The Volunteer Monitoring Program is a program in which amateur volunteers are formally enlisted to monitor the airwaves for rules violations.

The Volunteer Monitoring Program was formerly the Amateur Auxiliary to the FCC and the Volunteer Monitors were referred to as the Amateur Auxiliary and also as Official Observers.

We are all responsible for monitoring our station and operations for compliance with FCC regulations. The Volunteer Monitors look out for any violations of safety, station frequency or power issues, interference conflicts, license privilege misuse and general conduct.

This is a way for the Amateur Service to act in a self-policing capacity.

For more info see Wikipedia: Amateur Auxiliary

Hint: Only one answer has the word "monitor" in it.

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Tags: fcc rules and regulations enforcement

(B). The objective of the Amateur Auxiliary is to work with amateur radio operators to encourage self regulation and compliance with the FCC rules. They monitor the amateur airways making sure that there are no issues/violations of license privilege, power or frequency use, safety practices and general station conduct. We are all responsible to monitor ourselves and make sure that we follow good engineering and courtesy practices and operate our stations according to FCC rules.

For more info see Wikipedia: Amateur Auxiliary

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Tags: fcc enforcement rules and regulations

(B). The Amateur Auxiliary will train by having competitions or practice sessions to perform hidden transmitter hunts, sometimes called "Fox Hunts." The purpose of these sessions is to learn direction finding skills, such as signal triangulation, to locate stations violating FCC Rules. The Amateur Auxiliary is a voluntary group sanctioned by the FCC as a "self-policing" organization for the Amateur Radio Service.

For more info see Wikipedia: Amateur Auxiliary

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Tags: activities enforcement rules and regulations

An azimuthal projection map is a world map projection centered on a particular location. An example would be where the North pole is at the focus or center of the circular map, and lines project in a radial scale from this central point, such as degrees longitude out to the equivalent of the equator. The image would look as if you were looking straight down on the north pole from a point out in space. Any point on the globe may be used as the focus, with radial degrees of direction issuing from that central point. This type of map is useful for figuring out the shortest straight line path for a signal far across the globe.

A video that gives a great intuitive understanding of the problems of maps and projections is Why All Maps are Wrong.

Hint: "Azimuth" uses "bearings".

For more info see Wikipedia: Azimuthal (projections onto a plane)

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Tags: definitions international

(B). The United States and FCC have third-party agreements for amateur radio communications with many other countries around the world. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has established global regions and regulates such third-party agreements. They provide lists of nations that allow inter-communication. The United States is in Region 2. Amateur radio operators in the U.S. are allowed to make contact with amateurs in any country except those whose administrations have notified the ITU that they object to such communications.

As of November 20, 2021, according to the FCC, there were "no banned countries", however, some countries do not issue radio licenses to individuals (e.g. North Korea).

For more info see Wikipedia: International Telecommunication Union

Refer to FCC Part: 97.111(a)(1)

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Tags: rules and regulations international

(C). The most direct path or shortest straight path points directly from one station or point to a second station or point. This is usually the best way to point a directional antenna. The long-path is considered to be the direction directly opposite the short path, or 180 degrees from its short-path heading. Depending on atmospheric conditions and nearby interferences, this can sometimes provide a clearer signal transmission and reception.

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Tags: antenna directional antenna propagation

The 60-meter band is a unique band that amateur stations may use. The amateur radio service is secondary to the government when using this band and we are restricted to using 5 specific channels for only upper sideband voice communications. The power and bandwidth on this frequency range is also tightly specified. Because of the exact nature of operations on this band and to avoid interference with government communications, the FCC requires that if you are using anything other than a dipole antenna, you must keep a record of the gain of your antenna. This is to demonstrate that you are not using too much output power while operating on this frequency.

Refer to FCC Part: [97.303(s)]

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Tags: 60 meters rules and regulations operating rules

(D). It is always a good idea to keep station logs recording your contacts and operations. You are responsible for the good operations of your station. It is fun to keep a record of all the contact you have made (call signs, frequencies, and locations). You should also keep records of any safety or RF field strength studies, records of antenna gain, etc. These records will help with a reply if the FCC requests information about your station operations.

Refer to FCC Part: [97.103(b)]

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Tags: fcc operating procedures best practices

(D). It is always a good practice to keep a log of your station operations. A station log traditionally includes the date and time of contact, the call sign of the station contacted and signal report (RST) given, and the band and/or frequency on which the contact was made. All of the choices are traditionally in a station log so select answer (D) All of these choices are correct.

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Tags: operating procedures best practices

CW uses Q codes as abbreviations for common statements or questions relating to signal transmission. The meaning of "QRP" is to "decrease your Power." So low power transmit operations are often referred to as QRP operation. It is always good practice to use the lowest power output level that will still allow successful transmission of the signal.

Note: Remember that the "P" in "QRP" refers to Power. You might also consider "QRP" as in "Reduced Power".

For more info see Wikipedia: QRP operation

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Tags: Q signals

(C). It makes sense that the best antenna to use for HF to minimize interference is one that focuses signal in the direction that you want to transmit. A directional antenna, such as a beam antenna, will give the best signal because it is focused in one direction, and so reduces interference from other directions.

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Tags: antenna hf noise and interference directional antenna