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Subelement T1
FCC Rules, descriptions and definitions for the Amateur Radio Service, operator and station license responsibilities
Section T1D
Authorized and prohibited transmission: communications with other countries; music; exchange of information with other services; indecent language; compensation for use of station; retransmission of other amateur signals; codes and ciphers; sale of equipment; unidentified transmissions; broadcasting
With which countries are FCC-licensed amateur stations prohibited from exchanging communications?
  • Correct Answer
    Any country whose administration has notified the ITU that it objects to such communications
  • Any country whose administration has notified the ARRL that it objects to such communications
  • Any country engaged in hostilities with another country
  • Any country in violation of the War Powers Act of 1934

International communication guidelines are intended to be permissive. Unless a country has notified the International Telecommunications Union, a United Nations agency, that it objects to FCC-licensed amateur stations exchanging communications with its citizens you may do so.

As of June 7, 2022, according to the FCC, there were "no banned countries". In other words, it is currently permissible for an FCC-licensed amateur to communicate with all countries.

Last edited by canvasvapor. Register to edit

Tags: international itu rules and regulations arrl chapter 7 arrl module 15

On which of the following occasions may an FCC-licensed amateur station exchange messages with a U.S. military station?
  • Correct Answer
    During an Armed Forces Day Communications Test
  • During a Memorial Day Celebration
  • During an Independence Day celebration
  • During a propagation test

Historically, Amateur Radio frequencies are shared with or adjacent to military radio frequencies. In order to test the capability of Amateur Radio operators to coordinate radio communications with the military communicating on those frequencies is allowed on an Armed Forces Day Communications test.

Last edited by kd7bbc. Register to edit

Tags: rules and regulations operating rules arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

When is the transmission of codes or ciphers that hide the meaning of a message allowed by an amateur station?
  • Only during contests
  • Only when operating mobile
  • Correct Answer
    Only when transmitting control commands to space stations or radio control craft
  • Only when frequencies above 1280 MHz are used

Control commands may need ciphers or codes to prevent unauthorized users from controlling a radio control craft or space station; otherwise, you are never allowed to hide the meaning of a message.

Last edited by bdengle32@yahoo.com. Register to edit

Tags: rules and regulations operating rules arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

What is the only time an amateur station is authorized to transmit music?
  • Correct Answer
    When incidental to an authorized retransmission of manned spacecraft communications
  • When the music produces no spurious emissions
  • When the purpose is to interfere with an illegal transmission
  • When the music is transmitted above 1280 MHz

The Amateur Radio service may retransmit the audio from manned spacecraft (such as the international space station). They often use music in that audio; because this music is incidental and in order to allow retransmission of the full program from the spacecraft an exception has been made to the "no music" rule for this purpose.

There is no other time when an amateur station is authorized to transmit music; this doesn't mean that you'll be prosecuted for transmitting when there is music in the background (particularly if you're helping with a parade or other community event where it is unavoidable) but you should avoid it when practical and it is never permissible to intentionally transmit snippets of music (of any length).

Last edited by kd7bbc. Register to edit

Tags: rules and regulations best practices operating rules arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

When may amateur radio operators use their stations to notify other amateurs of the availability of equipment for sale or trade?
  • Correct Answer
    When the equipment is normally used in an amateur station and such activity is not conducted on a regular basis
  • When the asking price is $100.00 or less
  • When the asking price is less than its appraised value
  • When the equipment is not the personal property of either the station licensee or the control operator or their close relatives

While it is illegal to use Amateur Radio for profit, a limited exception is made to allow operators to offer equipment for sale with a few restrictions:

  • Only on an occasional basis. If you have a stack of equipment you may offer it for sale, but you can't make a living selling salvaged ham radio equipment.

  • Only to sell equipment that is part of a normal amateur station; it shouldn't be used to sell iPads, computers, other non-radio-related equipment, etc.

Last edited by vraj b.. Register to edit

Tags: rules and regulations operating rules arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

What, if any, are the restrictions concerning transmission of language that may be considered indecent or obscene?
  • The FCC maintains a list of words that are not permitted to be used on amateur frequencies
  • Correct Answer
    Any such language is prohibited
  • The ITU maintains a list of words that are not permitted to be used on amateur frequencies
  • There is no such prohibition

Memory aid: 'any' is in both the question and the correct answer

Though the FCC and ITU do not maintain a list of words which are considered "indecent or obscene", Part 97 still prohibits any such language on Amateur Radio. Like any such loosely-defined rule it is left up to the users of the service to determine what that means.

Keep in mind when transmitting -- no matter which band you're on -- that there may be small children listening and moderate your language accordingly! It is of course impossible to avoid offending everyone, but if someone is both considerate of others and patient with differing opinions things tend to work out just fine.

Last edited by gr3yh47. Register to edit

Tags: arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

What types of amateur stations can automatically retransmit the signals of other amateur stations?
  • Auxiliary, beacon, or Earth stations
  • Correct Answer
    Auxiliary, repeater, or space stations
  • Beacon, repeater, or space stations
  • Earth, repeater, or space stations

Auxiliary stations are defined as An amateur station, other than a message forwarding system, that is transmitting communications point-to-point within a system of cooperating amateur stations [97.3(a)(7)].

Repeater stations are defined as an amateur station that simultaneously retransmits the transmission of another amateur station on a different channel or channels [97.3(a)(39)]

Stations may automatically retransmit signals from either of these types of stations as well as signals from the space station, which is a concession designed to make it possible for stations to listen to space station transmissions and broadcasts that may otherwise be limited to only those with special equipment.

Beacon signals are only broadcasts and do not need to be retransmitted and "earth station" would be redundant with "repeater" since a repeater is an earth station, so the three distractors can be easily eliminated.

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Tags: rules and regulations operating rules station types auxiliary station space station arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

In which of the following circumstances may the control operator of an amateur station receive compensation for operating the station?
  • When engaging in communications on behalf of their employer
  • Correct Answer
    When the communication is incidental to classroom instruction at an educational institution
  • When re-broadcasting weather alerts during a RACES net
  • When notifying other amateur operators of the availability for sale or trade of apparatus

Amateur radio operators are prohibited from receiving compensation for their services. This exception allows a teacher to use a ham radio as part of their classroom instruction without being in violation of this prohibition in a legal sense.

In this case, the instructor is not being compensated directly for use of the radio but is being compensated for their duties as an instructor. Therefore, acting as a control operator for the amateur radio station cannot be a major part of their job, but must be incidental to other instruction.

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Tags: rules and regulations operating rules arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

Under which of the following circumstances are amateur stations authorized to transmit signals related to broadcasting, program production, or news gathering, assuming no other means is available?
  • Correct Answer
    Only where such communications directly relate to the immediate safety of human life or protection of property
  • Only when broadcasting communications to or from the space shuttle
  • Only where noncommercial programming is gathered and supplied exclusively to the National Public Radio network
  • Only when using amateur repeaters linked to the Internet

The basic rule of thumb is that anything is allowed in an emergency if there is not a better way to solve the problem. Generally, amateur radio bands should be reserved for actual emergency communications during an emergency but if there is no other way to get news and such out during an emergency then Amateur Radio may be used for this purpose.

Other than in an emergency, there is never a time when broadcasts should be made over Amateur Radio; the only potentially confusing distractor on this question is the one relating to the space shuttle because it is allowed to retransmit transmissions from a space station; however, this asks about signals related to broadcasting, program production, or news gathering which is not the same as retransmitting a simple transmission from a space station intended for that purpose.

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Tags: rules and regulations operating rules emergency communication arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

What is the meaning of the term "broadcasting" in the FCC rules for the amateur services?
  • Two-way transmissions by amateur stations
  • Transmission of music
  • Transmission of messages directed only to amateur operators
  • Correct Answer
    Transmissions intended for reception by the general public

Broadcasting is a term that is sometimes a bit touchy in the amateur radio community; FM radio stations broadcast radio programs and music to the general public; this is broadcasting, because there is never an expected response or a specific audience. Sometimes in Amateur Radio parts of a program are transmitted over amateur frequencies, but never as a regular "show", and never intended for the general public -- intended instead for ham radio operators. In addition, the rule of identifying every 10 minutes applies.

The primary difference between a broadcast and any other transmission is that a transmission has a specific audience -- even if it's "all amateur radio operators in the area". As an additional note, such transmissions (intended for all listening amateur radio operators) are usually prefixed with "QST" often repeated 3 times to indicate a general announcement for all operators.

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Tags: definitions arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

When may an amateur station transmit without identifying?
  • When the transmissions are of a brief nature to make station adjustments
  • When the transmissions are unmodulated
  • When the transmitted power level is below 1 watt
  • Correct Answer
    When transmitting signals to control a model craft

This is a bit of a trick question; under ordinary circumstances you always need to identify your station whenever you transmit (once every 10 minutes and at the end of a conversation).

However, an exception was made for remote controlling model craft where such identification might take valuable bandwidth needed to perform tasks such as keeping an airplane from crashing.

When using radio signals to remote control a model craft a label indicating the station callsign and the station licensee's name and address must be affixed to the station transmitter (most likely the radio control). See the relevant part 97 rules.

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Tags: arrl chapter 8 arrl module 16

Under which of the following circumstances may an amateur radio station engage in broadcasting?
  • Under no circumstances
  • Correct Answer
    When transmitting code practice, information bulletins, or transmissions necessary to provide emergency communications
  • At any time as long as no music is transmitted
  • At any time as long as the material being transmitted did not originate from a commercial broadcast station

Broadcasting is a one-way transmission to many receivers at the same time (such as a local music station or television station).

Two-way communication is a back and forth conversation between two stations. Both stations take turns transmitting and receiving.

Amateur radio operators are generally prohibited from broadcasting, and have restrictions on one-way transmissions in general.

The exceptions to these restrictions include Morse code practice and when providing emergency communications. For more information, see: https://kk6jyt.com/ham-radio-broadcasting-deliver-your-message-legally/

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Tags: arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

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