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.
When the control operator is present at the station he or she is controlling, we say that the station is under local control. Control operators do not, however, have to be physically present at the station they are controlling. They can control a station via a radio link or via the internet, for example. If that link malfunctions, however, a remotely-controlled station may only transmit for up to 3 minutes..
QUESTION: How do the control operator responsibilities of a station under automatic control differ from one under local control? (E1C03)
ANSWER: Under automatic control the control operator is not required to be present at the control point
QUESTION: What is the maximum permissible duration of a remotely controlled station’s transmissions if its control link malfunctions? (E1C08)
ANSWER: 3 minutes
When a station is being automatically controlled, the control operator need not be at the control point. Repeater stations, for example, are usually automatically controlled, and the control operator is normally not at the control point. One thing to keep in mind is that an automatically controlled station may never originate third party communications.
QUESTION: When may an automatically controlled station originate third party communications? (E1C05)
ANSWER: Never
IARP and CEPT licenses, third-party traffic
To operate in certain countries of the Americas, U.S. amateurs can apply for an International Amateur Radio Permit (IARP). 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.
QUESTION: What is meant by IARP? (E1C04)
ANSWER: An international amateur radio permit that allows U.S. amateurs to operate in certain countries of the Americas
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. There are 40 European countries that allow you to operate under the CEPT agreement. If you do plan to operate in a foreign country under the CEPT agreement, make sure to obtain and bring with you a copy of FCC Public Notice DA 16-048.
QUESTION: Which of the following operating arrangements 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)
ANSWER: CEPT agreement
QUESTION: Which of the following is required in order to operate in accordance with CEPT rules in foreign countries where permitted? (E1C06)
ANSWER: You must bring a copy of FCC Public Notice DA 16-1048
Although not a licensing issue, §97.117 notes, “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.”
QUESTION: Which of the following types of communications may be transmitted to amateur stations in foreign countries? (E1C02)
ANSWER: Communications incidental to the purpose of the amateur service and remarks of a personal nature
Bandwidth and other technical requirements
Part 97 contains a number of rules relating to technical requirements that amateur radio stations must adhere to. For example, the maximum bandwidth for a data emission on the 60-meter band is 2.8 kHz, the same as a SSB phone emission. According to §97.3(a)(8), the bandwidth of a signal is, “The width of a frequency band outside of which the mean power of the transmitted signal is attenuated at least 26 dB below the mean power of the transmitted signal within the band.”
QUESTION: What is the maximum bandwidth for a data emission on 60 meters? (E1C01)
ANSWER: 2.8 kHz
QUESTION: At what level below a signal’s mean power level is its bandwidth determined according to FCC rules? (E1C07)
ANSWER: 26 dB
There is also a regulation that specifies allowable levels of spurious emissions from an amateur radio transmitter. §97.307(d) states, “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.” Transmitters installed before January 1, 2003 have more lenient requirements.
QUESTION: What is the permitted mean power of any spurious emission relative to the mean power of the fundamental emission from a station transmitter or external RF amplifier installed after January 1, 2003 and transmitting on a frequency below 30 MHz? (E1C10)
ANSWER: At least 43 dB below
And a random question about modulation index on the 10 meter band.
QUESTION: What is the highest modulation index permitted at the highest modulation frequency for angle modulation below 29.0 MHz? (E1C09)
ANSWER: 1.0
630 meter and 2200 meter band regulations
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) allocated the 630 meter band (472 – 479 kHz) to amateur radio operators at the 2012 World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-12). Although phone operation is permitted across the entire band, you must first notify the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) of your plans to do so. The reason for this is that in some areas of the country, power utilities use those frequencies to transmit data over the power lines, and they want to avoid any interference between amateurs and the utilities.
QUESTION: On what portion of the 630 meter band are phone emissions permitted? (E1C12)
ANSWER: The entire band
QUESTION: What notifications must be given before transmitting on the 630 meter or 2200 meter bands? (E1C13)
ANSWER: Operators must inform the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) of their call sign and coordinates of the station
QUESTION: How long must an operator wait after filing a notification with the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) before operating on the 2200 meter or 630 meter band? (E1C14)
ANSWER: Operators may operate after 30 days, providing they have not been told that their station is within 1 km of PLC systems using those frequencies
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