 2014]
97.507 Preparing an examination.
(a) Each written question set administered to an examinee must
be prepared by a VE holding an Amateur Extra Class operator license. A
written question set may also be prepared for the following elements by a
VE holding an operator license of the class indicated:
(1) Element 3: Advanced Class operator.
(2) Element 2: Advanced or General class operators.
(b) Each question set administered to an examinee must utilize questions taken from the applicable question pool.
(c) Each written question set administered to an examinee for
an amateur operator license must be prepared, or obtained from a
supplier, by the administering VEs according to instructions from the
coordinating VEC.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 58 FR 29126, May 19,
1993; 59 FR 54834, Nov. 2, 1994; 65 FR 6551, Feb. 10, 2000; 69 FR
24997, May 5, 2004; 79 FR 35291, June 20, 2014; 79 FR 52226, Sept. 3,
2014]
97.509 Administering VE requirements.
(a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be
administered by a team of at least 3 VEs at an examination session
coordinated by a VEC. The number of examinees at the session may be
limited.
(b) Each administering VE must:
(1) Be accredited by the coordinating VEC;
(2) Be at least 18 years of age;
(3) Be a person who holds an amateur operator license of the class specified below:
(i) Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class in order to administer a Technician Class operator license examination;
(ii) Amateur Extra or Advanced Class in order to administer a General Class operator license examination;
(iii) Amateur Extra Class in order to administer an Amateur Extra Class operator license examination.
(4) Not be a person whose grant of an amateur station license or amateur operator license has ever been revoked or suspended.
(c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout
the entire examination. The administering VEs are responsible for the
proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The
administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon
failure of the examinee to comply with their instructions.
(d) No VE may administer an examination to his or her spouse,
children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents,
stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts,
uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.
(e) No VE may administer or certify any examination by
fraudulent means or for monetary or other consideration including
reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted. Violation of
this provision may result in the revocation of the grant of the VE's
amateur station license and the suspension of the grant of the VE's
amateur operator license.
(f) No examination that has been compromised shall be
administered to any examinee. The same question set may not be
re-administered to the same examinee.
(g) [Reserved]
(h) Upon completion of each examination element, the
administering VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers. For
examinations administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the
examinee's answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The
administering VEs are responsible for determining the correctness of the
examinee's answers.
(i) When the examinee is credited for all examination elements
required for the operator license sought, 3 VEs must certify that the
examinee is qualified for the license grant and that the VEs have
complied with these administering VE requirements. The certifying VEs
are jointly and individually accountable for the proper administration
of each examination element reported. The certifying VEs may delegate to
other qualified VEs their authority, but not their accountability, to
administer individual elements of an examination.
(j) When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an
examination element, the administering VEs must return the application
document to the examinee and inform the examinee of the grade.
(k) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose
physical disabilities require a special examination procedure. The
administering VEs may require a physician's certification indicating the
nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special
procedures must be used.
(l) The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an examination element.
(m) After the administration of a successful examination for an
amateur operator license, the administering VEs must submit the
application document to the coordinating VEC according to the
coordinating VEC's instructions.
[59 FR 54834, Nov. 2, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 9953, Mar. 12,
1996; 62 FR 17567, Apr. 10, 1997; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998; 65 FR
6551, Feb. 10, 2000; 71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006; 79 FR 35291. June 20,
2014]
97.511 Examinee conduct.
