An important concept in amateur radio is the control operator. Only a person for whom an amateur operator/primary station license grant appears in the FCC database or who is authorized for alien reciprocal operation is eligible to be the control operator of an amateur station. (T1E02) The FCC presumes the station licensee to be the control operator of an amateur station, unless documentation to the contrary is in the station records. (T1E11)
An amateur station is never permitted to transmit without a control operator. (T1E01) The station licensee must designate the station control operator. (T1E03) When the control operator is not the station licensee, the control operator and the station licensee are equally responsible for the proper operation of the station. (T1E07) The control operator of the originating station is accountable should a repeater inadvertently retransmit communications that violate the FCC rules. (T1F10)
The class of operator license held by the control operator determines the transmitting privileges of an amateur station. (T1E04) At no time, under normal circumstances, may a Technician Class licensee be the control operator of a station operating in an exclusive Extra Class operator segment of the amateur bands. (T1E12)
Two related concepts are the control type and control point. An amateur station control point is the location at which the control operator function is performed. (T1E05)
Local control is the type of control being used when transmitting using a handheld radio. (T1E09) Operating the station over the Internet is an example of remote control as defined in Part 97. (T1E10) Repeater operation is an example of automatic control. (T1E08) APRS network digipeaters operate under automatic control. (T1E06)
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