NOTE! On July 1, 2020, this post will become obsolete as the 2020 Extra Class question pool goes into effect. Please refer to the post from the 2020 No Nonsense Extra Class Study Guide instead.
E1A Operating Standards: frequency privileges; emission standards; automatic message forwarding; frequency sharing; stations aboard ships or aircraft
When using a transceiver that displays the carrier frequency of phone signals, the highest frequency at which a properly adjusted USB emission will be totally within the band is 3 kHz below the upper band edge. (E1A01) So, with your transceiver displaying the carrier frequency of phone signals, you hear a DX station’s CQ on 14.349 MHz USB. Is it legal to return the call using upper sideband on the same frequency? No, the sidebands will extend beyond the band edge. (E1A03)
The reason for this is that the USB signal extends from the carrier frequency, which is the frequency that the transceiver is displaying, up 3 kHz. When you set the transceiver to 14.349 kHz, the upper sideband will extend up to 14.352 MHz, and because the amateur radio band stops at 14.350 MHz, some of the transmission will fall outside the band.
A similar thing happens, but in reverse, when you operate lower sideband, or LSB. When using a transceiver that displays the carrier frequency of phone signals, the lowest frequency at which a properly adjusted LSB emission will be totally within the band is 3 kHz above the lower band edge. (E1A02) With your transceiver displaying the carrier frequency of phone signals, you hear a DX station calling CQ on 3.601 MHz LSB. Is it legal to return the call using lower sideband on the same frequency? No, the sideband will extend beyond the edge of the phone band segment. (E1A04)
The lower sideband will extend down 3 kHz from the carrier frequency. So, when your transceiver is set to 3.601 MHz, your signal will extend down to 3.598 MHz, which is outside the phone band.
This is also a consideration when operating CW because a CW signal occupies a finite bandwidth. With your transceiver displaying the carrier frequency of CW signals, if you hear a DX station’s CQ on 3.500 MHz, it is not legal to return the call using CW on the same frequency because one of the sidebands of the CW signal will be out of the band. (E1A12)
The 60 m band is one of the oddest amateur radio bands. One of the reasons for this is that the 60 meter band is the only amateur band where transmission on specific channels rather than a range of frequencies is permitted. (E1A07) Also, the carrier frequency of a CW signal that complies with FCC rules for 60 meter operation must be set at the center frequency of the channel, (E1A06) and the maximum bandwidth for a data emission on 60m is 2.8 kHz. (E1A14)
The rules for power output are also a bit arcane. The maximum power output permitted on the 60 meter band is 100 watts PEP effective radiated power relative to the gain of a half-wave dipole. (E1A05) The rules are written this way to minimize interference between amateur radio operators, who are secondary users of this band, and the primary users, which are primarily government radio stations.
Some amateur radio systems automatically forward messages for other amateur radio stations. Winlink is one such system. There is always a question of who is responsible when an automatically-controlled station forwards a message that violates FCC rules.
If a station in a message forwarding system inadvertently forwards a message that is in violation of FCC rules, the control operator of the originating station is primarily accountable for the rules violation, (E1A08) This is very similar to the situation where a repeater is used to send messages that violate FCC rules.
The first action you should take if your digital message forwarding station inadvertently forwards a communication that violates FCC rules is to discontinue forwarding the communication as soon as you become aware of it. (E1A09) This is also similar to what a repeater control operator should do if a repeater user is violating FCC rules.
Operating an amateur radio station on a ship or an airplane can be a lot of fun, but there are some rules that govern this operation. For example, if an amateur station is installed aboard a ship or aircraft, its operation must be approved by the master of the ship or the pilot in command of the aircraft before the station is operated. (E1A10) Any FCC-issued amateur license is required when operating an amateur station aboard a U.S.-registered vessel in international waters. (E1A11)
Even when operating from a ship, there must be a control operator. Any person holding an FCC-issued amateur license or who is authorized for alien reciprocal operation must be in physical control of the station apparatus of an amateur station aboard any vessel or craft that is documented or registered in the United States. (E1A13)
Dave New, N8SBE says
I don’t know why they delay talking about working too close to the band edges until the Extra class question pool. I found plenty of folks willing to risk their license during the CQ WPX SSB contest this past weekend. There was a French club station calling CQ contest on 7.124 MHz LSB, and plenty of US stations calling them, everyone one of them with sidebands outside the US phone band. I couldn’t tell them on the air, of course, or I would be in violation, as well. I ended up sending an email to the club station, which they likely won’t see until sometime after the contest is over. But maybe they will be more careful in the future. Even if it is OK for the French station to be on that frequency running LSB, they should not be contacting any US stations running LSB there. The contest judges should end up throwing out all the contacts made there, if the electronic logs show the actual frequency and mode.
An even more clear violation occurred on 20 meters, when another DX station ended up working a bunch of US stations on USB on 14.348 MHz. While I was listening to this, some unidentified station told the DX station he was out of the band, and his answer was, “Well, I had to come up here, because there was no room below.”
Pretty amazing. I’ve always thought that band edges were to be strictly adhered to, so this guy’s relaxed attitude that it was OK, because the band was crowded just floored me.
I hope that CQ ends up yellow- or red-flagging such stuff, to send a clear message that this is not to be tolerated. The ham radio service lives and dies on how we behave ourselves on the band, and whether we are more help than hindrance to the various government entities that regulate our existence.
Dan KB6NU says
There is actually a question (T1B09) on the Tech test. Here’s the paragraph that covers that question from my Tech study guide: