Chapter 5 – Licensing Regulations

• Licensing Terms• Working with the FCC• Bands and Privileges• International Rules• Call Signs

Radio Spectrum Regulation

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

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

telecommunications in the U.S.– Part 97 describes amateur radio operation standards,

technical standards and emergency communications.

The Five Principles

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

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

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

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

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

The Amateur Service

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

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

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

service

• Amateur Station– Station licensed in the amateur service

Operator/Primary Station License

• Amateur service license includes both operator and station license.

• Operator license provides authority to operate an amateur station

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

• License is valid for 10 year period– Two year grace period for expired licenses– Renewal by mail or on-line

Operator/Primary Station License

The Technician Exam

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

Coordinators (VECs)– Exam is given by Volunteer Examiners (VEs)– All questions are multiple choice– 26 questions (70%) must be answered correctly to pass

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

On-line access to the FCC

• Universal Licensing System (ULS) web site:– wireless.fcc.gov/uls– Guide at www.arrl.org/fcc/uls101.html

• Register: Federal Registration Number (FRN)• Use on-line access to

– Change mailing address, other information– Renew your license– Search for licensees by name, call sign, location

Technician Frequency Privileges

• Technician class operators have all amateur frequency privileges above 50 MHz.– Can use all authorized emission modes– May use up to 1500 watts peak-envelope-power

(PEP)

• Technician class operators can use frequencies in four HF bands.– 80 meters, 3525 to 3600 KHz, CW only– 40 meters, 7025 to 7125 KHz, CW only– 15 meters, 21.025 to 21.2 MHz, CW only– 10 meters, 28.0 to 28.3, CW, RTTY and data,

28.3 to 28.5, CW and SSB Phone

VHF/UHF Amateur Bands

1240 to 130023 cm

902 to 92833 cm

420 to 45070 cm

222 to 2251.25 m

144 to 1482 m

50 to 546 m

Frequency(MHz)

Band

Common Emission Types

Frequency modulation (FM) where the frequency of the RF signal is modulated with the voice signal information

Phone – FM

Single side-band (SSB) where an amplitude modulated RF signal with only one side-band is transmitted.

Phone – SSB

Amplitude modulated voice signal where the RF signal varies with amplitude of the voice signal

Phone – AM

Continuous wave (CW) is transmitted by on/off keying of a RF signal

CW

Frequency Sharing

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

interference caused by other radio services.– Secondary service must not cause harmful interference

to, and must accept interference from, stations in the primary service.

International Rules

• International Telecommunications Union (ITU)– Agency of the UN– Administers international treaties governing amateur

radio.

• Three Regions: 1= Europe, Africa, Russia; 2=North and South America; 3=India, China, Pacific.

• Your US license can be used in other countries in certain cases: reciprocal operating authority, IARP, or CEPT.– See www.arrl.org/hrlm/international.

Call Signs

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

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

– One or two letters prior to number are the prefix– One to three letters following number are the suffix

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

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

Call Sign Districts

Call Sign Groups

KAØAAATechnician, Novice*, all others

“2 by 3”Group D

KØAAA,

NØAAA,

WØAAA

Tech , General, Advanced*, Extra

“1 by 3”Group C

KAØAAAdvanced*“2 by 2”Group B

KØAA, NØAA, WAØA, AAØAA

Extra“1 by 2”

“2 by 1”

“2 by 2”

Group A

ExamplesLicense ClassFormatsGroup

Call Sign/Designator

• When you are away from your usual location, you may add /P (portable) or /M (mobile – in a vehicle), or /# to indicate the district you are in.

• In Canada, you are required to add /VE#. • When you upgrade, you can use your new

privileges immediately by adding /AG (for General) or /AE (for Extra).

• You may also hear /QRP (low power).