COMMISSION RULES
Miscellaneous rules: external RF power amplifiers; prohibited communications; spread spectrum; auxiliary stations; Canadian amateurs operating in the U.S.; special temporary authority; control operator of an auxiliary station
On what frequencies are spread spectrum transmissions permitted?
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Only on amateur frequencies above 50 MHz
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Correct AnswerOnly on amateur frequencies above 222 MHz
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Only on amateur frequencies above 420 MHz
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Only on amateur frequencies above 144 MHz
Spread spectrum (SS) uses a wide bandwidth which would cause too much crowding on the relatively narrow bands below UHF.
See FCC rules: §97.305 Authorized emission types.
Tips:
SS222
The 2s are spread into 222
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What privileges are authorized in the U.S. to persons holding an amateur service license granted by the government of Canada?
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None, they must obtain a U.S. license
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All privileges of the Amateur Extra Class license
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Correct AnswerThe operating terms and conditions of the Canadian amateur service license, not to exceed U.S. Amateur Extra Class license privileges
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Full privileges, up to and including those of the Amateur Extra Class license, on the 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands
47 CFR 97.107 (a) states that Canadian amateurs are bound by the terms of their Canadian license but may not exceed the privileges given to US Extra-class licensees.
Hint: The answer with Canadian in it
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Under what circumstances may a dealer sell an external RF power amplifier capable of operation below 144 MHz if it has not been granted FCC certification?
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Correct AnswerIt was purchased in used condition from an amateur operator and is sold to another amateur operator for use at that operator's station
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The equipment dealer assembled it from a kit
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It was imported from a manufacturer in a country that does not require certification of RF power amplifiers
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It was imported from a manufacturer in another country and was certificated by that country's government
Older equipment that was produced prior to new regulations and can be used in a legal manner are allowed to be sold by hams. This is how working but older equipment is effectively grandfathered in to current use. Of course good amateur radio practices should be always followed. The below 144 MHz prohibition was a result of unlawful citizen band overpowering.
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Which of the following geographic descriptions approximately describes "Line A"?
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Correct AnswerA line roughly parallel to and south of the border between the U.S. and Canada
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A line roughly parallel to and west of the U.S. Atlantic coastline
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A line roughly parallel to and north of the border between the U.S. and Mexico
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A line roughly parallel to and east of the U.S. Pacific coastline
Silly memory trick: Canadians are known for saying, “Eh?” So think of the question as, “Line, eh?” 🙂 Remember the A, though, since the line is still in the US"A" (South, not North of the border).
Real explanation:
Private land mobile radio services, 47 C.F.R. § 90.7 (2010):
Line A. An imaginary line within the U.S., approximately paralleling the U.S.-Canadian border, north of which Commission coordination with the Canadian authorities in the assignment of frequencies is generally required. It begins at Aberdeen, Washington, running by great circle arc to the intersection of 48° N., 120° W., then along parallel 48° N., to the intersection of 95° W., thence by great circle arc through the southernmost point of Duluth, Minnesota, thence by great circle arc to 45° N., 85° W., thence southward along meridian 85° W. to its intersection with parallel 41° N., to its intersection with meridian 82° W., thence by great circle arc through the southernmost point of Bangor, Maine, thence by great circle arc through the southernmost of Searsport, Maine, at which point it terminates.
Private land mobile radio services, 47 C.F.R. § 97.3 (2010):
- 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.
reference:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2010-title47-vol5/pdf/CFR-2010-title47-vol5.pdf
page 244, 589
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Amateur stations may not transmit in which of the following frequency segments if they are located in the contiguous 48 states and north of Line A?
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440 MHz - 450 MHz
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53 MHz - 54 MHz
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222 MHz - 223 MHz
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Correct Answer420 MHz - 430 MHz
Line A roughly parallels the border between the Lower 48 States and Canada, about one degree south of the border. Line B is the Canadian counterpart, running about one degree north of the border.
Check out the following for more information: Private land mobile radio services, 47 C.F.R. § 97.303 (2010):
(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.
reference:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2010-title47-vol5/pdf/CFR-2010-title47-vol5.pdf
pages 244 and 609
Memory aid: "Stay away from 420 when you're up high." (I know, groan, but you don't forget it.)
Another memory aid: Only those below the line can use the lower end of the 70cm band
TEST TIP: "The southern (low) edge of 70cm is not for those up north."
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Under what circumstances might the FCC issue a Special Temporary Authority (STA) to an amateur station?
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Correct AnswerTo provide for experimental amateur communications
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To allow regular operation on Land Mobile channels
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To provide additional spectrum for personal use
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To provide temporary operation while awaiting normal licensing
The FCC regulation on Special Temporary Authority (47 C.F.R. 1.931) does not specifically address amateur radio, but in analogous situations FCC authority is recognized to grant an STA to "conduct tests to determine necessary data for the preparation of an application for regular authorization". (§1.931(b)(2)(iii)), i.e., for experimentation. The best answer is therefore "to provide for experimental communications."
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When may an amateur station send a message to a business?
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When the total money involved does not exceed $25
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When the control operator is employed by the FCC or another government agency
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When transmitting international third-party communications
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Correct AnswerWhen neither the amateur nor his or her employer has a pecuniary interest in the communications
§97.113 Prohibited transmissions.
(a) No amateur station shall transmit:
(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.
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Which of the following types of amateur station communications are prohibited?
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Correct AnswerCommunications transmitted for hire or material compensation, except as otherwise provided in the rules
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Communications that have political content, except as allowed by the Fairness Doctrine
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Communications that have religious content
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Communications in a language other than English
The answer is:
Communications transmitted for hire or material compensation, except as otherwise provided in the rules
All the other listed types of communications are permitted.
See
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=about_1&id=amateur
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Which of the following conditions apply when transmitting spread spectrum emissions?
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A station transmitting SS emission must not cause harmful interference to other stations employing other authorized emissions
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The transmitting station must be in an area regulated by the FCC or in a country that permits SS emissions
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The transmission must not be used to obscure the meaning of any communication
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Correct AnswerAll these choices are correct
Spread spectrum is authorized, but with explicit limitations similar to regulations covering the rest of the amateur service.
It cannot cause harmful interference to other stations. It can slightly raise noise floor as long as it doesn't disrupt communications.
The FCC's authorization of spread spectrum for amateurs only applies in areas where the FCC has jurisdiction. If you are using reciprocal operating rights in another country, the other country must have permitted spread spectrum and you must comply with that country's rules.
Spread spectrum often uses pseudo-random sequences to define channel hopping or to blend with the modulating signal to spread the sequence out. This spreading cannot be used to obscure signals or as a code to prevent the meaning from being evident (generally, amateurs will use a published pseudo-random sequence to comply).
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Who may be the control operator of an auxiliary station?
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Any licensed amateur operator
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Correct AnswerOnly Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operators
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Only General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operators
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Only Amateur Extra Class operators
All amateurs, except Novices, may put auxiliary stations on the air [97.201(a)].
Note: Since the FCC no longer issues licenses for Novice and Advanced, you might be tempted to select "Any licensed amateur operator" However, there are still individuals who hold Novice and Advanced licenses (the FCC has not forced them to upgrade.), And those who have Novice licenses are not allowed to handle auxiliary stations.
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Which of the following best describes one of the standards that must be met by an external RF power amplifier if it is to qualify for a grant of FCC certification?
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It must produce full legal output when driven by not more than 5 watts of mean RF input power
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It must be capable of external RF switching between its input and output networks
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It must exhibit a gain of 0 dB or less over its full output range
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Correct AnswerIt must satisfy the FCC's spurious emission standards when operated at the lesser of 1500 watts or its full output power
5 watts to produce full legal output is not correct. The FCC actually maintains a limit of 15dB gain on HF amplifiers as a way of regulating the misuse of Amateur amplifiers which are repurposed for CB. So 5W could only legally be amplified to around ~150W.
External switching really has nothing to do with the question or with amplifier standards.
A gain of 0 is no amplification at all and the question is about amplifiers.
"Satisfying the FCCs spurious emission standards" is correct because the FCC is always concerned with keeping the bands clean and high power amps always create a certain amount of noise (spurious emissions). That is why the FCC publishes spurious emission standards.
Hint: When the word “spurious” is in the answer, it is almost* always the correct choice.
*Not the case for E4C13 or E8A08. -- 2 out of the 8 questions which contain the word “spurious” in an answer choice.
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