(2) If the routine environmental evaluation indicates that the RF
electromagnetic fields could exceed the limits contained in § 1.1310 of
this chapter in accessible areas, the licensee must take action to prevent
human exposure to such RF electromagnetic fields. Further information on
evaluating compliance with these limits can be found in the FCC''s OET Bulletin
Number 65, "Evaluating Compliance with FCC-Specified Guidelines for
Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields."

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 20398, May 16, 1990; 61
FR 41019, Aug. 7, 1996; 62 FR 47963, Sept. 12, 1997; 62 FR 49557, Sept.
22, 1997; 62 FR 61448, Nov. 18, 1997]




Sec. 97.15  Station antenna structures.

    (a) Owners of certain antenna structures more than 60.96 meters (200 feet)
above ground level at the site or located near or at a public use airport must
notify the Federal Aviation Administration and register with the Commission
as required by Part 17 of this chapter.

    (b) Except as otherwise provided herein, a station antenna structure may be
erected at heights and dimensions sufficient to accommodate amateur service
communications. [State and local regulation of a station antenna structure must
not preclude amateur service communications.  Rather, it must reasonably
accommodate such communications and must constitute the minimum practicable
regulation to accomplish the state or local authority's legitimate purpose.
See PRB-1, 101 FCC 2d 952 (1985) for details.]

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989, as amended at
60 FR 50123, Sept. 28, 1995; 61 FR 4369, Feb. 6, 1996]




Sec. 97.17  Application for new license grant.

    (a) Any qualified person is eligible to apply for a new operator/
primary station, club station or military recreation station license grant. 
No new license grant will be issued for a Novice, Technician Plus, or
Advanced Class operator/primary station or a RACES station.
    (b) Each application for a new amateur service license grant must
be filed with the FCC as follows:

    (1) Each candidate for an amateur radio operator license which requires
the applicant to pass one or more examination elements must present the
administering VEs with all information required by the rules prior to the
examination. The VEs may collect all necessary information in any manner
of their choosing, including creating their own forms.

    (2) For a new club or military recreation station license grant, each applicant
must present all information required by the rules to an amateur radio
organization having tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 that provides voluntary, uncompensated and
unreimbursed services in providing club and military recreation station call
signs ("Club Station Call Sign Administrator") who must submit the information
to the FCC in an electronic batch file.  The Club Station Call Sign Administrator
may collect the information required by these rules in any manner of their
choosing, including creating their own forms.  The Club Station Call Sign
Administrator must retain the applicants information for at least 15 months
and make it available to the FCC upon request.  The FCC will issue public
announcements listing the qualified organizations that have completed a pilot
autogrant batch filing project and are authorized to serve as a Club Station
Call Sign Administrator.
    (c) No person shall obtain or attempt to obtain, or assist another
person to obtain or attempt to obtain, an amateur service license grant
by fraudulent means.
    (d) One unique call sign will be shown on the license of each new
primary, club, and military recreation station. The call sign will be
selected by the sequential call sign system.
 
[59 FR 54832, Nov. 2, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 7460, Feb. 8, 1995; 60
FR 53132, Oct. 12, 1995]




Sec. 97.19  Application for a vanity call sign.

    (a) The person named in an operator/primary station license grant or
in a club station license grant is eligible to make application for modification
of the license grant, or the renewal thereof, to show a call sign selected by
the vanity call sign system.  RACES and military recreation stations are not
eligible for a vanity call sign.
    (b) Each application for a modification of an operator/primary or
club station license grant, or the renewal thereof, to show a call sign
selected by the vanity call sign system must be filed in accordance with 
§ 1.913 of this chapter.
    (c) Unassigned call signs that are available to the vanity call sign system
with the following exceptions:
    (1) A call sign shown on an expired license is not available to the
vanity call sign system for 2 years following the expiration of the
license.
    (2) A call sign shown on a surrendered, revoked, set aside,
cancelled, or voided license is not available to the vanity call sign
system for 2 years following the date such action is taken.
    (3) Except for an applicant who is the spouse, child, grandchild,
stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister,
stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law, and
except for an applicant who is a club station license trustee acting
with the written consent of at least one relative, as listed above, of a
person now deceased, the call sign shown on the license of a person now
deceased is not available to the vanity call sign system for 2 years
following the person's death, or for 2 years following the expiration of
the license, whichever is sooner.
    (d) The vanity call sign requested by an applicant must be selected
from the group of call signs corresponding to the same or lower class of
operator license held by the applicant as designated in the sequential
call sign system.
    (1) The applicant must request that the call sign shown on the
current license grant be vacated and provide a list of up to 25 call signs in
order of preference.
    (2) The first assignable call sign from the applicant's list will be
shown on the license grant. When none of those call signs are
assignable, the call sign vacated by the applicant will be shown on the
license grant.
    (3) Vanity call signs will be selected from those call signs
assignable at the time the application is processed by the FCC.
    (4) A call sign designated under the sequential call sign system for
Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean Insular Areas, and Pacific Insular areas will
be assigned only to a primary or club station whose licensee's mailing
address is in the corresponding state, commonwealth, or island. This
limitation does not apply to an applicant for the call sign as the
spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent,
brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or
in-law, of the former holder now deceased.

[60 FR 7460, Feb. 8, 1995, as amended at 60 FR 50123, Sept. 28, 1995; 60
FR 53132, Oct. 12, 1995]




Sec. 97.21  Application for a modified or renewed license.

    (a) A person holding a valid amateur station license grant::
    (1) Must apply for a modification of the license grant as necessary to
show the correct mailing address, licensee name, club name, license
trustee name, or license custodian name in accordance with § 1.913 of this
chapter.  For a club, military recreation, or RACES station license grant,
it must be presented in document form to a Club Station Call Sign
Administrator who must submit the information thereon to the FCC in
an electronic batch file..
     (2) May apply to the FCC for a modification of the operator/primary
station license grant to show a higher operator class. Applicants must
present the administering VEs with all information required by the rules
prior to the examination. The VEs may collect all necessary information in
any manner of their choosing, including creating their own forms.
    (3) May apply to the FCC for renewal of the license grant for another
term in accordance with § 1.913 of this chapter.   Application for renewal
of a Technician Plus Class operator/primary station license will be processed
as an application for renewal of a Technician Class operator/primary station
license.
    (i) For a station license grant showing a call sign obtained through the
vanity call sign system, the application must be filed in accordance with § 97.19
of this part in order to have the vanity call sign reassigned to the station.
    (ii) For a primary station license grant showing a call signed obtained through
the sequential call sign system, and for a primary station license grant showing
a call sign obtained through the vanity call sign system but whose grantee goes
not want to have the call sign reassigned to the station, the application must be
filed with the FCC in accordance with § 1.913 of this chapter.  When the
application has been received by the FCC on or before the license expiration
date, the license operating authority is continued until the final disposition of the
application.
     (iii) For a club station or military recreation station license grant showing a
call sign obtained through the sequential call sign system, and for a club or
military recreation station license grant showing a call sign obtained through
the vanity call sign system but whose grantee does not want to have the vanity
call sign reassigned to the station, the application must be presented in document
form to a Club Station Call Sign Administrator who must submit the information
thereon to the FCC in an electronic batch file.  The Club Station Call Sign
Administrator must retain the collected information for at least 15 months
and make it available to the FCC upon request. RACES station license grants
will not be renewed.
    (b) A person whose amateur station license grant has expired, may
apply for renewal of the license grant for another term during a 2 year
filing grace period.  The application must be received at the address
specified above prior to the end of the grace period.  Unless and until
the license is renewed, no privileges in this part are conferred.
    (c) A call sign obtained under the sequential or vanity call sign system
will be reassigned to the station upon renewal or modification of a station
license.

[59 FR 54832, Nov. 2, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 7461, Feb. 8, 1995; 60
FR 53133, Oct. 12, 1995; 61 FR 21386, May 10, 1996]




Sec. 97.23  Mailing address.

    Each license grant must show the grantee's correct name and mailing
address.  The mailing address must be in an area where the amateur service
is regulated by the FCC and where the grantee can receive mail delivery by
the United States Postal Service.  Revocation of the station license or
suspension of the operator license may result when correspondence from the
FCC is returned as undeliverable because the grantee failed to provide the
correct mailing address..

[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]




Sec. 97.25  License term.

    (a) An amateur service license is normally granted for a 10-year
term.

[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]




Sec. 97.27  FCC modification of station license.

    (a) The FCC may modify a station license grant, either for a limited time
or for the duration of the term thereof, if it determines:
    (1) That such action will promote the public interest, convenience,
and necessity; or
    (2) That such action will promote fuller compliance with the provisions
of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, or of any treaty ratified
by the United States.
    (b) When the FCC makes such a determination, it will issue an order
of modification. The order will not become final until the licensee is
notified in writing of the proposed action and the grounds and reasons
therefor.  The licensee will be given reasonable opportunity of no less
than 30 days to protest the modification; except that, where safety of
life or property is involved, a shorter period of notice may be provided.
Any protest by a licensee of an FCC order of modification will be
handled in accordance with the provisions of 47 U.S.C. 316.

[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]


Sec. 97.29  Replacement license document.

    Each grantee whose amateur station license grant document is lost, mutilated or destroyed may apply to the FCC for a replacement in accordance with § 1.913 of this chapter.

[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]

          Subpart B--Station Operation Standards

Sec. 97.101  General standards.

    (a) In all respects not specifically covered by FCC Rules each
amateur station must be operated in accordance with good engineering
and good amateur practice.
    (b) Each station licensee and each control operator must cooperate
in selecting transmitting channels and in making the most effective use
of the amateur service frequencies. No frequency will be assigned for
the exclusive use of any station.
    (c) At all times and on all frequencies, each control operator must
give priority to stations providing emergency communications, except to
stations transmitting communications for training drills and tests in RACES.
    (d) No amateur operator shall willfully or maliciously interfere
with or cause interference to any radio communication or signal.

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.103  Station licensee responsibilities.

    (a) The station licensee is responsible for the proper operation of
the station in accordance with the FCC Rules. When the control operator
is a different amateur operator than the station licensee, both persons
are equally responsible for proper operation of the station.
    (b) The station licensee must designate the station control
operator. The FCC will presume that the station licensee is also the
control operator, unless documentation to the contrary is in the station
records.
    (c) The station licensee must make the station and the station
records available for inspection upon request by an FCC representative.
When deemed necessary by an EIC to assure compliance with the FCC
Rules, the station licensee must maintain a record of station operations
containing such items of information as the EIC may require in accord
with Sec. 0.314(x) of the FCC Rules.

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.105  Control operator duties.

    (a) The control operator must ensure the immediate proper operation
of the station, regardless of the type of control.
    (b) A station may only be operated in the manner and to the extent
permitted by the privileges authorized for the class of operator license
held by the control operator.

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.107  Alien control operator privileges.

    A non-citizen of the United States ("Alien") holding an amateur service
authorization granted by the alien's government is authorized to be the control
operator of an amateur station located at places where the amateur service is
regulated by the FCC, provided there is in effect a multilateral or bilateral
reciprocal operating arrangement, to which the United Sates and the alien's
government are parties, for amateur service operation on a reciprocal basis. 
The FCC will issue public announcements listing the countries with which the
United States has such an agreement.  No citizen of the United States or
person holding an FCC amateur operator/primary station license grant is
eligible for the reciprocal operating authority granted by this section.  The
privileges granted to a control operator under this authorization are:

    (a) For an amateur service license granted by the Government of Canada:
    (1) The terms of the Convention Between the United States and
Canada (TIAS No. 2508) Relating to the Operation by Citizens of
Either Country of Certain Radio Equipment or Stations in the Other
Country;
    (2) The operating terms and conditions of the amateur service
license issued by the Government of Canada; and
    (3) The applicable provisions of this part, but not to exceed the control
operator privileges of an FCC-issued Amateur Extra Class operator license.
    (b) For an amateur service license granted by any country, other than
Canada, with which the United States has a multilateral or bilateral agreement:
    (1) The operating terms of the agreement between the alien's government
and the United States;
    (2) The operating terms and conditions of the amateur service license
granted by the alien's government;
    (3) The applicable rules of this part, but not to exceed the control operator
privileges of an FCC-granted Amateur Extra Class operator license.
    (c) At any time the FCC may, in its discretion, modify, suspend, or
cancel the reciprocal operating authority granted to any person by this section.

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.109  Station control.

    (a) Each amateur station must have at least one control point.
    (b) When a station is being locally controlled, the control operator
must be at the control point. Any station may be locally controlled.
    (c) When a station is being remotely controlled, the control
operator must be at the control point. Any station may be remotely
controlled.
    (d) When a station is being automatically controlled, the control
operator need not be at the control point. Only stations specifically
designated elsewhere in this part may be automatically controlled.
Automatic control must cease upon notification by an EIC that the
station is transmitting improperly or causing harmful interference to
other stations. Automatic control must not be resumed without prior
approval of the EIC.
    (e) No station may be automatically controlled while transmitting
third party communications, except a station transmitting a RTTY or data
emission. All messages that are retransmitted must originate at a
station that is being locally or remotely controlled.

[54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989, as amended at 60 FR 26001, May 16, 1995]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.111  Authorized transmissions.

    (a) An amateur station may transmit the following types of two-way
communications:
    (1) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with other stations
in the amateur service, except those in any country whose administration
has given notice that it objects to such communications. The FCC will
issue public notices of current arrangements for international
communications;
    (2) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a station in
another FCC-regulated service while providing emergency communications;
    (3) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a United
States government station, necessary to providing communications in
RACES; and
    (4) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a station in a
service not regulated by the FCC, but authorized by the FCC to
communicate with amateur stations. An amateur station may exchange
messages with a participating United States military station during an
Armed Forces Day Communications Test.
    (b) In addition to one-way transmissions specifically authorized
elsewhere in this part, an amateur station may transmit the following
types of one-way communications:
    (1) Brief transmissions necessary to make adjustments to the
station;
    (2) Brief transmissions necessary to establishing two-way
communications with other stations;
    (3) Telecommand;
    (4) Transmissions necessary to providing emergency communications;
    (5) Transmissions necessary to assisting persons learning, or
improving proficiency in, the international Morse code; and
    (6) Transmissions necessary to disseminate information bulletins.
    (7) Transmissions of telemetry.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.113  Prohibited transmissions.

    (a) No amateur station shall transmit:
    (1) Communications specifically prohibited elsewhere in this part;
    (2) Communications for hire or for material compensation, direct or
indirect, paid or promised, except as otherwise provided in these rules;
    (3) Communications in which the station licensee or control operator
has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an
employer. Amateur operators may, however, notify other amateur operators
of the availability for sale or trade of apparatus normally used in an
amateur station, provided that such activity is not conducted on a
regular basis;
    (4) Music using a phone emission except as specifically provided
elsewhere in this section; communications intended to facilitate a
criminal act; messages in codes or ciphers intended to obscure the
meaning thereof, except as otherwise provided herein; obscene or
indecent words or language; or false or deceptive messages, signals or
identification;
    (5) Communications, on a regular basis, which could reasonably be
furnished alternatively through other radio services.
    (b) An amateur station shall not engage in any form of broadcasting,
nor may an amateur station transmit one-way communications except as
specifically provided in these rules; nor shall an amateur station
engage in any activity related to program production or news gathering
for broadcasting purposes, except that communications directly related
to the immediate safety of human life or the protection of property may
be provided by amateur stations to broadcasters for dissemination to the
public where no other means of communication is reasonably available
before or at the time of the event.
    (c) A control operator may accept compensation as an incident of a
teaching position during periods of time when an amateur station is used
by that teacher as a part of classroom instruction at an educational
institution.
    (d) The control operator of a club station may accept compensation
for the periods of time when the station is transmitting telegraphy
practice or information bulletins, provided that the station transmits
such telegraphy practice and bulletins for at least 40 hours per week;
schedules operations on at least six amateur service MF and HF bands
using reasonable measures to maximize coverage; where the schedule of
normal operating times and frequencies is published at least 30 days in
advance of the actual transmissions; and where the control operator does
not accept any direct or indirect compensation for any other service as
a control operator.
    (e) No station shall retransmit programs or signals emanating from
any type of radio station other than an amateur station, except
propagation and weather forecast information intended for use by the
general public and originated from United States Government stations and
communications, including incidental music, originating on United States
Government frequencies between a space shuttle and its associated Earth
stations. Prior approval for shuttle retransmissions must be obtained
from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Such
retransmissions must be for the exclusive use of amateur operators.
Propagation, weather forecasts, and shuttle retransmissions may not be
conducted on a regular basis, but only occasionally, as an incident of
normal amateur radio communications.
    (f) No amateur station, except an auxiliary, repeater, or space
station, may automatically retransmit the radio signals of other amateur
station.

[58 FR 43072, Aug. 13, 1993; 58 FR 47219, Sept. 8, 1993]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.115  Third party communications.

    (a) An amateur station may transmit messages for a third party to:
    (1) Any station within the jurisdiction of the United States.
    (2) Any station within the jurisdiction of any foreign government
whose administration has made arrangements with the United States to
allow amateur stations to be used for transmitting international
communications on behalf of third parties. No station shall transmit
messages for a third party to any station within the jurisdiction of any
foreign government whose administration has not made such an
arrangement. This prohibition does not apply to a message for any third
party who is eligible to be a control operator of the station.
    (b) The third party may participate in stating the message where:
    (1) The control operator is present at the control point and is
continuously monitoring and supervising the third party's participation;
and
    (2) The third party is not a prior amateur service licensee whose
license was revoked; suspended for less than the balance of the license
term and the suspension is still in effect; suspended for the balance of
the license term and relicensing has not taken place; or surrendered for
cancellation following notice of revocation, suspension or monetary
forfeiture proceedings. The third party may not be the subject of a
cease and desist order which relates to amateur service operation and
which is still in effect.
    (c) At the end of an exchange of international third party
communications, the station must also transmit in the station
identification procedure the call sign of the station with which a third
party message was exchanged.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.117  International communications.

    Transmissions to a different country, where permitted, shall be made
in plain language and shall be limited to messages of a technical nature
relating to tests, and, to remarks of a personal character for which, by
reason of their unimportance, recourse to the public telecommunications
service is not justified.

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.119  Station identification.

    (a) Each amateur station, except a space station or telecommand
station, must transmit its assigned call sign on its transmitting channel
at the end of each communication, and at least every 10 minutes during
a communication, for the purpose of clearly making the source of
the transmissions from the station known to those receiving the transmissions.
No station may transmit unidentified communications or signals, or transmit
as the station call sign, any call sign not authorized to the station.
    (b) The call sign must be transmitted with an emission authorized
for the transmitting channel in one of the following ways:
    (1) By a CW emission. When keyed by an automatic device used only
for identification, the speed must not exceed 20 words per minute;
    (2) By a phone emission in the English language. Use of a phonetic
alphabet as an aid for correct station identification is encouraged;
    (3) By a RTTY emission using a specified digital code when all or
part of the communications are transmitted by a RTTY or data emission;
    (4) By an image emission conforming to the applicable transmission
standards, either color or monochrome, of Sec. 73.682(a) of the FCC
Rules when all or part of the communications are transmitted in the same
image emission; or
    (c) One or more indicators may be included with the call sign. Each
indicator must be separated from the call sign by the slant mark (/) or
by any suitable word that denotes the slant mark. If an indicator is
self-assigned, it must be included before, after, or both before and
after, the call sign. No self-assigned indicator may conflict with any
other indicator specified by the FCC Rules or with any prefix assigned
to another country.
    (d) When transmitting in conjunction with an event of special
significance, a station may substitute for its assigned call sign a
special event call sign as shown for that station for that period of
time on the common data base coordinated, maintained and disseminated
by the special event call sign data base coordinators. Additionally, the
station must transmit its assigned call sign at least once per hour
during such transmissions.
    (e) When the operator license class held by the control operator
exceeds that of the station licensee, an indicator consisting of the
call sign assigned to the control operator's station must be included
after the call sign.
    (f) When the control operator is a person who is exercising the
rights and privileges authorized by Sec. 97.9(b) of this part, an
indicator must be included after the call sign as follows:
    (1) For a control operator who has requested a license modification
from Novice Class to Technician Class: KT;
    (2) For a control operator who has requested a license modification
from Novice, Technician, or Technician Plus Class to General Class: AG;
    (3) For a control operator who has requested a license modification
from Novice, Technician, Technician Plus, General or Advanced Class to 
Amateur Extra Class: AE.
    (g) When the station is transmitting under the authority of § 97.107 of this
part, an indicator consisting of the appropriate letter-numeral designating
the station location must be included before the call sign that was issued
to the station by the country granting the license.  For an amateur service
license granted by the Government of Canada, however, the indicator must
be included after the call sign.  At least once during each intercommunication,
the identification announcement must include the geographical location as
nearly as possible by city and state, commonwealth or possession.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989;
55 FR 30457, July 26, 1990; 56 FR 28, Jan. 2, 1991; 62 FR 17567, Apr.
10, 1997]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.121  Restricted operation.

    (a) If the operation of an amateur station causes general
interference to the reception of transmissions from stations operating
in the domestic broadcast service when receivers of good engineering
design, including adequate selectivity characteristics, are used to
receive such transmissions, and this fact is made known to the amateur
station licensee, the amateur station shall not be operated during the hours
from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., local time, and on Sunday for the additional
period from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., local time, upon the frequency or
frequencies used when the interference is created.
    (b) In general, such steps as may be necessary to minimize
interference to stations operating in other services may be required
after investigation by the FCC.

Return to Part 97 Index


          Subpart C--Special Operations

Sec. 97.201  Auxiliary station.


    (a) Any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician, Technician
Plus, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license may be an
auxiliary station. A holder of a Technician, Technician Plus, General, Advanced
or Amateur Extra Class operator license may be the control operator of an
auxiliary station, subject to the privileges of the class of operator
license held.
    (b) An auxiliary station may transmit only on the 1.25 m and shorter
wavelength bands, except the 219-220 MHz, 222.000-222.150 MHz,
431-433 MHz, and 435-438 MHz segments.
    (c) Where an auxiliary station causes harmful interference to
another auxiliary station, the licensees are equally and fully
responsible for resolving the interference unless one station's
operation is recommended by a frequency coordinator and the other
station's is not. In that case, the licensee of the non-coordinated
auxiliary station has primary responsibility to resolve the interference.
    (d) An auxiliary station may be automatically controlled.
    (e) An auxiliary station may transmit one-way communications.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991; 60
FR 15687, Mar. 27, 1995]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.203  Beacon station.

    (a) Any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician, Technician
Plus, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license may be
a beacon. A holder of a Technician, Technician Plus, General, Advanced
or Amateur Extra Class operator license may be the control operator of a
beacon, subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held.
    (b) A beacon must not concurrently transmit on more than 1 channel
in the same amateur service frequency band, from the same station
location.
    (c) The transmitter power of a beacon must not exceed 100 W.
    (d) A beacon may be automatically controlled while it is transmitting
on the 28.20-28.30 MHz, 50.06-50.08 MHz, 144.275-144.300
MHz, 222.05-222.06 MHz or 432.300-432.400 MHz segments, or on
the 33 cm and shorter wavelength bands.
    (e) Before establishing an automatically controlled beacon in the
National Radio Quiet Zone or before changing the transmitting frequency,
transmitter power, antenna height or directivity, the station licensee
must give written notification thereof to the Interference Office,
National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box 2, Green Bank, WV 24944.
    (1) The notification must include the geographical coordinates of
the antenna, antenna ground elevation above mean sea level (AMSL),
antenna center of radiation above ground level (AGL), antenna
directivity, proposed frequency, type of emission, and transmitter
power.
    (2) If an objection to the proposed operation is received by the FCC
from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, Pocahontas
County, WV, for itself or on behalf of the Naval Research Laboratory at
Sugar Grove, Pendleton County, WV, within 20 days from the date of
notification, the FCC will consider all aspects of the problem and take
whatever action is deemed appropriate.
    (f) A beacon must cease transmissions upon notification by an EIC
that the station is operating improperly or causing undue interference
to other operations. The beacon may not resume transmitting without
prior approval of the EIC.
    (g) A beacon may transmit one-way communications.
    (h) The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to repeaters that
transmit on the 1.2 cm or shorter wavelength bands. Before establishing
a repeater within 16 km (10 miles) of the Arecibo Observatory or before
changing the transmitting frequency, transmitter power, antenna height or
directivity of an existing repeater, the station licensee must give notification
thereof at least 20 days in advance of planned operation to the
Interference Office, Arecibo Observatory, Post Office Box 995, Arecibo,
Puerto Rico 00613, in writing or electronically, of the technical
parameters of the proposal. Licensees who choose to transmit information
electronically should e-mail to: prcz@naic.edu
    (1) The notification shall state the geographical coordinates of the
antenna (NAD-83 datum), antenna height above mean sea level (AMSL),
antenna center of radiation above ground level (AGL), antenna
directivity and gain, proposed frequency and FCC Rule Part, type of
emission, effective radiated power, and whether the proposed use is
itinerant. Licensees may wish to consult interference guidelines
provided by Cornell University.
    (2) If an objection to the proposed operation is received by the FCC
from the Arecibo Observatory, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, within 20 days from
the date of notification, the FCC will consider all aspects of the
problem and take whatever action is deemed appropriate. The licensee
will be required to make reasonable efforts in order to resolve or
mitigate any potential interference problem with the Arecibo
Observatory.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 9323, Mar. 13, 1990; 56
FR 19610, Apr. 29, 1991; 56 FR 32517, July 17, 1991; 62 FR 55536, Oct.
27, 1997; 63 FR 41204, Aug. 3, 1998]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.205  Repeater station.

    (a) Any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician,
General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license may be a
repeater. A holder of a Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra
Class operator license may be the control operator of a repeater,
subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held.
    (b) A repeater may receive and retransmit only on the 10 m and
shorter wavelength frequency bands except the 28.0-29.5 MHz, 50.0-51.0
MHz, 144.0-144.5 MHz, 145.5-146.0 MHz, 222.00-222.15 MHz,
431.0-433.0 MHz, and 435.0-438.0 MHz segments.
    (c) Where the transmissions of a repeater cause harmful interference
to another repeater, the two station licensees are equally and fully
responsible for resolving the interference unless the operation of one
station is recommended by a frequency coordinator and the operation of
the other station is not. In that case, the licensee of the non-
coordinated repeater has primary responsibility to resolve the
interference.
    (d) A repeater may be automatically controlled.
    (e) Ancillary functions of a repeater that are available to users on
the input channel are not considered remotely controlled functions of
the station. Limiting the use of a repeater to only certain user
stations is permissible.
    (f) [Reserved]
    (g) The control operator of a repeater that retransmits
inadvertently communications that violate the rules in this part is not
accountable for the violative communications.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 4613, Feb. 9, 1990; 56
FR 32517, July 17, 1991; 58 FR 64385, Dec. 7, 1993; 59 FR 18975, Apr.
21, 1994; 62 FR 55536, Oct. 27, 1997; 63 FR 41205, Aug. 3, 1998]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.207  Space station.

    (a) Any amateur station may be a space station. A holder of any
class operator license may be the control operator of a space station,
subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held by the
control operator.
    (b) A space station must be capable of effecting a cessation of
transmissions by telecommand whenever such cessation is ordered by the
FCC.
    (c) The following frequency bands and segments are authorized to
space stations:
    (1) The 17 m, 15 m, 12 m, and 10 m bands, 6 mm, 4 mm, 2 mm and
1 mm bands; and
    (2) The 7.0-7.1 MHz, 14.00-14.25 MHz, 144-146 MHz, 435-438 MHz,
1260-1270 MHz, and 2400-2450 MHz, 3.40-3.41 GHz, 5.83-5.85 GHz,
10.45-10.50 GHz, and 24.00-24.05 GHz segments.
    (d) A space station may automatically retransmit the radio signals
of Earth stations and other space stations.
    (e) A space station may transmit one-way communications.
    (f) Space telemetry transmissions may consist of specially coded
messages intended to facilitate communications or related to the
function of the spacecraft.
    (g) The license grantee of each space station must make two written,
pre-space station notifications to the International Bureau, FCC,
Washington, DC 20554.  Each notification must be in accord with the
provisions of Articles 11 and 13 of the Radio Regulations.
    (1) The first notification is required no less than 27 months prior
to initiating space station transmissions and must specify the
information required by Appendix 4 and Resolution No. 642 of the Radio
Regulations.
    (2) The second notification is required no less than 5 months prior
to initiating space station transmissions and must specify the
information required by Appendix 3 and Resolution No. 642 of the Radio
Regulations.
    (h) The license grantee of each space station must make a written,
in-space station notification to the International Bureau, FCC, Washington,
DC 20554, no later than 7 days following initiation of space station
transmissions.  The notification must update the information contained in
the pre-space notification.
    (i) The license grantee of each space station must make a written, post-
space notification to the International Bureau  no later than 3 months after
termination of the space station transmissions. When the termination is
ordered by the FCC, notification is required no later than 24 hours after
termination.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989;
56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991; 57 FR 32736, July 23, 1992; 60 FR 50124,
Sept. 28, 1995]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.209  Earth station.

    (a) Any amateur station may be an Earth station. A holder of any
class operator license may be the control operator of an Earth station,
subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held by the
control operator.
    (b) The following frequency bands and segments are authorized to
Earth stations:
    (1) The 17 m, 15 m, 12 m, and 10 m bands, 6 mm, 4 mm, 2 mm and 1 mm
bands; and
    (2) The 7.0-7.1 MHz, 14.00-14.25 MHz, 144-146 MHz, 435-438 MHz,
1260-1270 MHz and 2400-2450 MHz, 3.40-3.41 GHz, 5.65-5.67 GHz,
10.45-10.50 GHz and 24.00-24.05 GHz segments.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989]

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Sec. 97.211  Space telecommand station.

    (a) Any amateur station designated by the licensee of a space
station is eligible to transmit as a telecommand station for that space
station, subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held
by the control operator.
    (b) A telecommand station may transmit special codes intended to
obscure the meaning of telecommand messages to the station in space
operation.
    (c) The following frequency bands and segments are authorized to
telecommand stations:
    (1) The 17 m, 15 m, 12 m and 10 m bands, 6 mm, 4 mm, 2 mm and 1 mm
bands; and
    (2) The 7.0-7.1 MHz, 14.00-14.25 MHz, 144-146 MHz, 435-438 MHz,
1260-1270 MHz and 2400-2450 MHz, 3.40-3.41 GHz, 5.65-5.67 GHz,
10.45-10.50 GHz and 24.00-24.05 GHz segments.
    (d) A telecommand station may transmit one-way communications.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989;
56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991]

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Sec. 97.213  Telecommand of an amateur station.

    An amateur station on or within 50 km of the Earth's surface may be
under telecommand where:
    (a) There is a radio or wireline control link between the control
point and the station sufficient for the control operator to perform
his/her duties. If radio, the control link must use an auxiliary
station. A control link using a fiber optic cable or another
telecommunication service is considered wireline.
    (b) Provisions are incorporated to limit transmission by the station
to a period of no more than 3 minutes in the event of malfunction in the
control link.
    (c) The station is protected against making, willfully or
negligently, unauthorized transmissions.
    (d) A photocopy of the station license and a label with the name,
address, and telephone number of the station licensee and at least one
designated control operator is posted in a conspicuous place at the
station location.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991]

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Sec. 97.215  Telecommand of model craft.

    An amateur station transmitting signals to control a model craft may
be operated as follows:
    (a) The station identification procedure is not required for
transmissions directed only to the model craft, provided that a label
indicating the station call sign and the station licensee's name and
address is affixed to the station transmitter.
    (b) The control signals are not considered codes or ciphers intended
to obscure the meaning of the communication.
    (c) The transmitter power must not exceed 1 W.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 56171, Nov. 1, 1991]

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Sec. 97.217  Telemetry.

    Telemetry transmitted by an amateur station on or within 50 km of
the Earth's surface is not considered to be codes or ciphers intended to
obscure the meaning of communications.

[56 FR 56172, Nov. 1, 1991. Redesignated at 59 FR 18975, Apr. 21, 1994]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.219  Message forwarding system.

    (a) Any amateur station may participate in a message forwarding
system, subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held.
    (b) For stations participating in a message forwarding system, the
control operator of the station originating a message is primarily
accountable for any violation of the rules in this part contained in the
message.
    (c) Except as noted in (d) of this section, for stations
participating in a message forwarding system, the control operators of
forwarding stations that retransmit inadvertently communications that
violate the rules in this part are not accountable for the violative
communications. They are, however, responsible for discontinuing such
communications once they become aware of their presence.
    (d) For stations participating in a message forwarding system, the
control operator of the first forwarding station must:
    (1) Authenticate the identity of the station from which it accepts
communications on behalf of the system; or
    (2) Accept accountability for any violation of the rules in this
part contained in messages it retransmits to the system.

[59 FR 18975, Apr. 21, 1994]

Return to Part 97 Index


Sec. 97.221  Automatically controlled digital station.

    (a) This rule section does not apply to an auxiliary station, a
beacon station, a repeater station, an earth station, a space station,
or a space telecommand station.
    (b) A station may be automatically controlled while transmitting a
RTTY or data emission on the 6 m or shorter wavelength bands, and on the
28.120-28.189 MHz, 24.925-24.930 MHz, 21.090-21.100 MHz,
18.105-18.110 MHz, 14.0950-14.0995 MHz, 14.1005-14.112 MHz,
10.140-10.150 MHz, 7.100-7.105 MHz, or 3.620-3.635 MHz segments.
    (c) A station may be automatically controlled while transmitting a
RTTY or data emission on any other frequency authorized for such
emission types provided that:
    (1) The station is responding to interrogation by a station under
local or remote control; and
    (2) No transmission from the automatically controlled station
occupies a bandwidth of more than 500 Hz.

[60 FR 26001, May 16, 1995]

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          Subpart D--Technical Standards


Sec. 97.301  Authorized frequency bands.

    The following transmitting frequency bands are available to an amateur
station located within 50 km of the Earth's surface, within the specified
ITU Region, and outside any area where the amateur service is regulated
by any authority other than the FCC.
    (a) For a station having a control operator who has been granted a

Technician, Technician Plus, General, Advanced, or Amateur Extra Class
operator license or who holds a CEPT radio-amateur license or IARP
of any class:

    (b) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an

Amateur Extra Class operator license or who holds a CEPT radio-amateur
Class 1 license or Class 1 IARP: