WHEW! You’ll be glad to know that this is the last section of the 2020 version of the No Nonsense Extra Class License Study Guide. Real soon now, you’ll be able to actually purchase the entire study guide. Thanks for all your support!
As the name of this section implies, it contains a hodgepodge of questions covering sometimes obscure rules. About the only way to get these right is to memorize the answers.
The use of spread-spectrum techniques is a topic that comes up from time to time. Many amateurs feel that the rules are too restrictive. For example, spread spectrum transmissions are permitted only on amateur frequencies above 222 MHz. Other conditions apply as well. Spread spectrum emissions must not cause harmful interference to other stations employing other authorized emissions, the transmitting station must be in an area regulated by the FCC or in a country that permits SS emissions, and the transmission must not be used to obscure the meaning of any communication.
QUESTION: On what frequencies are spread spectrum transmissions permitted? (E1F01)
ANSWER: Only on amateur frequencies above 222 MHz
QUESTION: Which of the following conditions apply when transmitting spread spectrum emissions? (E1F09)
ANSWER: All these choices are correct
- A station transmitting SS emission must not cause harmful interference to other stations employing other authorized emissions.
- The transmitting station must be in an area regulated by the FCC or in a country that permits SS emissions.
- The transmission must not be used to obscure the meaning of any communication.
External RF power amplifiers
The rules governing the use of external amplifiers is also somewhat controversial. A dealer may sell an external RF power amplifier capable of operation below 144 MHz if it has not been granted FCC certification only if it was purchased in used condition from an amateur operator and is sold to another amateur operator for use at that operator’s station. One of the standards that must be met by an external RF power amplifier if it is to qualify for a grant of FCC certification is that it must satisfy the FCC’s spurious emission standards when operated at the lesser of 1500 watts, or its full output power.
QUESTION: Under what circumstances may a dealer sell an external RF power amplifier capable of operation below 144 MHz if it has not been granted FCC certification? (E1F03)
ANSWER: It was purchased in used condition from an amateur operator and is sold to another amateur operator for use at that operator’s station
QUESTION: Which of the following best describes one of the standards that must be met by an external RF power amplifier if it is to qualify for a grant of FCC certification? (E1F11)
ANSWER: It must satisfy the FCC’s spurious emission standards when operated at the lesser of 1500 watts or its full output power
Oh, Canada!
There are regulations that protects Canadian Land/Mobile operations near the US/Canadian border from interference. Amateur stations may not transmit in the 420 – 430 MHz frequency segment if they are located in the contiguous 48 states and north of Line A, which is a line roughly parallel to and south of the US-Canadian border. There is a corresponding “Line B” parallel to and north of the U.S./Canadian border.
QUESTION: Amateur stations may not transmit in which of the following frequency segments if they are located in the contiguous 48 states and north of Line A? (E1F05)
ANSWER: 420 MHz – 430 MHz
QUESTION: Which of the following geographic descriptions approximately describes “Line A”? (E1F04)
ANSWER: A line roughly parallel to and south of the border between the U.S. and Canada
And, while we’re on the topic of Canada, did you know that Canadian amateurs can operate in the U.S. using their Canadian license? They have the same privileges here as they do in Canada, as long as those privileges do not exceed U.S. Amateur Extra Class license privileges.
QUESTION: What privileges are authorized in the U.S. to persons holding an amateur service license granted by the government of Canada? (E1F02)
ANSWER: The operating terms and conditions of the Canadian amateur service license, not to exceed U.S. Amateur Extra Class license privileges
Compensated communications
As you might expect, there are questions about not making any money from operating an amateur radio station. You cannot, for example, accept any material compensation for operating an amateur radio station, except as otherwise provided in the rules. And, an amateur station may send a message to a business only when neither the amateur nor his or her employer has a pecuniary interest in the communications.
QUESTION: Which of the following types of amateur station communications are prohibited? (E1F08)
ANSWER: Communications transmitted for hire or material compensation, except as otherwise provided in the rules
QUESTION: When may an amateur station send a message to a business? (E1F07)
ANSWER: When neither the amateur nor his or her employer has a pecuniary interest in the communications
This next question is a bit of a trick question. 97.201 states that only Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operators may be the control operator of an auxiliary station. It’s a trick question because there are also holders of Novice Class licenses, even though no new Novice licenses have been issued for many years.
QUESTION: Who may be the control operator of an auxiliary station? (E1F10)
ANSWER: Only Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operators
Special temporary authority
Some amateurs are granted special privileges called special temporary authority. The FCC issues a Special Temporary Authority (STA) to an amateur station to provide for experimental amateur communications.
QUESTION: Under what circumstances might the FCC issue a Special Temporary Authority (STA) to an amateur station? (E1F06)
ANSWER: To provide for experimental amateur communications
David Ryeburn VE7EZM and AF7BZ says
The answer to the question about Canadian license use in the US, though it may be the official “correct” answer, isn’t quite correct. Suppose you are a dual US/Canadian citizen, as I am. Then unlike those Canadian hams who aren’t also US citizens and who are therefore welcome to use their Canadian licenses in the US, I can’t use my Canadian license in the US; I have to get a US license too. And the opposite is equally true. A dual citizen with only a US license can’t use it in Canada. Unlicensed between 1967 when my license as W8EZE expired and 2013, and then re-licensed in 2013 as VE7EZM, after I learned this I drove down to Bellingham, WA one fine day and wrote all three exams: Technician, then General, then Extra. (US law has changed and if I were to do this now I would only have to complete the Technician exam successfully, display my Extra Class license that expired in 1967, and then not bother writing the General or Extra exams.)
Dan KB6NU says
That’s interesting. I’ll ping the question pool committee about this, or you can email them directly at [email protected].