You always have to have a control operator. Remember that!

The key to remember here is that the question doesn't ask for the control operator to be present at the physical equipment:

• For remotely controlled stations: only at the control point which is wherever the station is being controlled from.

• For automatically controlled stations: they don't have to be present at a control point but someone is still responsible for being the control operator of an automatic station.

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Tags: arrl chapter 8 arrl module 16

The rules that regulate the amateur radio service have nothing to do with the United Nations. There is a list of countries with whom Alien Reciprocal Operator is authorized that you can find on the FCC website.

Anyone holding an amateur radio license or who has a license from a country on that list can be the control operator of an amateur station in the United States of America.

It does not matter if they are a citizen -- you don't have to be a citizen to obtain a ham radio license. You also do not need to be over the age of 18; people have received their amateur radio license as young as age 5.

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Tags: control operator arrl chapter 8 arrl module 16

The station licensee is the licensee who owns the station; since it is their station, they can designate who the control operator is. It is not uncommon for a station licensee to allow someone else with higher license privileges to be the control operator. When a ham operates a station other than their own (another ham’s, club, military), the control operator’s license class determines frequency, power, and mode privileges.

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Tags: operating rules control operator arrl chapter 8 arrl module 16

When operating, the privileges that can be used are determined by the control operator. Keep in mind that you could have an extra class operator acting as the control operator and allowing a technician class operator to operate with their privileges, as long as they are present, but the extra class operator as the control operator would be responsible for the emissions of the station.

The station licensee shares responsibility for the operation of the station, but it is the control operator who determines the privileges that can be used. Just having someone with a higher class license on the premises is not enough to allow you to use their privileges; they must be the control operator, you must be using their callsign and license, and they must be supervising (controlling) the operation of the station when their privileges are used.

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Tags: operating rules license class arrl chapter 8 arrl module 16

This is an important thing to understand; the control point is the location of the control operator when the station is in use. In some cases this may be the same location as the station (local control) or it could be across some sort of auxiliary link, such as a cross-band repeater, controlling through Echolink or IRLP across the internet from a computer or cellphone, etc.

It does not matter where the station is located -- what determines the control point is the location of the control operator.

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Tags: control operator definitions arrl chapter 8 arrl module 16

APRS network digipeaters automatically repeat signals they hear, waiting only until they don't hear other stations transmitting. No one is pressing a button to make them send.

A control operator is responsible for monitoring the APRS digipeater and being able to turn it off, but the actual control of the repeating is occurring automatically.

Another clue is in the meaning of the acronym Automatic Packet Reporting System

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Tags: arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

The control operator is responsible for anything that occurs while they are the control operator, but the station licensee is responsible for their equipment. Therefore, they share the responsibility.

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Tags: rules and regulations operating rules control operator arrl chapter 8 arrl module 16

Automatic control means control where there isn't a control operator present at the control point -- the station is operating automatically, or autonomously. Repeaters match this description, since they have a callsign and control operator, but no control operator at a control point (local or remote) controlling them most of the time.

Conversely, using a computer in whatever way to tell the radio to do something just changes the location of the control point. When the station is being operated in these cases there is still a control operator controlling the station, just possibly not from the physical location of the station. These are examples of remote control, but not automatic control.

§97.3 Definitions

(a)(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.

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Tags: arrl chapter 8 arrl module 17

A handheld radio is also a station; since the station (the handheld radio) is at the same location as the control operator (the person talking into the handheld) this is Local control.

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A Repeater is operating as Automatic Control., rather than via Remote Control. A model aircraft, boat or car is being operated directly by the control operator. So that leaves operating the station over the Internet.

Keep these definitions in mind and you will get all of these questions right:

§97.3(a)

(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.

(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.

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If someone other than the station licensee is operating, it would be difficult to guess that without any information in the station records to the contrary. Since the station licensee is generally the owner of the station, it makes sense that they would be assumed to be the control operator in the absence of evidence to the contrary.

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Tags: operating rules control operator arrl chapter 8 arrl module 16

The control operator of a station is the one in control of that station. You may never be a control operator of a station outside of your authorized bands. This is different than operating a station in those outside frequencies when there IS a licensed control operator present as with a special event station, a contest, or at field day, for instance.

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