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Chapter 1 – FCC Rules

• Electromagnetic Spectrum• Why is there Amateur Radio?• The Amateur Service• Amateur License Classes• The Technician Exam• Frequency Privileges• Frequency Sharing• Call Signs• Operating Guidelines

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Radio Frequency Spectrum

100kHz 1MHz 10MHz 100MHz 1GHz 10GHz 100GHz10kHz 1THz

MF HF VHF UHF SHF EHF

AM FM

300kHz 300GHz

Television2-6 7-13 UHF

SW

LF

Radar bands

Audible

VLF

0 10Hz 100Hz 1kHz 10kHz 100kHz 1MHz 10MHz 100MHz 1GHz 10GHz 100GHz 1THz

VLF LF MF HF VHF UHF SHF EHF Infrared Visible Ultraviolet X-ray Gamma Cosmic

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Radio Spectrum Regulation

• The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) allocates radio frequency allocations on an international basis.

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocates frequency bands to services in the U.S.– Title 47 of Code of Federal Regulations governs all

telecommunications in the U.S.

– Part 97 describes amateur radio operation standards, technical standards and emergency communications.

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The Five Principles

97.1(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary non-commercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.

97.1(b) Continuation and extension of the amateur’s proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.

97.1(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communications and technical phases of the art.

97.1(d) Expansion of the existing reservoir with the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians and electronics experts.

97.1(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur’s unique ability to enhance international goodwill.

FCC Rules Section 97.1

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The Amateur Service

• Amateur Service– A radio communication service for the purpose of self-

training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by persons interested in radio technique solely for personal aim and without pecuniary interest.

• Amateur Operator– Person who has been granted a license in the amateur

service

• Amateur Station– Station licensed in the amateur service

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Operator/Primary Station License

• Amateur service license includes both operator and station license.

• Operator license provides authority to operate an amateur station

• Station license authorizes operation of your primary or main amateur station– Provides station mail address and call sign

• License is valid for 10 year period– Two year grace period for expired licenses

– Renewal by mail or on-line

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Operator/Primary Station License

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Amateur License Classes

License Class Code Test Written Exam

Extra Element 15 wpm

Elements 2,3,4

Advanced No Longer Issued

General Element 15 wpm

Element 2,3

Technician With Morse Code Credit

Element 15 wpm

Element 2

Technician None Element 2

Novice No Longer Issued

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The Technician Exam

• Element 2 consists of a 35 question written test– Question pool is selected by Volunteer Examiner

Coordinators (VECs)

– Exam is given by Volunteer Examiners (VEs)

– All questions are multiple choice

– 26 questions (70%) must be answered correctly to pass

• Results of the exam are provided to the FCC on form NCVEC Quick Form 605

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Frequency Privileges

• Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sets radio regulations for United States

• International Telecommunication Union (ITU) coordinates regulations around the world– ITU Region 1: Africa, Europe, Russia and parts of

Middle East

– ITU Region 2: North and South America, Caribbean Islands and Hawaii

– ITU Region 3: Australia, China, India and parts of Middle East. Also includes Pacific Islands.

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Frequency Sharing

• The FCC encourages interference-free sharing of the ham bands by limiting transmitter output power, assigning services as either primary or secondary status and encouraging repeaters to be coordinated.– Primary service on a band is protected from

interference caused by other radio services.

– Secondary service must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from, stations in the primary service.

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Call Signs

• FCC issues call signs on a systematic basis.• The first letter of a US call sign will always be A,

K, N or W.• US call signs contain a single number 0-9

– One or two letters prior to number are the prefix

– One to three letters following number are the suffix

• The number in a call sign indicates the district that the call was first issued.

• Amateurs can select specific calls through use of the Vanity Call Sign system.

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Call Sign Districts

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Call Sign Groups

Group Formats License Class Examples

Group A “1 by 2”

“2 by 1”

Extra KØAA, WØAA, NØAA, WAØA

Group B “2 by 2” Advanced, Extra AAØAA, KAØAA

Group C “1 by 3” Technician, General, Advanced, Extra

KØAAA,

NØAAA,

WØAAA

Group D “2 by 3” All KAØAAA

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Points of Communication

• As an amateur operator, you can communicate with all amateur radio stations at any time unless specifically prohibited by a foreign government.

• A reciprocal operating authority agreement allows amateurs visiting other countries to operate during the visit.

• The FCC must authorize amateur communication with stations not licensed in the amateur service.

• FCC rules permit amateur stations to communicate with other radio services during emergencies.

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Broadcasting

• Amateur stations may not engage in broadcasting or transmission of information intended for reception by the general public.

• Amateur stations may transmit one-way communications while in beacon operation or radio-control operation.

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Business Communications

• Amateur communication is non-commercial radio communication between amateur stations, solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest or business reasons.

• No one can use an amateur station for monetary gain.– Exceptions are: 1) paying a control operator at a club

station to transmit code practice or bulletins and 2) paid teachers using amateur radio as a part of classroom instruction

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Other Rules

Amateur stations may not:• Transmit music except when incidental part of

NASA transmissions• Use obscene or indecent language• Use codes or ciphers• Cause malicious (harmful) interference• Transmit false or deceptive signals• Make an unidentified transmission (without a call

sign)

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Remote Control of Model Craft

• Remote control of model craft, or “telecommand” is permitted with the following restrictions:– Station identification is not required for transmissions

directed only to the model craft. The control transmitter must have a label containing the station call sign and licensee’s name and address.

– Control signals are not considered codes and ciphers.

– Transmitter power cannot exceed 1 watt.

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Space and Earth Stations

• FCC defines a space station as an amateur station located more than 50 kilometers above Earth’s surface

• Orbiting Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio (OSCARs) do not have to transmit a station call sign.

• Earth amateur stations can communicate with space stations or other Earth stations via satellites.