Automatic and remote control
Under what situation may a station transmit third party communications while being automatically controlled?
Only when transmitting RTTY or data emissions.
Automatic control means no operator is watching in real time. Third-party traffic under those conditions is permitted only for RTTY and data — modes where the content is machine-readable and a store-and-forward system can apply filtering and logging. Not voice, where nothing can be inspected before it goes out.
What is the maximum permissible duration of a remotely controlled station’s transmissions if its control link malfunctions?
3 minutes.
A remotely controlled station must be able to stop transmitting. If the control link fails, a timer must shut it down within 3 minutes — the same idea as a repeater timeout, applied to the control path rather than the operator.
Operating abroad
Two reciprocal arrangements, two different regions, and the pool distinguishes them.
| CEPT | IARP | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Europe and participating countries | certain countries of the Americas |
| Basis | FCC Public Notice DA 16-1048 | issued permit (via a sponsoring society) |
| Who | FCC-licensed US citizens, General and above | US amateurs |
Which of the following operating arrangements allows an FCC-licensed US citizen to operate in many European countries, and amateurs from many European countries to operate in the US?
CEPT
What is an IARP?
A permit that allows US amateurs to operate in certain countries of the Americas.
Which of the following is required in order to operate in accordance with CEPT rules in foreign countries where permitted?
You must have a copy of FCC Public Notice DA 16-1048.
Carry the document. CEPT works by mutual recognition, and the public notice is your evidence of eligibility — there is no separate permit to show.
The notice itself (released 2016-09-16) is worth reading rather than summarising, because it says three things the pool question does not:
- You must carry three items, not one: a copy of the Public Notice, proof of US citizenship, and evidence of the FCC licence grant. All must be produced to the authorities on request.
- Your class determines which CEPT licence you get. Advanced and Amateur Extra grants convey full CEPT Radio Amateur Licence privileges under Recommendation T/R 61-01; a General grant conveys the more limited CEPT Novice Radio Amateur Licence under ECC Recommendation (05)06.
- Technician is not on the list at all. CEPT covers General, Advanced, and Amateur Extra. A Technician licensee has no CEPT privileges to carry a notice about.
Which of the following apply to communications transmitted to amateur stations in foreign countries?
Communications must be limited to those incidental to the purpose of the amateur service and remarks of a personal nature
The long-standing limit on international amateur traffic. It is why third-party traffic abroad requires a third-party agreement with that country, and why business communication is never in scope.
LF and MF notification
What notifications must be given before transmitting on the 630- or 2200-meter bands?
Operators must inform the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) of their call sign and coordinates of the station
How long must an operator wait after filing a notification with the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) before operating on the 2200-meter or 630-meter band?
Operators may operate after 30 days, providing they have not been told that their station is within 1 kilometer of PLC systems using those frequencies
Power line carrier systems use these frequencies to send control and telemetry signals along transmission lines. The notification lets utilities check whether you are within 1 km of one. File, wait 30 days, and if you hear nothing, operate.
Note this is a notification, not an application — no approval arrives, and silence is the permission.
Three numbers
What is the maximum bandwidth for a data emission on 60 meters?
2.8 kHz.
The channel is 2.8 kHz wide, so the emission must fit inside it. Consistent with the channelised treatment of 60 metres from the first lesson.
What is the highest modulation index permitted at the highest modulation frequency for angle modulation below 29.0 MHz?
1.0.
Modulation index is deviation divided by modulating frequency. Capping it at 1.0 at the highest modulating frequency caps the bandwidth of an FM or PM signal, which is what the rule is really about — narrowband angle modulation on HF, so it does not sprawl across a crowded band.
What is the maximum mean power level for a spurious emission below 30 MHz with respect to the fundamental emission?
- 43 dB
Any spurious product below 30 MHz must be at least 43 dB below the mean power of your fundamental. At the 1500 W legal limit that permits about 75 mW of spurious output — which sounds generous until you realise it is still a strong signal on a nearby band.
In what portion of the 630-meter band are phone emissions permitted?
The entire band.
Check yourself
- Your remotely controlled station loses its internet link mid-transmission. What must happen, and when?
- You are travelling to Spain and to Peru. What do you need for each?
- You file a UTC notification for 630 metres and hear nothing back. When may you transmit?
Answers
- A timer must stop transmission within 3 minutes.
- Spain: CEPT, carrying a copy of FCC Public Notice DA 16-1048. Peru: an IARP, the permit covering certain countries of the Americas.
- After 30 days, provided you have not been told you are within 1 km of a PLC system using those frequencies. Silence is the permission.