NOTE: The material in this post will become obsolete on July 1, 2020, when the new Extra Class question pool goes into effect. If you’re studying to take the test after then, refer to the updated blog post instead of this one.
E1C – Definitions and restrictions pertaining to local, automatic and remote control operation; control operator responsibilities for remote and automatically controlled stations; IARP and CEPT licenses; third party communications over automatically controlled stations
An important concept in the rules governing amateur radio is the concept of station control and the control operator. The control operator is the licensed radio amateur who is responsible for the transmissions of a station, and the location of that operator is called the control point. There are three ways that a control operator can control a station: local control, remote control, or automatic control.
Local control means direct manipulation of the transmitter by a control operator. (E1C07) So, when you were sitting in front of your radio, you are using local control.
A remotely controlled station is a station controlled indirectly through a control link. (E1C01) When an amateur station is being remotely controlled, a control operator must be present at the control point. (E1C06) This is, of course, true for local control as well. 3 minutes is the maximum permissible duration of a remotely controlled station’s transmissions if its control link malfunctions. (E1C08)
Automatic control of a station means the use of devices and procedures for control so that the control operator does not have to be present at a control point. (E1C02) The control operator responsibilities of a station under automatic control differs from one under local control. Under automatic control the control operator is not required to be present at the control point. (E1C03)
Most repeaters are operated with automatic control. Only auxiliary, repeater or space stations are the types of amateur stations that may automatically retransmit the radio signals of other amateur stations. (E1C10) 29.500 – 29.700 MHz is the frequency band available for an automatically-controlled repeater operating below 30 MHz. (E1C09) No repeaters are allowed on any other HF band. An automatically controlled station may never originate third party communications. (E1C05)
IARP and CEPT licenses, third-party traffic
An IARP is an international amateur radio permit that allows U.S. amateurs to operate in certain countries of the Americas. (E1C04) Countries that accept an IARP include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela. In the U.S., IARPs are issued by the ARRL.
The CEPT agreement allows an FCC-licensed U.S. citizen to operate in many European countries, and alien amateurs from many European countries to operate in the U.S. (E1C11) You must bring a copy of FCC Public Notice DA 11-221 to operate in accordance with CEPT rules in foreign countries where permitted. (E1C13) There are 40 European countries that allow you to operate under the CEPT agreement.
Apart from these two agreements, amateurs with Canadian licenses are allowed to operate in U.S. without any special license or permit. The privileges authorized in the U.S. to persons holding an amateur service license granted by the Government of Canada include the operating terms and conditions of the Canadian amateur service license, not to exceed U.S. Extra Class privileges. (E1F02)
Remember that when operating in a foreign country or even here in the U.S., communications incidental to the purpose of the amateur service and remarks of a personal nature are the only types of communications may be transmitted to amateur stations in foreign countries. (E1C12)