FCC Regulation Document

Part: 
Topic: C

47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                     47 CFR Part 97 (Feb. 20, 2024)
Amateur Radio Service

This content is from the eCFR and is authoritative but unofficial.

Title 47 —Telecommunication
Chapter I —Federal Communications Commission
Subchapter D —Safety and Special Radio Services

Part 97 Amateur Radio Service
  Subpart A General Provisions
      § 97.1 Basis and purpose.
      § 97.3 Definitions.
      § 97.5 Station license required.
      § 97.7 Control operator required.
      § 97.9 Operator license grant.
      § 97.11 Stations aboard ships or aircraft.
      § 97.13 Restrictions on station location.
      § 97.15 Station antenna structures.
      § 97.17 Application for new license grant.
      § 97.19 Application for a vanity call sign.
      § 97.21 Application for a modified or renewed license grant.
      § 97.23 Mailing and email addresses.
      § 97.25 License term.
      § 97.27 FCC modification of station license grant.
      § 97.29 Replacement license grant document.
      § 97.31 Cancellation on account of the licensee's death.
  Subpart B Station Operation Standards
      § 97.101 General standards.
      § 97.103 Station licensee responsibilities.
      § 97.105 Control operator duties.
      § 97.107 Reciprocal operating authority.
      § 97.109 Station control.
      § 97.111 Authorized transmissions.
      § 97.113 Prohibited transmissions.
      § 97.115 Third party communications.
      § 97.117 International communications.
      § 97.119 Station identification.
      § 97.121 Restricted operation.
  Subpart C Special Operations
      § 97.201 Auxiliary station.
      § 97.203 Beacon station.

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                                                                             47 CFR Part 97 (Feb. 20, 2024)
Amateur Radio Service

     § 97.205 Repeater station.
     § 97.207 Space station.
     § 97.209 Earth station.
     § 97.211 Space telecommand station.
     § 97.213 Telecommand of an amateur station.
     § 97.215 Telecommand of model craft.
     § 97.217 Telemetry.
     § 97.219 Message forwarding system.
     § 97.221 Automatically controlled digital station.
   Subpart D Technical Standards
     § 97.301 Authorized frequency bands.
     § 97.303 Frequency sharing requirements.
     § 97.305 Authorized emission types.
     § 97.307 Emission standards.
     § 97.309 RTTY and data emission codes.
     § 97.311 SS emission types.
     § 97.313 Transmitter power standards.
     § 97.315 Certification of external RF power amplifiers.
     § 97.317 Standards for certification of external RF power amplifiers.
   Subpart E Providing Emergency Communications
     § 97.401 Operation during a disaster.
     § 97.403 Safety of life and protection of property.
     § 97.405 Station in distress.
     § 97.407 Radio amateur civil emergency service.
   Subpart F Qualifying Examination Systems
     § 97.501 Qualifying for an amateur operator license.
     § 97.503 Element standards.
     § 97.505 Element credit.
     § 97.507 Preparing an examination.
     § 97.509 Administering VE requirements.
     § 97.511 Examinee conduct.
     § 97.513 VE session manager requirements.
     §§ 97.515-97.517 [Reserved]
     § 97.519 Coordinating examination sessions.
     § 97.521 VEC qualifications.
     § 97.523 Question pools.
     § 97.525 Accrediting VEs.
     § 97.527 Reimbursement for expenses.
   Appendix 1 to Part 97
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Amateur Radio Service

        Places Where the Amateur Service is Regulated by the FCC
   Appendix 2 to Part 97
     VEC Regions

PART 97—AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE
Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151–155, 301–609, unless otherwise noted.

Source: 54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, unless otherwise noted.

Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to part 97 appear at 63 FR 54077, Oct. 8, 1998.

Subpart A—General Provisions
§ 97.1 Basis and purpose.
The rules and regulations in this part are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental
purpose as expressed in the following principles:

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

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

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

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

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

§ 97.3 Definitions.
     (a) The definitions of terms used in part 97 are:

           (1) Amateur operator. A person named in an amateur operator/primary license station grant on the ULS
               consolidated licensee database to be the control operator of an amateur station.

           (2) Amateur radio services. The amateur service, the amateur-satellite service and the radio amateur
               civil emergency service.

           (4) Amateur service. A radiocommunication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication
               and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, duly authorized persons interested in
               radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.

           (5) Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for
               carrying on radiocommunications.

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           (6) Automatic control. The use of devices and procedures for control of a station when it is transmitting
               so that compliance with the FCC Rules is achieved without the control operator being present at a
               control point.

           (7) Auxiliary station. An amateur station, other than in a message forwarding system, that is transmitting
               communications point-to-point within a system of cooperating amateur stations.

           (8) Bandwidth. 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.

           (9) Beacon. An amateur station transmitting communications for the purposes of observation of
               propagation and reception or other related experimental activities.

          (10) Broadcasting. Transmissions intended for reception by the general public, either direct or relayed.

          (11) Call sign system. The method used to select a call sign for amateur station over-the-air identification
               purposes. The call sign systems are:

                 (i)   Sequential call sign system. The call sign is selected by the FCC from an alphabetized list
                       corresponding to the geographic region of the licensee's mailing address and operator class.
                       The call sign is shown on the license. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing the
                       procedures of the sequential call sign system.

                 (ii) Vanity call sign system. The call sign is selected by the FCC from a list of call signs requested
                      by the licensee. The call sign is shown on the license. The FCC will issue public announcements
                      detailing the procedures of the vanity call sign system.

                (iii) Special event call sign system. The call sign is selected by the station licensee from a list of call
                      signs shown on a common data base coordinated, maintained and disseminated by the
                      amateur station special event call sign data base coordinators. The call sign must have the
                      single letter prefix K, N or W, followed by a single numeral 0 through 9, followed by a single
                      letter A through W or Y or Z (for example K1A). The special event call sign is substituted for the
                      call sign shown on the station license grant while the station is transmitting. The FCC will issue
                      public announcements detailing the procedures of the special event call sign system.

          (12) CEPT radio amateur license. A license issued by a country belonging to the European Conference of
               Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) that has adopted Recommendation T/R
               61–01 (Nice 1985, Paris 1992, Nicosia 2003).

          (13) Control operator. An amateur operator designated by the licensee of a station to be responsible for
               the transmissions from that station to assure compliance with the FCC Rules.

          (14) Control point. The location at which the control operator function is performed.

          (15) CSCE. Certificate of successful completion of an examination.

          (16) Earth station. An amateur station located on, or within 50 km of, the Earth's surface intended for
               communications with space stations or with other Earth stations by means of one or more other
               objects in space.

          (17) [Reserved]

          (18) External RF power amplifier. A device capable of increasing power output when used in conjunction
               with, but not an integral part of, a transmitter.

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          (19) [Reserved]

          (20) FAA. Federal Aviation Administration.

          (21) FCC. Federal Communications Commission.

          (22) Frequency coordinator. An entity, recognized in a local or regional area by amateur operators whose
               stations are eligible to be auxiliary or repeater stations, that recommends transmit/receive channels
               and associated operating and technical parameters for such stations in order to avoid or minimize
               potential interference.

          (23) Harmful interference. Interference which endangers the functioning of a radionavigation service or of
               other safety services or seriously degrades, obstructs or repeatedly interrupts a radiocommunication
               service operating in accordance with the Radio Regulations.

          (24) IARP (International Amateur Radio Permit). A document issued pursuant to the terms of the Inter-
               American Convention on an International Amateur Radio Permit by a country signatory to that
               Convention, other than the United States. Montrouis, Haiti. AG/doc.3216/95.

          (25) Indicator. Words, letters or numerals appended to and separated from the call sign during the station
               identification.

          (26) Information bulletin. A message directed only to amateur operators consisting solely of subject
               matter of direct interest to the amateur service.

          (27) In-law. A parent, stepparent, sibling, or step-sibling of a licensee's spouse; the spouse of a licensee's
               sibling, step-sibling, child, or stepchild; or the spouse of a licensee's spouse's sibling or step-sibling.

          (28) International Morse code. A dot-dash code as defined in ITU–T Recommendation F.1 (March, 1998),
               Division B, I. Morse code.

          (29) ITU. International Telecommunication Union.

          (30) Line A. Begins at Aberdeen, WA, running by great circle arc to the intersection of 48° N, 120° W,
               thence along parallel 48° N, to the intersection of 95° W, thence by great circle arc through the
               southernmost point of Duluth, MN, thence by great circle arc to 45° N, 85° W, thence southward
               along meridian 85° W, to its intersection with parallel 41° N, thence along parallel 41° N, to its
               intersection with meridian 82° W, thence by great circle arc through the southernmost point of
               Bangor, ME, thence by great circle arc through the southernmost point of Searsport, ME, at which
               point it terminates.

          (31) Local control. The use of a control operator who directly manipulates the operating adjustments in
               the station to achieve compliance with the FCC Rules.

          (32) Message forwarding system. A group of amateur stations participating in a voluntary, cooperative,
               interactive arrangement where communications are sent from the control operator of an originating
               station to the control operator of one or more destination stations by one or more forwarding
               stations.

          (33) National Radio Quiet Zone. The area in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia Bounded by 39°15′ N on
               the north, 78°30′ W on the east, 37°30′ N on the south and 80°30′ W on the west.

          (34) Physician. For the purpose of this part, a person who is licensed to practice in a place where the
               amateur service is regulated by the FCC, as either a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of
               Osteopathy (D.O.)

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          (35) Question pool. All current examination questions for a designated written examination element.

          (36) Question set. A series of examination questions on a given examination selected from the question
               pool.

          (37) Radio Regulations. The latest ITU Radio Regulations to which the United States is a party.

          (38) RACES (radio amateur civil emergency service). A radio service using amateur stations for civil
               defense communications during periods of local, regional or national civil emergencies.

          (39) Remote control. The use of a control operator who indirectly manipulates the operating adjustments
               in the station through a control link to achieve compliance with the FCC Rules.

          (40) Repeater. An amateur station that simultaneously retransmits the transmission of another amateur
               station on a different channel or channels.

          (41) Space station. An amateur station located more than 50 km above the Earth's surface.

          (42) Space telemetry. A one-way transmission from a space station of measurements made from the
               measuring instruments in a spacecraft, including those relating to the functioning of the spacecraft.

          (43) Spurious emission. An emission, or frequencies outside the necessary bandwidth of a transmission,
               the level of which may be reduced without affecting the information being transmitted.

          (44) Telecommand. A one-way transmission to initiate, modify, or terminate functions of a device at a
               distance.

          (45) Telecommand station. An amateur station that transmits communications to initiate, modify or
               terminate functions of a space station.

          (46) Telemetry. A one-way transmission of measurements at a distance from the measuring instrument.

          (47) Third party communications. A message from the control operator (first party) of an amateur station
               to another amateur station control operator (second party) on behalf of another person (third party).

          (48) ULS (Universal Licensing System). The consolidated database, application filing system and
               processing system for all Wireless Telecommunications Services.

          (49) VE. Volunteer examiner.

          (50) VEC. Volunteer-examiner coordinator.

     (b) The definitions of technical symbols used in this part are:

           (1) EHF (extremely high frequency). The frequency range 30–300 GHz.

           (2) EIRP (equivalent isotropically radiated power). The product of the power supplied to the antenna and
               the antenna gain in a given direction relative to an isotropic antenna (absolute or isotropic gain).

                 Note: Divide EIRP by 1.64 to convert to effective radiated power.

           (3) ERP (effective radiated power) (in a given direction). The product of the power supplied to the
               antenna and its gain relative to a half-wave dipole in a given direction.

                 Note: Multiply ERP by 1.64 to convert to equivalent isotropically radiated power.

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           (4) HF (high frequency). The frequency range 3–30 MHz.

           (5) Hz. Hertz.

           (6) LF (low frequency). The frequency range 30–300 kHz.

           (7) m. Meters.

           (8) MF (medium frequency). The frequency range 300–3000 kHz.

           (9) PEP (peak envelope power). The average power supplied to the antenna transmission line by a
               transmitter during one RF cycle at the crest of the modulation envelope taken under normal
               operating conditions.

          (10) RF. Radio frequency.

          (11) SHF (super high frequency). The frequency range 3–30 GHz.

          (12) UHF (ultra high frequency). The frequency range 300–3000 MHz.

          (13) VHF (very high frequency). The frequency range 30–300 MHz.

          (14) W. Watts.

     (c) The following terms are used in this part to indicate emission types. Refer to § 2.201 of the FCC Rules,
         Emission, modulation and transmission characteristics, for information on emission type designators.

           (1) CW. International Morse code telegraphy emissions having designators with A, C, H, J or R as the first
               symbol; 1 as the second symbol; A or B as the third symbol; and emissions J2A and J2B.

           (2) Data. Telemetry, telecommand and computer communications emissions having

                 (i)   designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol, 1 as the second symbol, and D as the
                       third symbol;

                 (ii) emission J2D; and

                (iii) emissions A1C, F1C, F2C, J2C, and J3C having an occupied bandwidth of 500 Hz or less when
                      transmitted on an amateur service frequency below 30 MHz. Only a digital code of a type
                      specifically authorized in this part may be transmitted.

           (3) Image. Facsimile and television emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first
               symbol; 1, 2 or 3 as the second symbol; C or F as the third symbol; and emissions having B as the
               first symbol; 7, 8 or 9 as the second symbol; W as the third symbol.

           (4) MCW. Tone-modulated international Morse code telegraphy emissions having designators with A, C,
               D, F, G, H or R as the first symbol; 2 as the second symbol; A or B as the third symbol.

           (5) Phone. Speech and other sound emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first
               symbol; 1, 2, 3 or X as the second symbol; E as the third symbol. Also speech emissions having B or
               F as the first symbol; 7, 8 or 9 as the second symbol; E as the third symbol. MCW for the purpose of
               performing the station identification procedure, or for providing telegraphy practice interspersed with
               speech. Incidental tones for the purpose of selective calling or alerting or to control the level of a
               demodulated signal may also be considered phone.

           (6) Pulse. Emissions having designators with K, L, M, P, Q, V or W as the first symbol; 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 or X
               as the second symbol; A, B, C, D, E, F, N, W or X as the third symbol.

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           (7) RTTY. Narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R
               as the first symbol; 1 as the second symbol; B as the third symbol; and emission J2B. Only a digital
               code of a type specifically authorized in this part may be transmitted.

           (8) SS. Spread spectrum emissions using bandwidth-expansion modulation emissions having
               designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; X as the second symbol; X as the third
               symbol.

           (9) Test. Emissions containing no information having the designators with N as the third symbol. Test
               does not include pulse emissions with no information or modulation unless pulse emissions are also
               authorized in the frequency band.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989]

Editorial Note: For FEDERAL REGISTER citations affecting § 97.3, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which
appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.

§ 97.5 Station license required.
     (a) The station apparatus must be under the physical control of a person named in an amateur station license
         grant on the ULS consolidated license database or a person authorized for alien reciprocal operation by §
         97.107 of this part, before the station may transmit on any amateur service frequency from any place that
         is:

           (1) Within 50 km of the Earth's surface and at a place where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC;

           (2) Within 50 km of the Earth's surface and aboard any vessel or craft that is documented or registered
               in the United States; or

           (3) More than 50 km above the Earth's surface aboard any craft that is documented or registered in the
               United States.

     (b) The types of station license grants are:

           (1) An operator/primary station license grant. One, but only one, operator/primary station license grant
               may be held by any one person. The primary station license is granted together with the amateur
               operator license. Except for a representative of a foreign government, any person who qualifies by
               examination is eligible to apply for an operator/primary station license grant.

           (2) A club station license grant. A club station license grant may be held only by the person who is the
               license trustee designated by an officer of the club. The trustee must be a person who holds an
               operator/primary station license grant. The club must be composed of at least four persons and
               must have a name, a document of organization, management, and a primary purpose devoted to
               amateur service activities consistent with this part.

           (3) A military recreation station license grant. A military recreation station license grant may be held only
               by the person who is the license custodian designated by the official in charge of the United States
               military recreational premises where the station is situated. The person must not be a representative
               of a foreign government. The person need not hold an amateur operator license grant.

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     (c) The person named in the station license grant or who is authorized for alien reciprocal operation by §
         97.107 of this part may use, in accordance with the applicable rules of this part, the transmitting
         apparatus under the physical control of the person at places where the amateur service is regulated by
         the FCC.

     (d) A CEPT radio-amateur license is issued to the person by the country of which the person is a citizen. The
         person must not:

           (1) Be a resident alien or citizen of the United States, regardless of any other citizenship also held;

           (2) Hold an FCC-issued amateur operator license nor reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee;

           (3) Be a prior amateur service licensee whose FCC-issued 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; or

           (4) Be the subject of a cease and desist order that relates to amateur service operation and which is still
               in effect.

     (e) An IARP is issued to the person by the country of which the person is a citizen. The person must not:

           (1) Be a resident alien or citizen of the United States, regardless of any other citizenship also held;

           (2) Hold an FCC-issued amateur operator license nor reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee;

           (3) Be a prior amateur service licensee whose FCC-issued 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; or

           (4) Be the subject of a cease and desist order that relates to amateur service operation and which is still
               in effect.

[59 FR 54831, Nov. 2, 1994, as amended at 62 FR 17567, Apr. 10, 1997; 63 FR 68977, Dec. 14, 1998; 75 FR 78169, Dec. 15, 2010]

§ 97.7 Control operator required.
When transmitting, each amateur station must have a control operator. The control operator must be a person:

     (a) For whom an amateur operator/primary station license grant appears on the ULS consolidated licensee
         database, or

     (b) Who is authorized for alien reciprocal operation by § 97.107 of this part.

[63 FR 68978, Dec. 14, 1998]

§ 97.9 Operator license grant.
     (a) The classes of amateur operator license grants are: Novice, Technician, General, Advanced, and Amateur
         Extra. The person named in the operator license grant is authorized to be the control operator of an
         amateur station with the privileges authorized to the operator class specified on the license grant.

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     (b) The person named in an operator license grant of Novice, Technician, General or Advanced Class, who has
         properly submitted to the administering VEs a FCC Form 605 document requesting examination for an
         operator license grant of a higher class, and who holds a CSCE indicating that the person has completed
         the necessary examinations within the previous 365 days, is authorized to exercise the rights and
         privileges of the higher operator class until final disposition of the application or until 365 days following
         the passing of the examination, whichever comes first.

[75 FR 78169, Dec. 15, 2010]

§ 97.11 Stations aboard ships or aircraft.
     (a) The installation and operation of an amateur station on a ship or aircraft must be approved by the master
         of the ship or pilot in command of the aircraft.

     (b) The station must be separate from and independent of all other radio apparatus installed on the ship or
         aircraft, except a common antenna may be shared with a voluntary ship radio installation. The station's
         transmissions must not cause interference to any other apparatus installed on the ship or aircraft.

     (c) The station must not constitute a hazard to the safety of life or property. For a station aboard an aircraft,
         the apparatus shall not be operated while the aircraft is operating under Instrument Flight Rules, as
         defined by the FAA, unless the station has been found to comply with all applicable FAA Rules.

§ 97.13 Restrictions on station location.
     (a) Before placing an amateur station on land of environmental importance or that is significant in American
         history, architecture or culture, the licensee may be required to take certain actions prescribed by §§
         1.1305–1.1319 of this chapter.

     (b) A station within 1600 m (1 mile) of an FCC monitoring facility must protect that facility from harmful
         interference. Failure to do so could result in imposition of operating restrictions upon the amateur station
         pursuant to § 97.121. Geographical coordinates of the facilities that require protection are listed in §
         0.121(c) of this chapter.

     (c) Before causing or allowing an amateur station to transmit from any place where the operation of the
         station could cause human exposure to RF electromagnetic field levels in excess of those allowed under
         § 1.1310 of this chapter, the licensee is required to take certain actions.

           (1) The licensee shall ensure compliance with the Commission's radio frequency exposure requirements
               in §§ 1.1307(b), 2.1091, and 2.1093 of this chapter, where applicable. In lieu of evaluation with the
               general population/uncontrolled exposure limits, amateur licensees may evaluate their operation
               with respect to members of his or her immediate household using the occupational/controlled
               exposure limits in § 1.1310, provided appropriate training and information has been accessed by the
               amateur licensee and members of his/her household. RF exposure of other nearby persons who are
               not members of the amateur licensee's household must be evaluated with respect to the general
               population/uncontrolled exposure limits. Appropriate methodologies and guidance for evaluating
               amateur radio service operation is described in the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET)
               Bulletin 65, Supplement B.

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           (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 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; 63 FR 68978, Dec. 14, 1998; 65 FR 6549, Feb. 10, 2000; 80 FR 53752,
Sept. 8, 2015; 85 FR 18151, Apr. 1, 2020]

§ 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.)

     (c) Antennas used to transmit in the 2200 m and 630 m bands must not exceed 60 meters in height above
         ground level.

[64 FR 53242, Oct. 1, 1999, as amended at 82 FR 27214, June 14, 2017]

§ 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 or Advanced Class
         operator/primary 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

47 CFR 97.17(b)(2) (enhanced display)                                                                            page 11 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                                47 CFR 97.17(c)
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                 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 grant of each new primary, club and military recreation
         station. The call sign will be selected by the sequential call sign system. Effective February 14, 2011, no
         club station license grants will be issued to a licensee who is shown as the license trustee on an existing
         club station license grant.

[63 FR 68978, Dec. 14, 1998, as amended at 64 FR 53242, Oct. 1, 1999; 65 FR 6549, Feb. 10, 2000; 75 FR 78170, Dec. 15, 2010]

§ 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. Effective February 14, 2011, the person named in a club station
         license grant that shows on the license a call sign that was selected by a trustee is not eligible for an
         additional vanity call sign. (The person named in a club station license grant that shows on the license a
         call sign that was selected by a trustee is eligible for a vanity call sign for his or her operator/primary
         station license grant on the same basis as any other person who holds an operator/primary station
         license grant.) 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 are available to the vanity call sign system with the following exceptions:

           (1) A call sign shown on an expired license grant 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 or canceled license grant (except for a license grant that is
               canceled pursuant to § 97.31) is not available to the vanity call sign system for 2 years following the
               date such action is taken. (The availability of a call sign shown on a license canceled pursuant to §
               97.31 is governed by paragraph (c)(3) of this section.)

                 (i)   This 2-year period does not apply to any license grant pursuant to paragraph (c)(3)(i), (ii), or (iii)
                       of this section that is surrendered, canceled, revoked, voided, or set aside because the grantee
                       acknowledged or the Commission determined that the grantee was not eligible for the
                       exception. In such a case, the call sign is not available to the vanity call sign system for 30 days
                       following the date such action is taken, or for the period for which the call sign would not have
                       been available to the vanity call sign system pursuant to paragraphs (c)(2) or (3) of this section
                       but for the intervening grant to the ineligible applicant, whichever is later.

                 (ii) An applicant to whose operator/primary station license grant, or club station license grant for
                      which the applicant is the trustee, the call sign was previously assigned is exempt from the
                      2-year period set forth in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

47 CFR 97.19(c)(2)(ii) (enhanced display)                                                                         page 12 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                              47 CFR 97.19(c)(3)
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           (3) A call sign shown on a license canceled pursuant to § 97.31 of this part 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 grant, whichever is sooner. If, however, a license is canceled more than 2 years after the
               licensee's death (or within 30 days before the second anniversary of the licensee's death), the call
               sign is not available to the vanity call sign system for 30 days following the date such action is taken.
               The following applicants are exempt from this 2-year period:

                 (i)   An applicant to whose operator/primary station license grant, or club station license grant for
                       which the applicant is the trustee, the call sign was previously assigned; or

                 (ii) An applicant who is the spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent,
                      brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law of the person now
                      deceased or of any other deceased former holder of the call sign, provided that the vanity call
                      sign requested by the applicant is 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; or

                (iii) An applicant who is a club station license trustee acting with a written statement of consent
                      signed by either the licensee ante mortem but who is now deceased, or by at least one relative
                      as listed in paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section, of the person now deceased or of any other
                      deceased former holder of the call sign, provided that the deceased former holder was a
                      member of the club during his or her life.

     (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 license grant be vacated and provide a
               list of up to 25 call signs in order of preference. In the event that the Commission receives more than
               one application requesting a vanity call sign from an applicant on the same receipt day, the
               Commission will process only the first such application entered into the Universal Licensing System.
               Subsequent vanity call sign applications from that applicant with the same receipt date will not be
               accepted.

           (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; 63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998;
71 FR 66461, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 78170, Dec. 15, 2010]

47 CFR 97.19(d)(4) (enhanced display)                                                                             page 13 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                              47 CFR 97.21
Amateur Radio Service

§ 97.21 Application for a modified or renewed license grant.
     (a) A person holding a valid amateur station license grant:

           (1) Must apply to the FCC for a modification of the license grant as necessary to show the correct
               mailing and email address, licensee name, club name, license trustee name, or license custodian
               name in accordance with § 1.913 of this chapter. For a club or military recreation station license
               grant, 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. A Club Station Call Sign Administrator shall not file with the Commission
               any application to modify a club station license grant that was submitted by a person other than the
               trustee as shown on the license grant, except an application to change the club station license
               trustee. An application to modify a club station license grant to change the license trustee name
               must be submitted to a Club Station Call Sign Administrator and must be signed by an officer of the
               club.

           (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
               and 1.949 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 sign 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 does not want to have the vanity 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 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 replacement call sign will be selected by the sequential call sign
                      system. 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.

     (b) A person whose amateur station license grant has expired may apply to the FCC 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 grant is renewed, no
         privileges in this part are conferred.

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                                                                                                                47 CFR 97.21(c)
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     (c) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, 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.

[63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998, as amended at 64 FR 53242, Oct. 1, 1999; 65 FR 6550, Feb. 10, 2000; 75 FR 78170, Dec. 15, 2010; 79
FR 35291, July 21, 2014; 85 FR 85532, Dec. 29, 2020]

§ 97.23 Mailing and email addresses.
Each license grant must show the grantee's correct name, mailing address, and email address. The email address
must be an address where the grantee can receive electronic correspondence. 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 email address.

[85 FR 85533, Dec. 29, 2020]

§ 97.25 License term.
An amateur service license is normally granted for a 10-year term.

[63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998]

§ 97.27 FCC modification of station license grant.
     (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, as amended at 63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998]

§ 97.29 Replacement license grant 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.

[63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998]

47 CFR 97.29 (enhanced display)                                                                                   page 15 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                           47 CFR 97.31
Amateur Radio Service

§ 97.31 Cancellation on account of the licensee's death.
     (a) A person may request cancellation of an operator/primary station license grant on account of the
         licensee's death by submitting a signed request that includes a death certificate, obituary, or Social
         Security Death Index data that shows the person named in the operator/primary station license grant has
         died. Such a request may be submitted as a pleading associated with the deceased licensee's license.
         See § 1.45 of this chapter. In addition, the Commission may cancel an operator/primary station license
         grant if it becomes aware of the grantee's death through other means. No action will be taken during the
         last thirty days of the post-expiration grace period (see § 97.21(b)) on a request to cancel a license due to
         the licensee's death.

     (b) A license that is canceled due to the licensee's death is canceled as of the date of the licensee's death.

[75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010]

Subpart B—Station Operation Standards
§ 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.

§ 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.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 27201, May 14, 2010]

§ 97.105 Control operator duties.
     (a) The control operator must ensure the immediate proper operation of the station, regardless of the type of
         control.

47 CFR 97.105(a) (enhanced display)                                                                       page 16 of 53
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                                                                                                       47 CFR 97.105(b)
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     (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.

§ 97.107 Reciprocal operating authority.
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 States 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 arrangement. 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 rules of this part, but not to exceed the control operator privileges of an FCC-granted
               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 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; and

     (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.

[63 FR 68979, Dec. 14, 1998]

§ 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.

47 CFR 97.109(c) (enhanced display)                                                                        page 17 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                             47 CFR 97.109(d)
Amateur Radio Service

     (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 a Regional Director that the station is transmitting improperly or
         causing harmful interference to other stations. Automatic control must not be resumed without prior
         approval of the Regional Director.

[54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989, as amended at 60 FR 26001, May 16, 1995; 69 FR 24997, May 5, 2004; 80 FR 53753, Sept. 8, 2015]

§ 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 notified the ITU that it objects to such
               communications. The FCC will issue public notices of current arrangements for international
               communications.

           (2) Transmissions necessary to meet essential communication needs and to facilitate relief actions.

           (3) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a station in another FCC-regulated service
               while providing emergency communications;

           (4) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a United States government station,
               necessary to providing communications in RACES; and

           (5) 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; 71 FR 25982, May 3, 2006; 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006]

§ 97.113 Prohibited transmissions.
     (a) No amateur station shall transmit:

           (1) Communications specifically prohibited elsewhere in this part;

47 CFR 97.113(a)(1) (enhanced display)                                                                           page 18 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                          47 CFR 97.113(a)(2)
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           (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, with the following exceptions:

                 (i)   A station licensee or station control operator may participate on behalf of an employer in an
                       emergency preparedness or disaster readiness test or drill, limited to the duration and scope of
                       such test or drill, and operational testing immediately prior to such test or drill. Tests or drills
                       that are not government-sponsored are limited to a total time of one hour per week; except that
                       no more than twice in any calendar year, they may be conducted for a period not to exceed 72
                       hours.

                 (ii) An amateur operator may 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.

                (iii) 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.

                (iv) 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.

           (4) Music using a phone emission except as specifically provided elsewhere in this section;
               communications intended to facilitate a criminal act; messages encoded for the purpose of
               obscuring their meaning, 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) 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 manned spacecraft and its
         associated Earth stations. Prior approval for manned spacecraft communications retransmissions must
         be obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Such retransmissions must be for

47 CFR 97.113(c) (enhanced display)                                                                            page 19 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                              47 CFR 97.113(d)
Amateur Radio Service

           the exclusive use of amateur radio operators. Propagation, weather forecasts, and manned spacecraft
           communications retransmissions may not be conducted on a regular basis, but only occasionally, as an
           incident of normal amateur radio communications.

     (d) 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, as amended at 71 FR 25982, May 3, 2006; 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006;
75 FR 46857, Aug. 4, 2010; 79 FR 35291, June 20, 2014]

§ 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 when transmitting emergency or
               disaster relief communications and 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 or not renewed
               after hearing and re-licensing has not taken place; 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 re-
               licensing 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) No station may transmit third party communications while being automatically controlled except a station
         transmitting a RTTY or data emission.

     (d) 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, as amended at 71 FR 25982, May 3, 2006; 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006]

§ 97.117 International communications.
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.

[71 FR 25982, May 3, 2006]

47 CFR 97.117 (enhanced display)                                                                                 page 20 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                          47 CFR 97.119
Amateur Radio Service

§ 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 § 73.682(a) of the FCC Rules when all or part of the communications are
               transmitted in the same image emission

     (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 § 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 Technical
               Class: KT;

           (2) For a control operator who has requested a license modification from Novice or Technician to
               General Class: AG;

           (3) For a control operator who has requested a license modification from Novice, Technician, General, or
               Advanced Class to Amateur Extra Class: AE.

47 CFR 97.119(f)(3) (enhanced display)                                                                    page 21 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                                47 CFR 97.119(g)
Amateur Radio Service

     (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; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998; 64 FR 51471, Sept. 23, 1999; 66 FR 20752, Apr. 25, 2001; 75 FR 78171, Dec.
15, 2010]

§ 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.

Subpart C—Special Operations
§ 97.201 Auxiliary station.
     (a) Any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class
         operator license may be an auxiliary station. A holder of a Technician, 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 2 m and shorter wavelength bands, except the 144.0–144.5
         MHz, 145.8–146.0 MHz, 219–220 MHz, 222.00–222.15 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 responsibilty 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; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998;
71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010]

47 CFR 97.201(e) (enhanced display)                                                                                page 22 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                                47 CFR 97.203
Amateur Radio Service

§ 97.203 Beacon station.
     (a) Any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class
         operator license may be a beacon. A holder of a Technician, 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 a Regional Director that the station is operating
         improperly or causing undue interference to other operations. The beacon may not resume transmitting
         without prior approval of the Regional Director.

     (g) A beacon may transmit one-way communications.

[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; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998; 69 FR 24997, May 5, 2004; 71 FR 66462, Nov.
15, 2006; 75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010; 80 FR 53753, Sept. 8, 2015]

§ 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.

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                                                                                                               47 CFR 97.205(c)
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     (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.

     (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 written notification thereof to the Interference Office, Arecibo
         Observatory, HC3 Box 53995, Arecibo, Puerto Rico 00612, 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 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; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998; 69 FR 24997, May 5,
2004; 70 FR 31374, June 1, 2005]

§ 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

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           (2) The 7.0–7.1 MHz, 14.00–14.25 MHz, 144–146 MHz, 435–438 MHz, 2400–2450 MHz, 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 the following written notifications to the Space
         Bureau, FCC, Washington, DC 20554.

           (1) A pre-space notification within 30 days after the date of launch vehicle determination, but no later
               than 90 days before integration of the space station into the launch vehicle. The notification must be
               in accordance with the provisions of Articles 9 and 11 of the International Telecommunication Union
               (ITU) Radio Regulations and must specify the information required by Appendix 4 and Resolution No.
               642 of the ITU Radio Regulations. The notification must also include a description of the design and
               operational strategies that the space station will use to mitigate orbital debris, including the
               following information:

                 (i)   A statement that the space station operator has assessed and limited the amount of debris
                       released in a planned manner during normal operations. Where applicable, this statement must
                       include an orbital debris mitigation disclosure for any separate deployment devices, distinct
                       from the space station launch vehicle, that may become a source of orbital debris;

                 (ii) A statement indicating whether the space station operator has assessed and limited the
                      probability that the space station(s) will become a source of debris by collision with small
                      debris or meteoroids that would cause loss of control and prevent disposal. The statement
                      must indicate whether this probability for an individual space station is 0.01 (1 in 100) or less,
                      as calculated using the NASA Debris Assessment Software or a higher fidelity assessment tool;

                (iii) A statement that the space station operator has assessed and limited the probability, during
                      and after completion of mission operations, of accidental explosions or of release of liquids
                      that will persist in droplet form. This statement must include a demonstration that debris
                      generation will not result from the conversion of energy sources on board the spacecraft into
                      energy that fragments the spacecraft. Energy sources include chemical, pressure, and kinetic
                      energy. This demonstration should address whether stored energy will be removed at the
                      spacecraft's end of life, by depleting residual fuel and leaving all fuel line valves open, venting
                      any pressurized system, leaving all batteries in a permanent discharge state, and removing any
                      remaining source of stored energy, or through other equivalent procedures specifically
                      disclosed in the application;

                (iv) A statement that the space station operator has assessed and limited the probability of the
                     space station(s) becoming a source of debris by collisions with large debris or other
                     operational space stations.

                       (A) Where the application is for an NGSO space station or system, the following information
                           must also be included:

                            (1) A demonstration that the space station operator has assessed and limited the
                                probability of collision between any space station of the system and other large
                                objects (10 cm or larger in diameter) during the total orbital lifetime of the space

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                                 station, including any de-orbit phases, to less than 0.001 (1 in 1,000). The probability
                                 shall be calculated using the NASA Debris Assessment Software or a higher fidelity
                                 assessment tool. The collision risk may be assumed zero for a space station during
                                 any period in which the space station will be maneuvered effectively to avoid
                                 colliding with large objects.

                            (2) The statement must identify characteristics of the space station(s)' orbits that may
                                present a collision risk, including any planned and/or operational space stations in
                                those orbits, and indicate what steps, if any, have been taken to coordinate with the
                                other spacecraft or system, or what other measures the operator plans to use to
                                avoid collision.

                            (3) If at any time during the space station(s)' mission or de-orbit phase the space
                                station(s) will transit through the orbits used by any inhabitable spacecraft, including
                                the International Space Station, the statement must describe the design and
                                operational strategies, if any, that will be used to minimize the risk of collision and
                                avoid posing any operational constraints to the inhabitable spacecraft.

                            (4) The statement must disclose the accuracy, if any, with which orbital parameters will
                                be maintained, including apogee, perigee, inclination, and the right ascension of the
                                ascending node(s). In the event that a system is not be maintained to specific orbital
                                tolerances, e.g., its propulsion system will not be used for orbital maintenance, that
                                fact should be included in the debris mitigation disclosure. Such systems must also
                                indicate the anticipated evolution over time of the orbit of the proposed satellite or
                                satellites. All systems must describe the extent of satellite maneuverability, whether
                                or not the space station design includes a propulsion system.

                            (5) The space station operator must certify that upon receipt of a space situational
                                awareness conjunction warning, the operator will review and take all possible steps
                                to assess the collision risk, and will mitigate the collision risk if necessary. As
                                appropriate, steps to assess and mitigate the collision risk should include, but are not
                                limited to: Contacting the operator of any active spacecraft involved in such a
                                warning; sharing ephemeris data and other appropriate operational information with
                                any such operator; and modifying space station attitude and/or operations.

                      (B) Where a space station requests the assignment of a geostationary orbit location, it must
                          assess whether there are any known satellites located at, or reasonably expected to be
                          located at, the requested orbital location, or assigned in the vicinity of that location, such
                          that the station keeping volumes of the respective satellites might overlap or touch. If so,
                          the statement must include a statement as to the identities of those parties and the
                          measures that will be taken to prevent collisions.

                 (v) A statement addressing the trackability of the space station(s). Space station(s) operating in
                     low-Earth orbit will be presumed trackable if each individual space station is 10 cm or larger in
                     its smallest dimension, exclusive of deployable components. Where the application is for an
                     NGSO space station or system, the statement shall also disclose the following:

                      (A) How the operator plans to identify the space station(s) following deployment and whether
                          space station tracking will be active or passive;

                      (B) Whether, prior to deployment, the space station(s) will be registered with the 18th Space
                          Control Squadron or successor entity; and
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47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                   47 CFR 97.207(g)(1)(v)(C)
Amateur Radio Service

                       (C) The extent to which the space station operator plans to share information regarding initial
                           deployment, ephemeris, and/or planned maneuvers with the 18th Space Control Squadron
                           or successor entity, other entities that engage in space situational awareness or space
                           traffic management functions, and/or other operators.

                 (vi) A statement disclosing planned proximity operations, if any, and addressing debris generation
                      that will or may result from the proposed operations, including any planned release of debris,
                      the risk of accidental explosions, the risk of accidental collision, and measures taken to
                      mitigate those risks.

                (vii) A statement detailing the disposal plans for the space station, including the quantity of fuel—if
                      any—that will be reserved for disposal maneuvers. In addition, the following specific provisions
                      apply:

                       (A) For geostationary orbit space stations, the statement must disclose the altitude selected
                           for a disposal orbit and the calculations that are used in deriving the disposal altitude.

                       (B) For space stations terminating operations in an orbit in or passing through the low-Earth
                           orbit region below 2,000 km altitude, the statement must disclose whether the spacecraft
                           will be disposed of either through atmospheric re-entry, specifying if direct retrieval of the
                           spacecraft will be used. The statement must also disclose the expected time in orbit for
                           the space station following the completion of the mission.

                       (C) For space stations not covered by either paragraph (g)(1)(vii)(A) or (B) of this section, the
                           statement must indicate whether disposal will involve use of a storage orbit or long-term
                           atmospheric re-entry and rationale for the selected disposal plan.

                       (D) For all NGSO space stations under paragraph (g)(1)(vii)(B) or (C) of this section, the
                           following additional specific provisions apply:

                             (1) The statement must include a demonstration that the probability of success of the
                                 chosen disposal method will be 0.9 or greater for any individual space station. For
                                 space station systems consisting of multiple space stations, the demonstration
                                 should include additional information regarding efforts to achieve a higher probability
                                 of success, with a goal, for large systems, of a probability of success for any
                                 individual space station of 0.99 or better. For space stations under paragraph
                                 (g)(1)(vii)(B) of this section that will be terminating operations in or passing through
                                 low-Earth orbit, successful disposal is defined as atmospheric re-entry of the
                                 spacecraft within 25 years or less following completion of the mission. For space
                                 stations under paragraph (g)(1)(vii)(C) of this section, successful disposal will be
                                 assessed on a case-by-case basis.

                             (2) If planned disposal is by atmospheric re-entry, the statement must also include:

                                   (i)   A disclosure indicating whether the atmospheric re-entry will be an uncontrolled
                                         re-entry or a controlled targeted reentry.

                                  (ii) An assessment as to whether portions of any individual spacecraft will survive
                                       atmospheric re-entry and impact the surface of the Earth with a kinetic energy
                                       in excess of 15 joules, and demonstration that the calculated casualty risk for
                                       an individual spacecraft using the NASA Debris Assessment Software or a
                                       higher fidelity assessment tool is less than 0.0001 (1 in 10,000).

47 CFR 97.207(g)(1)(vii)(D)(2)(ii) (enhanced display)                                                         page 27 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                       47 CFR 97.207(g)(1)(viii)
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                (viii) If any material item described in this notification changes before launch, a replacement pre-
                       space notification shall be filed with the Space Bureau no later than 90 days before integration
                       of the space station into the launch vehicle.

           (2) An in-space station notification is required no later than 7 days following initiation of space station
               transmissions. This notification must update the information contained in the pre-space notification.

           (3) A post-space station notification is required no later than 3 months after termination of the space
               station transmissions. When termination of transmissions is ordered by the FCC, the notification is
               required no later than 24 hours after termination of transmissions.

[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; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998; 69 FR 54588, Sept. 9, 2004; 71 FR 66462, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 27201,
May 14, 2010; 85 FR 52453, Aug. 25, 2020; 85 FR 64068, Oct. 9, 2020; 88 FR 21451, Apr. 10, 2023]

§ 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, 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; 85 FR 64068, Oct. 9, 2020; 85 FR 69515, Nov. 3, 2020]

§ 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, 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; 85 FR 64068, Oct. 9, 2020]

§ 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:

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47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                         47 CFR 97.213(a)
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     (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]

§ 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]

§ 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]

§ 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:

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47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                             47 CFR 97.219(d)(1)
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           (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]

§ 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 3.585–3.600 MHz segments.

     (c) Except for channels specified in § 97.303(h), 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, as amended at 72 FR 3082, Jan. 24, 2007; 77 FR 5412, Feb. 3, 2012]

Subpart D—Technical Standards
§ 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, General, Advanced, or Amateur
         Extra Class operator license or who holds a CEPT radio-amateur license or IARP of any class:

                                                                                                       Sharing
                                                                                                    requirements
              Wavelength band          ITU Region 1         ITU Region 2         ITU Region 3
                                                                                                    see § 97.303
                                                                                                     (paragraph)
                     VHF                      MHz                MHz                  MHz
            6m                                           50–54                50–54              (a).
            2m                      144–146              144–148              144–148            (a), (k).
            1.25 m                                       219–220                                 (l).
            Do                                           222–225                                 (a).
                     UHF                      MHz                MHz                  MHz
            70 cm                   430–440              420–450              430–440            (a), (b), (m).

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                                                                                                                             47 CFR 97.301(b)
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                                                                                                                  Sharing
                                                                                                               requirements
              Wavelength band            ITU Region 1            ITU Region 2          ITU Region 3
                                                                                                               see § 97.303
                                                                                                                (paragraph)
            33 cm                                             902–928                                       (a), (b), (e), (n).
            23 cm                    1240–1300                1240–1300              1240–1300              (b), (d), (o).
            13 cm                    2300–2310                2300–2310              2300–2310              (d), (p).
            Do                       2390–2450                2390–2450              2390–2450              (d), (e), (p).
                      SHF                      GHz                    GHz                     GHz
            5 cm                     5.650–5.850              5.650–5.925            5.650–5.850            (a), (b), (e), (r).
            3 cm                     10.0–10.5                10.0–10.5              10.0–10.5              (a), (b), (k).
            1.2 cm                   24.00–24.25              24.00–24.25            24.00–24.25            (b), (d), (e).
                      EHF                      GHz                    GHz                     GHz
            6 mm                     47.0–47.2                47.0–47.2              47.0–47.2
            4 mm                     76–81                    76–81                  76–81                  (c), (f), (s).
            2.5 mm                   122.25–123.00            122.25–123.00          122.25–123.00          (e), (t).
            2 mm                     134–141                  134–141                134–141                (c), (f).
            1 mm                     241–250                  241–250                241–250                (c), (e), (f).
                                     Above 275                Above 275              Above 275              (f).

     (b) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an Amateur Extra Class operator license,
         who holds a CEPT radio amateur license, or who holds a Class 1 IARP license:

                                                                                       Sharing requirements see § 97.303
            Wavelength band       ITU Region 1       ITU Region 2     ITU Region 3
                                                                                                  (paragraph)
                      LF          kHz                kHz              kHz
            2200 m                135.7–137.8        135.7–137.8      135.7–137.8     (a), (g).

            Wavelength band        ITU region 1      ITU region 2     ITU region 3     Sharing requirements see § 97.303
                      MF                 kHz               kHz               kHz                  (paragraph)
            160 m                 1810–1850          1800–2000        1800–2000      (a)
            630 m                 472–479            472–479          472–479        (g).

                 HF                 MHz                               MHz                            MHz
            80 m           3.500–3.600                     3.500–3.600                      3.500–3.600                        (a)
            75 m           3.600–3.800                     3.600–4.000                      3.600–3.900                        (a)
            60 m                                           See § 97.303(h)                                                     (h)
            40 m           7.000–7.200                     7.000–7.300                      7.000–7.200                        (i)
            30 m           10.100–10.150                   10.100–10.150                    10.100–10.150                      (j)
            20 m           14.000–14.350                   14.000–14.350                    14.000–14.350
            17 m           18.068–18.168                   18.068–18.168                    18.068–18.168
            15 m           21.000–21.450                   21.000–21.450                    21.000–21.450

47 CFR 97.301(b) (enhanced display)                                                                                             page 31 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                            47 CFR 97.301(c)
Amateur Radio Service

               HF                  MHz                           MHz                            MHz
            12 m          24.890–24.990                24.890–24.990                   24.890–24.990
            10 m          28.000–29.700                28.000–29.700                   28.000–29.700

     (c) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an operator license of Advanced Class:

                                                                                  Sharing requirements see § 97.303
            Wavelength band      ITU Region 1    ITU Region 2    ITU Region 3
                                                                                             (paragraph)
                     LF          kHz             kHz             kHz
            2200 m               135.7–137.8     135.7–137.8     135.7–137.8    (a), (g).

            Wavelength band       ITU region 1   ITU region 2    ITU region 3    Sharing requirements see § 97.303
                     MF                kHz             kHz             kHz                  (Paragraph)
            160 m                1810–1850       1800–2000       1800–2000      (a)
            630 m                472–479         472–479         472–479        (g).

                HF                     MHz                        MHz                           MHz
            80 m           3.525–3.600                  3.525–3.600                    3.525–3.600            (a)
            75 m           3.700–3.800                  3.700–4.000                    3.700–3.900            (a)
            60 m                                        See § 97.303(h)                                       (h)
            40 m           7.025–7.200                  7.025–7.300                    7.025–7.200            (i)
            30 m           10.100–10.150                10.100–10.150                  10.100–10.150          (j)
            20 m           14.025–14.150                14.025–14.150                  14.025–14.150
               Do          14.175–14.350                14.175–14.350                  14.175–14.350
            17 m           18.068–18.168                18.068–18.168                  18.068–18.168
            15 m           21.025–21.200                21.025–21.200                  21.025–21.200
               Do          21.225–21.450                21.225–21.450                  21.225–21.450
            12 m           24.890–24.990                24.890–24.990                  24.890–24.990
            10 m           28.000–29.700                28.000–29.700                  28.000–29.700

47 CFR 97.301(c) (enhanced display)                                                                            page 32 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                                     47 CFR 97.301(d)
Amateur Radio Service

     (d) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an operator license of General Class:

                                                                                           Sharing requirements see § 97.303
               Wavelength band      ITU Region 1      ITU Region 2      ITU Region 3
                                                                                                      (paragraph)
                        LF          kHz               kHz               kHz
               2200 m               135.7–137.8       135.7–137.8       135.7–137.8       (a), (g).

               Wavelength band        ITU region 1    ITU region 2      ITU region 3       Sharing requirements see § 97.303
                        MF                kHz               kHz               kHz                     (paragraph)
               160 m                1810–1850         1800–2000         1800–2000        (a)
               630 m                472–479           472–479           472–479          (g).

                  HF                      MHz                            MHz                             MHz
               80 m          3.525–3.600                    3.525–3.600                         3.525–3.600             (a)
               75 m                                         3.800–4.000                         3.800–3.900             (a)
               60 m                                         See § 97.303(h)                                             (h)
               40 m          7.025–7.125                    7.025–7.125                         7.025–7.125             (i)
                 Do          7.175–7.200                    7.175–7.300                         7.175–7.200             (i)
               30 m          10.100–10.150                  10.100–10.150                       10.100–10.150           (j)
               20 m          14.025–14.150                  14.025–14.150                       14.025–14.150
                 Do          14.225–14.350                  14.225–14.350                       14.225–14.350
               17 m          18.068–18.168                  18.068–18.168                       18.068–18.168
               15 m          21.025–21.200                  21.025–21.200                       21.025–21.200
                 Do          21.275–21.450                  21.275–21.450                       21.275–21.450
               12 m          24.890–24.990                  24.890–24.990                       24.890–24.990
               10 m          28.000–29.700                  28.000–29.700                       28.000–29.700

     (e) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an operator license of Novice Class or
         Technician Class:

   Wavelength                                                                         Sharing requirements see §
                         ITU region 1      ITU region 2       ITU region 3
     band                                                                                       97.303
          HF                 MHz                MHz                MHz                       (paragraph)
 80 m                   3.525–3.600       3.525–3.600        3.525–3.600        (a)
 40 m                   7.025–7.125       7.025–7.125        7.025–7.125        (i)
 15 m                   21.025–21.200 21.025–21.200 21.025–21.200
 10 m                   28.0–28.5         28.0–28.5          28.0–28.5

           VHF                      MHz                           MHz                           MHz
 1.25 m                                           222–225                                                 (a)

47 CFR 97.301(e) (enhanced display)                                                                                      page 33 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                               47 CFR 97.303
Amateur Radio Service

     UHF                  MHz                      MHz                      MHz
 23 cm          1270–1295                 1270–1295                1270–1295                (d), (o)

[75 FR 27201, May 14, 2010, as amended at 75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010; 80 FR 38911, July 7, 2015; 82 FR 27214, June 14, 2017;
85 FR 64068, Oct. 9, 2020]

§ 97.303 Frequency sharing requirements.
The following paragraphs summarize the frequency sharing requirements that apply to amateur stations
transmitting in the frequency bands specified in § 97.301 of this part. Each frequency band allocated to the amateur
service is designated as either a secondary service or a primary service. A station in a secondary service must not
cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from, stations in a primary service.

     (a) Where, in adjacent ITU Regions or sub-Regions, a band of frequencies is allocated to different services of
         the same category (i.e., primary or secondary services), the basic principle is the equality of right to
         operate. Accordingly, stations of each service in one Region or sub-Region must operate so as not to
         cause harmful interference to any service of the same or higher category in the other Regions or sub-
         Regions.

     (b) Amateur stations transmitting in the 70 cm band, the 33 cm band, the 23 cm band, the 5 cm band, the 3
         cm band, or the 24.05–24.25 GHz segment must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept
         interference from, stations authorized by the United States Government in the radiolocation service.

     (c) Amateur stations transmitting in the 76–81 GHz segment, the 136–141 GHz segment, or the 241–248
         GHz segment must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from, stations
         authorized by the United States Government, the FCC, or other nations in the radiolocation service.

     (d) Amateur stations transmitting in the 430–450 MHz segment, the 23 cm band, the 3.3–3.4 GHz segment,
         the 5.65–5.85 GHz segment, the 13 cm band, or the 24.05–24.25 GHz segment, must not cause harmful
         interference to, and must accept interference from, stations authorized by other nations in the
         radiolocation service.

     (e) Amateur stations receiving in the 33 cm band, the 2400–2450 MHz segment, the 5.725–5.875 GHz
         segment, the 1.2 cm band, the 2.5 mm band, or the 244–246 GHz segment must accept interference from
         industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) equipment.

     (f) Amateur stations transmitting in the following segments must not cause harmful interference to radio
         astronomy stations: 76–81 GHz, 136–141 GHz, 241–248 GHz, 275–323 GHz, 327–371 GHz, 388–424
         GHz, 426–442 GHz, 453–510 GHz, 623–711 GHz, 795–909 GHz, or 926–945 GHz. In addition, amateur
         stations transmitting in the following segments must not cause harmful interference to stations in the
         Earth exploration-satellite service (passive) or the space research service (passive): 275–286 GHz,
         296–306 GHz, 313–356 GHz, 361–365 GHz, 369–392 GHz, 397–399 GHz, 409–411 GHz, 416–434 GHz,
         439–467 GHz, 477–502 GHz, 523–527 GHz, 538–581 GHz, 611–630 GHz, 634–654 GHz, 657–692 GHz,
         713–718 GHz, 729–733 GHz, 750–754 GHz, 771–776 GHz, 823–846 GHz, 850–854 GHz, 857–862 GHz,
         866–882 GHz, 905–928 GHz, 951–956 GHz, 968–973 GHz and 985–990 GHz.

     (g) In the 2200 m and 630 m bands:

47 CFR 97.303(g) (enhanced display)                                                                             page 34 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                     47 CFR 97.303(g)(1)
Amateur Radio Service

           (1) Amateur stations in the 135.7–137.8 kHz (2200 m) and 472–479 kHz (630 m) bands shall only
               operate at fixed locations. Amateur stations shall not operate within a horizontal distance of one
               kilometer from a transmission line that conducts a power line carrier (PLC) signal in the 135.7–137.8
               kHz or 472–479 kHz bands. Horizontal distance is measured from the station's antenna to the
               closest point on the transmission line.

           (2) Prior to commencement of operations in the 135.7–137.8 kHz (2200 m) and/or 472–479 kHz (630
               m) bands, amateur operators shall notify the Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) of their intent to
               operate by submitting their call signs, intended band or bands of operation, and the coordinates of
               their antenna's fixed location. Amateur stations will be permitted to commence operations after the
               30-day period unless UTC notifies the station that its fixed location is located within one kilometer of
               PLC systems operating in the same or overlapping frequencies.

           (3) Amateur stations in the 135.7–137.8 kHz (2200 m) band shall not cause harmful interference to, and
               shall accept interference from:

                 (i)   Stations authorized by the United States Government in the fixed and maritime mobile services;

                 (ii) Stations authorized by other nations in the fixed, maritime mobile, and radionavigation service.

           (4) Amateur stations in the 472–479 kHz (630 m) band shall not cause harmful interference to, and shall
               accept interference from:

                 (i)   Stations authorized by the FCC in the maritime mobile service;

                 (ii) Stations authorized by other nations in the maritime mobile and aeronautical radionavigation
                      services.

           (5) Amateur stations causing harmful interference shall take all necessary measures to eliminate such
               interference—including temporary or permanent termination of transmissions.

     (h) 60 m band:

47 CFR 97.303(h) (enhanced display)                                                                        page 35 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                       47 CFR 97.303(h)(1)
Amateur Radio Service

            (1) In the 5330.5–5406.4 kHz band (60 m band), amateur stations may transmit only on the five center
                frequencies specified in the table below. In order to meet this requirement, control operators of
                stations transmitting phone, data, and RTTY emissions (emission designators 2K80J3E, 2K80J2D,
                and 60H0J2B, respectively) may set the carrier frequency 1.5 kHz below the center frequency as
                specified in the table below. For CW emissions (emission designator 150HA1A), the carrier
                frequency is set to the center frequency. Amateur operators shall ensure that their emissions do not
                occupy more than 2.8 kHz centered on each of these center frequencies.

                                                  60 M Band Frequencies (kHz)

                                        Carrier                                           Center
                  5330.5                                                                                        5332.0
                  5346.5                                                                                        5348.0
                  5357.0                                                                                        5358.5
                  5371.5                                                                                        5373.0
                  5403.5                                                                                        5405.0

            (2) Amateur stations transmitting on the 60 m band must not cause harmful interference to, and must
                accept interference from, stations authorized by:

                  (i)   The United States (NTIA and FCC) and other nations in the fixed service; and

                 (ii) Other nations in the mobile except aeronautical mobile service.

      (i)   Amateur stations transmitting in the 7.2–7.3 MHz segment must not cause harmful interference to, and
            must accept interference from, international broadcast stations whose programming is intended for use
            within Region 1 or Region 3.

      (j)   Amateur stations transmitting in the 30 m band must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept
            interference from, stations by other nations in the fixed service. The licensee of the amateur station must
            make all necessary adjustments, including termination of transmissions, if harmful interference is
            caused.

     (k) For amateur stations located in ITU Regions 1 and 3: Amateur stations transmitting in the 146–148 MHz
         segment or the 10.00–10.45 GHz segment must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept
         interference from, stations of other nations in the fixed and mobile services.

      (l)   In the 219–220 MHz segment:

            (1) Use is restricted to amateur stations participating as forwarding stations in fixed point-to-point
                digital message forwarding systems, including intercity packet backbone networks. It is not available
                for other purposes.

            (2) Amateur stations must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from,
                stations authorized by:

                  (i)   The FCC in the Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS), the 218–219 MHz
                        Service, and the 220 MHz Service, and television stations broadcasting on channels 11 and 13;
                        and

                 (ii) Other nations in the fixed and maritime mobile services.

47 CFR 97.303(l)(2)(ii) (enhanced display)                                                                  page 36 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                   47 CFR 97.303(l)(3)
Amateur Radio Service

           (3) No amateur station may transmit unless the licensee has given written notification of the station's
               specific geographic location for such transmissions in order to be incorporated into a database that
               has been made available to the public. The notification must be given at least 30 days prior to
               making such transmissions. The notification must be given to: The American Radio Relay League,
               Inc., 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111–1494.

           (4) No amateur station may transmit from a location that is within 640 km of an AMTS coast station that
               operates in the 217–218 MHz and 219–220 MHz bands unless the amateur station licensee has
               given written notification of the station's specific geographic location for such transmissions to the
               AMTS licensee. The notification must be given at least 30 days prior to making such transmissions.
               The location of AMTS coast stations using the 217–218/219–220 MHz channels may be obtained
               as noted in paragraph (l)(3) of this section.

           (5) No amateur station may transmit from a location that is within 80 km of an AMTS coast station that
               uses frequencies in the 217–218 MHz and 219–220 MHz bands unless that amateur station
               licensee holds written approval from that AMTS licensee. The location of AMTS coast stations using
               the 217–218/219–220 MHz channels may be obtained as noted in paragraph (l)(3) of this section.

     (m) In the 70 cm band:

           (1) No amateur station shall transmit from north of Line A in the 420–430 MHz segment. See § 97.3(a)
               for the definition of Line A.

           (2) Amateur stations transmitting in the 420–430 MHz segment must not cause harmful interference to,
               and must accept interference from, stations authorized by the FCC in the land mobile service within
               80.5 km of Buffalo, Cleveland, and Detroit. See § 2.106, footnote US230 for specific frequencies and
               coordinates.

           (3) Amateur stations transmitting in the 420–430 MHz segment or the 440–450 MHz segment must not
               cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from, stations authorized by other
               nations in the fixed and mobile except aeronautical mobile services.

     (n) In the 33 cm band:

           (1) Amateur stations must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from,
               stations authorized by:

                 (i)   The United States Government;

                 (ii) The FCC in the Location and Monitoring Service; and

                (iii) Other nations in the fixed service.

           (2) No amateur station shall transmit from those portions of Texas and New Mexico that are bounded by
               latitudes 31°41′ and 34°30′ North and longitudes 104°11′ and 107°30′ West; or from outside of the
               United States and its Region 2 insular areas.

           (3) No amateur station shall transmit from those portions of Colorado and Wyoming that are bounded
               by latitudes 39° and 42° North and longitudes 103° and 108° West in the following segments:
               902.4–902.6 MHz, 904.3–904.7 MHz, 925.3–925.7 MHz, and 927.3–927.7 MHz.

     (o) Amateur stations transmitting in the 23 cm band must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept
         interference from, stations authorized by:

47 CFR 97.303(o) (enhanced display)                                                                      page 37 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                           47 CFR 97.303(o)(1)
Amateur Radio Service

           (1) The United States Government in the aeronautical radionavigation, Earth exploration-satellite (active),
               or space research (active) services;

           (2) The FCC in the aeronautical radionavigation service; and

           (3) Other nations in the Earth exploration-satellite (active), radionavigation-satellite (space-to-Earth)
               (space-to-space), or space research (active) services.

     (p) In the 13 cm band:

           (1) Amateur stations must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from,
               stations authorized by other nations in fixed and mobile services.

           (2) Amateur stations transmitting in the 2305–2310 MHz segment must not cause harmful interference
               to, and must accept interference from, stations authorized by the FCC in the fixed, mobile except
               aeronautical mobile, and radiolocation services.

     (q) [Reserved]

     (r) In the 5 cm band:

           (1) Amateur stations transmitting in the 5.650–5.725 GHz segment must not cause harmful interference
               to, and must accept interference from, stations authorized by other nations in the mobile except
               aeronautical mobile service.

           (2) Amateur stations transmitting in the 5.850–5.925 GHz segment must not cause harmful interference
               to, and must accept interference from, stations authorized by the FCC and other nations in the fixed-
               satellite (Earth-to-space) and mobile services and also stations authorized by other nations in the
               fixed service. In the United States, the use of mobile service is restricted to Dedicated Short Range
               Communications operating in the Intelligent Transportation System.

     (s) [Reserved]

     (t) Amateur stations transmitting in the 2.5 mm band must not cause harmful interference to, and must
         accept interference from, stations authorized by the United States Government, the FCC, or other nations
         in the fixed, inter-satellite, or mobile services.

           Note to § 97.303: The Table of Frequency Allocations contains the complete, unabridged, and
           legally binding frequency sharing requirements that pertain to the Amateur Radio Service. See 47
           CFR 2.104, 2.105, and 2.106. The United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are in
           Region 2 and other U.S. insular areas are in either Region 2 or 3; see appendix 1 to part 97.

[75 FR 27203, May 14, 2010, as amended at 77 FR 5412, Feb. 3, 2012; 80 FR 38912, July 7, 2015; 82 FR 27215, June 14, 2017; 82
FR 43872, Sept. 20, 2017; 85 FR 64068, Oct. 9, 2020]

§ 97.305 Authorized emission types.
     (a) Except as specified elsewhere in this part, an amateur station may transmit a CW emission on any
         frequency authorized to the control operator.

47 CFR 97.305(a) (enhanced display)                                                                              page 38 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                             47 CFR 97.305(b)
Amateur Radio Service

     (b) A station may transmit a test emission on any frequency authorized to the control operator for brief
         periods for experimental purposes, except that no pulse modulation emission may be transmitted on any
         frequency where pulse is not specifically authorized and no SS modulation emission may be transmitted
         on any frequency where SS is not specifically authorized.

      (c) A station may transmit the following emission types on the frequencies indicated, as authorized to the
          control operator, subject to the standards specified in § 97.307(f):

                                                                                    Standards see §
 Wavelength
                           Frequencies                 Emission types authorized        97.307,
   band
                                                                                     paragraph(s):
 (1) LF:
    (i) 2200     Entire band                       RTTY, data                      (f)(3).
    m
    (ii) 2200    Entire band                       Phone, image                    (f)(1), (2).
    m
 (2) MF:
    (i) 630 m    Entire band                       RTTY, data                      (f)(3).
    (ii) 630 m Entire band                         Phone, image                    (f)(1), (2).
    (iii) 160    Entire band                       RTTY, data                      (f)(3).
    m
    (iv) 160     Entire band                       Phone, image                    (f)(1), (2).
    m
 (3) HF:
    (i) 80 m     Entire band                       RTTY, data                      (f)(3), (9).
    (ii) 75 m    Entire band                       Phone, image                    (f)(1), (2).
    (iii) 60 m   5.332, 5.348, 5.3585, 5.373 and   Phone, RTTY, data               (f)(14).
                 5.405 MHz
    (iv) 40 m    7.000–7.100 MHz                   RTTY, data                      (f)(3), (9).
    (v) 40 m     7.075–7.100 MHz                   Phone, image                    (f)(1), (2), (9), (11).
    (vi) 40 m    7.100–7.125 MHz                   RTTY, data                      (f)(3), (9).
    (vii) 40 m 7.125–7.300 MHz                     Phone, image                    (f)(1), (2).
    (viii) 30    Entire band                       RTTY, data                      (f)(3).
    m
    (ix) 20 m    14.00–14.15 MHz                   RTTY, data                      (f)(3).
    (x) 20 m     14.15–14.35 MHz                   Phone, image                    (f)(1), (2).
    (xi) 17 m    18.068–18.110 MHz                 RTTY, data                      (f)(3).
    (xii) 17 m 18.110–18.168 MHz                   Phone, image                    (f)(1), (2).
    (xiii) 15    21.0–21.2 MHz                     RTTY, data                      (f)(3), (9).
    m
    (xiv) 15     21.20–21.45 MHz                   Phone, image                    (f)(1), (2).
    m
    (xv) 12 m 24.89–24.93 MHz                      RTTY, data                      (f)(3).
    (xvi) 12     24.93–24.99 MHz                   Phone, image                    (f)(1), (2).

47 CFR 97.305(c) (enhanced display)                                                                             page 39 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                        47 CFR 97.305(c)
Amateur Radio Service

                                                                                    Standards see §
 Wavelength
                          Frequencies             Emission types authorized             97.307,
   band
                                                                                     paragraph(s):
    m
    (xvii) 10    28.0–28.3 MHz                RTTY, data                           (f)(3).
    m
    (xviii) 10   28.3–28.5 MHz                Phone, image                         (f)(1), (2), (10).
    m
    (xix) 10     28.5–29.0 MHz                Phone, image                         (f)(1), (2).
    m
    (xx) 10 m 29.0–29.7 MHz                   Phone, image                         (f)(2).
 (4) VHF:
    (i) 6 m      50.1–51.0 MHz                MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data        (f)(2), (5).
    (ii) 6 m     51.0–54.0 MHz                MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data,       (f)(2), (5), (8).
                                              test
    (iii) 2 m    144.1–148.0 MHz              MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data,       (f)(2), (5), (8).
                                              test
    (iv) 1.25    219–220 MHz                  Data                                 (f)(13).
    m
    (v)          222–225 MHz                  RTTY, data, test MCW, phone, SS,     (f)(2), (6), (8).
    1.25m                                     image
 (5) UHF:
    (i) 70 cm    Entire band                  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(6), (8).
                                              test
    (ii) 33 cm Entire band                    MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
                                              test, pulse                        (12).
    (iii) 23     Entire band                  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
    cm                                        test                               (12).
    (iv) 13      Entire band                  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
    cm                                        test, pulse                        (12).
 (6) SHF:
    (i) 5 cm     Entire band                  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
                                              test, pulse                        (12).
    (ii) 3 cm    Entire band                  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
                                              test                               (12).
    (iii) 1.2    Entire band                  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
    cm                                        test, pulse                        (12).
 (7) EHF:
    (i) 6 mm     Entire band                  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
                                              test, pulse                        (12).
    (ii) 4 mm    Entire band                  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
                                              test, pulse                        (12).
    (iii) 2.5    Entire band                  MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
    mm                                        test, pulse                        (12).

47 CFR 97.305(c) (enhanced display)                                                                        page 40 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                                47 CFR 97.307
Amateur Radio Service

                                                                                         Standards see §
 Wavelength
                          Frequencies                  Emission types authorized             97.307,
   band
                                                                                          paragraph(s):
    (iv) 2 mm Entire band                         MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
                                                  test, pulse                        (12).
    (v) 1 mm    Entire band                       MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
                                                  test, pulse                        (12).
    (vi) 1 mm Above 275 GHz                       MCW, phone, image, RTTY, data, SS, (f)(7), (8), and
                                                  test, pulse                        (12).

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR 39536, Sept. 27, 1989; 55 FR 22013, May 30, 1990, as amended at 55 FR 30457, July 26,
1990; 60 FR 15688, Mar. 27, 1995; 64 FR 51471, Sept. 23, 1999; 71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 27204, May 14, 2010; 77 FR
5412, Feb. 3, 2012; 82 FR 27215, June 14, 2017; 85 FR 64069, Oct. 9, 2020; 88 FR 85127, Dec. 7, 2023]

§ 97.307 Emission standards.
     (a) No amateur station transmission shall occupy more bandwidth than necessary for the information rate
         and emission type being transmitted, in accordance with good amateur practice.

     (b) Emissions resulting from modulation must be confined to the band or segment available to the control
         operator. Emissions outside the necessary bandwidth must not cause splatter or keyclick interference to
         operations on adjacent frequencies.

     (c) All spurious emissions from a station transmitter must be reduced to the greatest extent practicable. If
         any spurious emission, including chassis or power line radiation, causes harmful interference to the
         reception of another radio station, the licensee of the interfering amateur station is required to take steps
         to eliminate the interference, in accordance with good engineering practice.

     (d) 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. For transmitters installed on or before 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 not exceed 50 mW and must be at least 40 dB below the
         mean power of the fundamental emission. For a transmitter of mean power less than 5 W installed on or
         before January 1, 2003, the attenuation must be at least 30 dB. A transmitter built before April 15, 1977, or
         first marketed before January 1, 1978, is exempt from this requirement.

     (e) The mean power of any spurious emission from a station transmitter or external RF power amplifier
         transmitting on a frequency between 30–225 MHz must be at least 60 dB below the mean power of the
         fundamental. For a transmitter having a mean power of 25 W or less, the mean power of any spurious
         emission supplied to the antenna transmission line must not exceed 25 µW and must be at least 40 dB
         below the mean power of the fundamental emission, but need not be reduced below the power of 10 µW.
         A transmitter built before April 15, 1977, or first marketed before January 1, 1978, is exempt from this
         requirement.

     (f) The following standards and limitations apply to transmissions on the frequencies specified in §
         97.305(c).

           (1) No angle-modulated emission may have a modulation index greater than 1 at the highest modulation
               frequency.

47 CFR 97.307(f)(1) (enhanced display)                                                                           page 41 of 53
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                                                                                                        47 CFR 97.307(f)(2)
Amateur Radio Service

           (2) No non-phone emission shall exceed the bandwidth of a communications quality phone emission of
               the same modulation type. The total bandwidth of an independent sideband emission (having B as
               the first symbol), or a multiplexed image and phone emission, shall not exceed that of a
               communications quality A3E emission.

           (3) Only a RTTY or data emission using a specified digital code listed in § 97.309(a) may be transmitted.
               The authorized bandwidth is 2.8 kHz except in the 2200 m band and 630 m band. In the 2200 m
               band and the 630 m band the symbol rate must not exceed 300 bauds, or for frequency-shift keying,
               the frequency shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz.

           (4) [Reserved]

           (5) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified digital code listed in § 97.309(a) may be
               transmitted. The symbol rate must not exceed 19.6 kilobauds. A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission
               using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in § 97.309(b) also may be transmitted.
               The authorized bandwidth is 20 kHz.

           (6) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified digital code listed in § 97.309(a) may be
               transmitted. The symbol rate must not exceed 56 kilobauds. A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission
               using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in § 97.309(b) also may be transmitted.
               The authorized bandwidth is 100 kHz.

           (7) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified digital code listed in § 97.309(a) or an
               unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in § 97.309(b) may be transmitted.

           (8) A RTTY or data emission having designators with A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2,
               7, 9 or X as the second symbol; and D or W as the third symbol is also authorized.

           (9) A station having a control operator holding a Novice or Technician Class operator license may only
               transmit a CW emission using the international Morse code.

          (10) A station having a control operator holding a Novice Class operator license or a Technician Class
               operator license may only transmit a CW emission using the international Morse code or phone
               emissions J3E and R3E.

          (11) Phone and image emissions may be transmitted only by stations located in ITU Regions 1 and 3, and
               by stations located within ITU Region 2 that are west of 130° West longitude or south of 20° North
               latitude.

          (12) Emission F8E may be transmitted.

          (13) A data emission using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in § 97.309(b) also
               may be transmitted. The authorized bandwidth is 100 kHz.

          (14) In the 60 m band:

                 (i)   A station may transmit only phone, RTTY, data, and CW emissions using the emission
                       designators and any additional restrictions that are specified in the table below (except that the
                       use of a narrower necessary bandwidth is permitted):

47 CFR 97.307(f)(14)(i) (enhanced display)                                                                   page 42 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                        47 CFR 97.307(f)(14)(ii)
Amateur Radio Service

                            Table 1 to Paragraph (f)(14)(i)—60 M Band Emission Requirements

                         Emission type         Emission designator                         Restricted to:
                       Phone                  2K80J3E                 Upper sideband transmissions (USB).
                       Data                   2K80J2D                 USB (for example, PACTOR–III).
                       RTTY                   60H0J2B                 USB (for example, PSK31).
                       CW                     150HA1A                 Morse telegraphy by means of on-off keying.

                 (ii) The following requirements also apply:

                      (A) When transmitting the phone, RTTY, and data emissions, the suppressed carrier frequency
                          may be set as specified in § 97.303(h).

                      (B) The control operator of a station transmitting data or RTTY emissions must exercise care
                          to limit the length of transmission so as to avoid causing harmful interference to United
                          States Government stations.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR 30823, July 24, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39537, Sept. 27, 1989; 60 FR 15688, Mar. 27,
1995; 65 FR 6550, Feb. 10, 2000; 69 FR 24997, May 5, 2004; 77 FR 5412, Feb. 3, 2012; 79 FR 35291, June 20, 2014; 88 FR 85128,
Dec. 7, 2023]

§ 97.309 RTTY and data emission codes.
     (a) Where authorized by §§ 97.305(c) and 97.307(f) of the part, an amateur station may transmit a RTTY or
         data emission using the following specified digital codes:

           (1) The 5-unit, start-stop, International Telegraph Alphabet No. 2, code defined in ITU–T
               Recommendation F.1, Division C (commonly known as “Baudot”).

           (2) The 7-unit code specified in ITU–R Recommendations M.476–5 and M.625–3 (commonly known as
               “AMTOR”).

           (3) The 7-unit, International Alphabet No. 5, code defined in IT–-T Recommendation T.50 (commonly
               known as “ASCII”).

           (4) An amateur station transmitting a RTTY or data emission using a digital code specified in this
               paragraph may use any technique whose technical characteristics have been documented publicly,
               such as CLOVER, G-TOR, or PacTOR, for the purpose of facilitating communications.

     (b) Where authorized by §§ 97.305(c) and 97.307(f), a station may transmit a RTTY or data emission using an
         unspecified digital code, except to a station in a country with which the United States does not have an
         agreement permitting the code to be used. RTTY and data emissions using unspecified digital codes
         must not be transmitted for the purpose of obscuring the meaning of any communication. When deemed
         necessary by a Regional Director to assure compliance with the FCC Rules, a station must:

           (1) Cease the transmission using the unspecified digital code;

           (2) Restrict transmissions of any digital code to the extent instructed;

           (3) Maintain a record, convertible to the original information, of all digital communications transmitted.

47 CFR 97.309(b)(3) (enhanced display)                                                                            page 43 of 53
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                                                                                                                 47 CFR 97.311
Amateur Radio Service

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 39537, Sept. 27, 1989; 56 FR 56172, Nov. 1, 1991; 60 FR 55486, Nov. 1, 1995;
71 FR 25982, May 3, 2006; 71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006; 80 FR 53753, Sept. 8, 2015]

§ 97.311 SS emission types.
     (a) SS emission transmissions by an amateur station are authorized only for communications between points
         within areas where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC and between an area where the amateur
         service is regulated by the FCC and an amateur station in another country that permits such
         communications. SS emission transmissions must not be used for the purpose of obscuring the meaning
         of any communication.

     (b) A station transmitting SS emissions must not cause harmful interference to stations employing other
         authorized emissions, and must accept all interference caused by stations employing other authorized
         emissions.

     (c) When deemed necessary by a Regional Director to assure compliance with this part, a station licensee
         must:

           (1) Cease SS emission transmissions;

           (2) Restrict SS emission transmissions to the extent instructed; and

           (3) Maintain a record, convertible to the original information (voice, text, image, etc.) of all spread
               spectrum communications transmitted.

[64 FR 51471, Sept. 23, 1999, as amended at 76 FR 17569, Mar. 30, 2011; 80 FR 53753, Sept. 8, 2015]

§ 97.313 Transmitter power standards.
     (a) An amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired
         communications.

     (b) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5 kW PEP.

     (c) No station may transmit with a transmitter power output exceeding 200 W PEP:

           (1) On the 10.10–10.15 MHz segment;

           (2) On the 3.525–3.60 MHz, 7.025–7.125 MHz, 21.025–21.20 MHz, and 28.0–28.5 MHz segment when
               the control operator is a Novice Class operator or a Technician Class operator; or

           (3) The 7.050-7.075 MHz segment when the station is within ITU Regions 1 or 3.

     (d) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 25 W PEP on the VHF 1.25 m band when the
         control operator is a Novice operator.

     (e) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 5 W PEP on the UHF 23 cm band when the
         control operator is a Novice operator.

     (f) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the UHF 70 cm band from an
         area specified in paragraph (a) of footnote US270 in § 2.106, unless expressly authorized by the FCC after
         mutual agreement, on a case-by-case basis, between the Regional Director of the applicable field facility
         and the military area frequency coordinator at the applicable military base. An Earth station or
         telecommand station, however, may transmit on the 435–438 MHz segment with a maximum of 611 W

47 CFR 97.313(f) (enhanced display)                                                                              page 44 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                               47 CFR 97.313(g)
Amateur Radio Service

            effective radiated power (1 kW equivalent isotropically radiated power) without the authorization
            otherwise required. The transmitting antenna elevation angle between the lower half-power (−3 dB relative
            to the peak or antenna bore sight) point and the horizon must always be greater than 10°.

     (g) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the 33 cm band from within 241
         km of the boundaries of the White Sands Missile Range. Its boundaries are those portions of Texas and
         New Mexico bounded on the south by latitude 31°41′ North, on the east by longitude 104°11′ West, on the
         north by latitude 34°30′ North, and on the west by longitude 107°30′ West.

     (h) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the 219–220 MHz segment of
         the 1.25 m band.

      (i)   No station may transmit with an effective radiated power (ERP) exceeding 100 W PEP on the 60 m band.
            For the purpose of computing ERP, the transmitter PEP will be multiplied by the antenna gain relative to a
            half-wave dipole antenna. A half-wave dipole antenna will be presumed to have a gain of 1 (0 dBd).
            Licensees using other antennas must maintain in their station records either the antenna manufacturer's
            data on the antenna gain or calculations of the antenna gain.

      (j)   No station may transmit with a transmitter output exceeding 10 W PEP when the station is transmitting a
            SS emission type.

     (k) No station may transmit in the 135.7–137.8 kHz (2200 m) band with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5
         kW PEP or a radiated power exceeding 1 W EIRP.

      (l)   No station may transmit in the 472–479 kHz (630 m) band with a transmitter power exceeding 500 W PEP
            or a radiated power exceeding 5 W EIRP, except that in Alaska, stations located within 800 kilometers of
            the Russian Federation may not transmit with a radiated power exceeding 1 W EIRP.

     (m) No station may transmit with a peak equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) exceeding 316 W in the
         76–81 GHz (4 mm) band.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 37161, Aug. 5, 1991; 56 FR 3043, Jan. 28, 1991; 60 FR 15688, Mar. 27, 1995;
65 FR 6550, Feb. 10, 2000; 71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006; 75 FR 27204, May 14, 2010; 75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010; 76 FR 17569,
Mar. 30, 2011; 77 FR 5413, Feb. 3, 2012; 80 FR 53753, Sept. 8, 2015; 82 FR 27216, June 14, 2017; 82 FR 43872, Sept. 20, 2017]

§ 97.315 Certification of external RF power amplifiers.
     (a) Any external RF power amplifier (see § 2.815 of the FCC Rules) manufactured or imported for use at an
         amateur radio station must be certificated for use in the amateur service in accordance with subpart J of
         part 2 of the FCC Rules. No amplifier capable of operation below 144 MHz may be constructed or
         modified by a non-amateur service licensee without a grant of certification from the FCC.

     (b) The requirement of paragraph (a) does not apply if one or more of the following conditions are met:

            (1) The amplifier is constructed or modified by an amateur radio operator for use at an amateur station.

            (2) The amplifier was manufactured before April 28, 1978, and has been issued a marketing waiver by
                the FCC, or the amplifier was purchased before April 28, 1978, by an amateur radio operator for use
                at that operator's station.

            (3) The amplifier is sold to an amateur radio operator or to a dealer, the amplifier is purchased in used
                condition by a dealer, or the amplifier is sold to an amateur radio operator for use at that operator's
                station.

47 CFR 97.315(b)(3) (enhanced display)                                                                            page 45 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                       47 CFR 97.315(c)
Amateur Radio Service

     (c) Any external RF power amplifier appearing in the Commission's database as certificated for use in the
         amateur service may be marketed for use in the amateur service.

[71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006]

§ 97.317 Standards for certification of external RF power amplifiers.
     (a) To receive a grant of certification, the amplifier must:

           (1) Satisfy the spurious emission standards of § 97.307 (d) or (e) of this part, as applicable, when the
               amplifier is operated at the lesser of 1.5 kW PEP or its full output power and when the amplifier is
               placed in the “standby” or “off” positions while connected to the transmitter.

           (2) Not be capable of amplifying the input RF power (driving signal) by more than 15 dB gain. Gain is
               defined as the ratio of the input RF power to the output RF power of the amplifier where both power
               measurements are expressed in peak envelope power or mean power.

           (3) Exhibit no amplification (0 dB gain) between 26 MHz and 28 MHz.

     (b) Certification shall be denied when:

           (1) The Commission determines the amplifier can be used in services other than the Amateur Radio
               Service, or

           (2) The amplifier can be easily modified to operate on frequencies between 26 MHz and 28 MHz.

[71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006]

Subpart E—Providing Emergency Communications
§ 97.401 Operation during a disaster.
A station in, or within 92.6 km (50 nautical miles) of, Alaska may transmit emissions J3E and R3E on the channel at
5.1675 MHz (assigned frequency 5.1689 MHz) for emergency communications. The channel must be shared with
stations licensed in the Alaska-Private Fixed Service. The transmitter power must not exceed 150 W PEP. A station
in, or within 92.6 km of, Alaska may transmit communications for tests and training drills necessary to ensure the
establishment, operation, and maintenance of emergency communication systems.

[71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006]

§ 97.403 Safety of life and protection of property.
No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its
disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and
immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.

§ 97.405 Station in distress.
     (a) No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station in distress of any means at its disposal
         to attract attention, make known its condition and location, and obtain assistance.

47 CFR 97.405(a) (enhanced display)                                                                       page 46 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                          47 CFR 97.405(b)
Amateur Radio Service

     (b) No provision of these rules prevents the use by a station, in the exceptional circumstances described in
         paragraph (a) of this section, of any means of radiocommunications at its disposal to assist a station in
         distress.

§ 97.407 Radio amateur civil emergency service.
     (a) No station may transmit in RACES unless it is an FCC-licensed primary, club, or military recreation station
         and it is certified by a civil defense organization as registered with that organization. No person may be
         the control operator of an amateur station transmitting in RACES unless that person holds a FCC-issued
         amateur operator license and is certified by a civil defense organization as enrolled in that organization.

     (b) The frequency bands and segments and emissions authorized to the control operator are available to
         stations transmitting communications in RACES on a shared basis with the amateur service. In the event
         of an emergency which necessitates invoking the President's War Emergency Powers under the
         provisions of section 706 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 606, amateur
         stations participating in RACES may only transmit on the frequency segments authorized pursuant to part
         214 of this chapter.

     (c) An amateur station registered with a civil defense organization may only communicate with the following
         stations upon authorization of the responsible civil defense official for the organization with which the
         amateur station is registered:

           (1) An amateur station registered with the same or another civil defense organization; and

           (2) A station in a service regulated by the FCC whenever such communication is authorized by the FCC.

     (d) All communications transmitted in RACES must be specifically authorized by the civil defense
         organization for the area served. Only civil defense communications of the following types may be
         transmitted:

           (1) Messages concerning impending or actual conditions jeopardizing the public safety, or affecting the
               national defense or security during periods of local, regional, or national civil emergencies;

           (2) Messages directly concerning the immediate safety of life of individuals, the immediate protection of
               property, maintenance of law and order, alleviation of human suffering and need, and the combating
               of armed attack or sabotage;

           (3) Messages directly concerning the accumulation and dissemination of public information or
               instructions to the civilian population essential to the activities of the civil defense organization or
               other authorized governmental or relief agencies; and

           (4) Communications for RACES training drills and tests necessary to ensure the establishment and
               maintenance of orderly and efficient operation of the RACES as ordered by the responsible civil
               defense organization served. Such drills and tests may not exceed a total time of 1 hour per week.
               With the approval of the chief officer for emergency planning in the applicable State, Commonwealth,
               District or territory, however, such tests and drills may be conducted for a period not to exceed 72
               hours no more than twice in any calendar year.

[75 FR 78171, Dec. 15, 2010]

Subpart F—Qualifying Examination Systems

47 CFR 97.407(d)(4) (enhanced display)                                                                       page 47 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                                  47 CFR 97.501
Amateur Radio Service

§ 97.501 Qualifying for an amateur operator license.
Each applicant must pass an examination for a new amateur operator license grant and for each change in operator
class. Each applicant for the class of operator license grant specified below must pass, or otherwise receive
examination credit for, the following examination elements:

     (a) Amateur Extra Class operator: Elements 2, 3, and 4;

     (b) General Class operator: Elements 2 and 3;

     (c) Technician Class operator: Element 2.

[65 FR 6550, Feb. 10, 2000, as amended at 72 FR 3082, Jan. 24, 2007]

§ 97.503 Element standards.
A written examination must be such as to prove that the examinee possesses the operational and technical
qualifications required to perform properly the duties of an amateur service licensee. Each written examination
must be comprised of a question set as follows:

     (a) Element 2: 35 questions concerning the privileges of a Technician Class operator license. The minimum
         passing score is 26 questions answered correctly.

     (b) Element 3: 35 questions concerning the privileges of a General Class operator license. The minimum
         passing score is 26 questions answered correctly.

     (c) Element 4: 50 questions concerning the privileges of an Amateur Extra Class operator license. The
         minimum passing score is 37 questions answered correctly.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 61 FR 41019, Aug. 7, 1996; 65 FR 6550, Feb. 10, 2000; 72 FR 3082, Jan. 24, 2007]

§ 97.505 Element credit.
     (a) The administering VEs must give credit as specified below to an examinee holding any of the following
         license grants:

                                                                   Unexpired (or within the   Expired and beyond the
                                Operator class                            renewal                    renewal
                                                                       grace period)               grace period
            (1) Amateur Extra                                      Not applicable             Elements 3 and 4.
            (2) Advanced; General; or Technician granted before    Elements 2 and 3           Element 3.
            March 21, 1987
            (3) Technician Plus; or Technician granted on or after Element 2                  No credit.
            March 21, 1987

     (b) The administering VEs must give credit to an examinee holding a CSCE for each element the CSCE
         indicates the examinee passed within the previous 365 days.

[79 FR 35291, June 20, 2014]

47 CFR 97.505(b) (enhanced display)                                                                               page 48 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                                47 CFR 97.507
Amateur Radio Service

§ 97.507 Preparing an examination.
     (a) Each written question set administered to an examinee must be prepared by a VE holding an Amateur
         Extra Class operator license. A written question set may also be prepared for the following elements by a
         VE holding an operator license of the class indicated:

           (1) Element 3: Advanced Class operator.

           (2) Element 2: Advanced or General class operators.

     (b) Each question set administered to an examinee must utilize questions taken from the applicable question
         pool.

     (c) Each written question set administered to an examinee for an amateur operator license must be prepared,
         or obtained from a supplier, by the administering VEs according to instructions from the coordinating
         VEC.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 58 FR 29126, May 19, 1993; 59 FR 54834, Nov. 2, 1994; 65 FR 6551, Feb. 10, 2000;
69 FR 24997, May 5, 2004; 79 FR 35291, June 20, 2014; 79 FR 52226, Sept. 3, 2014]

§ 97.509 Administering VE requirements.
     (a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be administered by a team of at least 3 VEs at an
         examination session coordinated by a VEC. The number of examinees at the session may be limited.

     (b) Each administering VE must:

           (1) Be accredited by the coordinating VEC;

           (2) Be at least 18 years of age;

           (3) Be a person who holds an amateur operator license of the class specified below:

                 (i)   Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class in order to administer a Technician Class operator
                       license examination;

                 (ii) Amateur Extra or Advanced Class in order to administer a General Class operator license
                      examination;

                (iii) Amateur Extra Class in order to administer an Amateur Extra Class operator license
                      examination.

           (4) Not be a person whose grant of an amateur station license or amateur operator license has ever
               been revoked or suspended.

     (c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout the entire examination. The administering
         VEs are responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The
         administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon failure of the examinee to comply
         with their instructions.

     (d) No VE may administer an examination to his or her spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents,
         grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and
         in-laws.

47 CFR 97.509(d) (enhanced display)                                                                             page 49 of 53
47 CFR Part 97 (up to date as of 2/20/2024)
                                                                                                              47 CFR 97.509(e)
Amateur Radio Service

     (e) No VE may administer or certify any examination by fraudulent means or for monetary or other
         consideration including reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted. Violation of this
         provision may result in the revocation of the grant of the VE's amateur station license and the suspension
         of the grant of the VE's amateur operator license.

     (f) No examination that has been compromised shall be administered to any examinee. The same question
         set may not be re-administered to the same examinee.

     (g) [Reserved]

     (h) Upon completion of each examination element, the administering VEs must immediately grade the
         examinee's answers. For examinations administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the
         examinee's answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The administering VEs are responsible for
         determining the correctness of the examinee's answers.

      (i)   When the examinee is credited for all examination elements required for the operator license sought, 3
            VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that the VEs have complied with
            these administering VE requirements. The certifying VEs are jointly and individually accountable for the
            proper administration of each examination element reported. The certifying VEs may delegate to other
            qualified VEs their authority, but not their accountability, to administer individual elements of an
            examination.

      (j)   When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an examination element, the administering VEs
            must return the application document to the examinee and inform the examinee of the grade.

     (k) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose physical disabilities require a special
         examination procedure. The administering VEs may require a physician's certification indicating the
         nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special procedures must be used.

      (l)   The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an examination
            element.

     (m) After the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license, the administering
         VEs must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC's
         instructions.

[59 FR 54834, Nov. 2, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 9953, Mar. 12, 1996; 62 FR 17567, Apr. 10, 1997; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998; 65
FR 6551, Feb. 10, 2000; 71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006; 79 FR 35291. June 20, 2014]

§ 97.511 Examinee conduct.
Each examinee must comply with the instructions given by the administering VEs.

[59 FR 54835, Nov. 2, 1994]

§ 97.513 VE session manager requirements.
     (a) A VE session manager may be selected by the VE team for each examination session. The VE session
         manager must be accredited as a VE by the same VEC that coordinates the examination session. The VE
         session manager may serve concurrently as an administering VE.

     (b) The VE session manager may carry on liaison functions between the VE team and the coordinating VEC.

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                                                                                                              47 CFR 97.513(c)
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     (c) The VE session manager may organize activities at an examination session.

[62 FR 17567, Apr. 10, 1997, as amended at 79 FR 35291, June 20, 2014]

§§ 97.515-97.517 [Reserved]
§ 97.519 Coordinating examination sessions.
     (a) A VEC must coordinate the efforts of VEs in preparing and administering examinations.

     (b) At the completion of each examination session, the coordinating VEC must collect applicant information
         and test results from the administering VEs. The coordinating VEC must:

           (1) Screen collected information;

           (2) Resolve all discrepancies and verify that the VEs' certifications are properly completed; and

           (3) For qualified examinees, forward electronically all required data to the FCC. All data forwarded must
               be retained for at least 15 months and must be made available to the FCC upon request.

     (c) Each VEC must make any examination records available to the FCC, upon request

     (d) The FCC may:

           (1) Administer any examination element itself;

           (2) Readminister any examination element previously administered by VEs, either itself or under the
               supervision of a VEC or VEs designated by the FCC; or

           (3) Cancel the operator/primary station license of any licensee who fails to appear for readministration
               of an examination when directed by the FCC, or who does not successfully complete any required
               element that is readministered. In an instancce of such cancellation, the person will be granted an
               operator/primary station license consistent with completed examination elements that have not
               been invalidated by not appearing for, or by failing, the examination upon readministration.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 59 FR 54835, Nov. 2, 1994; 62 FR 17567, Apr. 10, 1997; 63 FR 68981, Dec. 14, 1998;
71 FR 66465, Nov. 15, 2006; 79 FR 35291, June 20, 2014]

§ 97.521 VEC qualifications.
No organization may serve as a VEC unless it has entered into a written agreement with the FCC. The VEC must
abide by the terms of the agreement. In order to be eligible to be a VEC, the entity must:

     (a) Be an organization that exists for the purpose of furthering the amateur service;

     (b) Be capable of serving as a VEC in at least the VEC region (see appendix 2) proposed;

     (c) Agree to coordinate examinations for any class of amateur operator license;

     (d) Agree to assure that, for any examination, every examinee qualified under these rules is registered without
         regard to race, sex, religion, national origin or membership (or lack thereof) in any amateur service
         organization;

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 58 FR 29127, May 19, 1993; 61 FR 9953, Mar. 12, 1996]

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                                                                                                          47 CFR 97.523
Amateur Radio Service

§ 97.523 Question pools.
All VECs must cooperate in maintaining one question pool for each written examination element. Each question
pool must contain at least 10 times the number of questions required for a single examination. Each question pool
must be published and made available to the public prior to its use for making a question set. Each question on
each VEC question pool must be prepared by a VE holding the required FCC-issued operator license. See §
97.507(a) of this part.

§ 97.525 Accrediting VEs.
     (a) No VEC may accredit a person as a VE if:

           (1) The person does not meet minimum VE statutory qualifications or minimum qualifications as
               prescribed by this part;

           (2) The FCC does not accept the voluntary and uncompensated services of the person;

           (3) The VEC determines that the person is not competent to perform the VE functions; or

           (4) The VEC determines that questions of the person's integrity or honesty could compromise the
               examinations.

     (b) Each VEC must seek a broad representation of amateur operators to be VEs. No VEC may discriminate in
         accrediting VEs on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin; nor on the basis of membership (or
         lack thereof) in an amateur service organization; nor on the basis of the person accepting or declining to
         accept reimbursement.

§ 97.527 Reimbursement for expenses.
VEs and VECs may be reimbursed by examinees for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in preparing, processing,
administering, or coordinating an examination for an amateur operator license.

[66 FR 20752, Apr. 25, 2001]

Appendix 1 to Part 97—Places Where the Amateur Service is Regulated by the FCC
In ITU Region 2, the amateur service is regulated by the FCC within the territorial limits of the 50 United States,
District of Columbia, Caribbean Insular areas [Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands (50 islets
and cays) and Navassa Island], and Johnston Island (Islets East, Johnston, North and Sand) and Midway Island
(Islets Eastern and Sand) in the Pacific Insular areas.

In ITU Region 3, the amateur service is regulated by the FCC within the Pacific Insular territorial limits of American
Samoa (seven islands), Baker Island, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam Island, Howland Island,
Jarvis Island, Kingman Reef, Palmyra Island (more than 50 islets) and Wake Island (Islets Peale, Wake and Wilkes).

Appendix 2 to Part 97—VEC Regions
      1.   Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
      2.   New Jersey and New York.
      3.   Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
      4.   Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

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      5.   Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
      6.   California.
      7.   Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
      8.   Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
      9.   Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
     10. Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.
     11. Alaska.
     12. Caribbean Insular areas.
     13. Hawaii and Pacific Insular areas.

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