HAM Miscellaneous Flashcards
The Federal Communications Commission says the Amateur Radio Service’s purpose is what?
Advancing skills in the technical and communication phases of the radio art
Who is eligible to receive a vanity call sign (also known as a custom call sign)?
Any licensed amateur
How do you prove you have your license.
The control operator’s operator/primary station license must appear in the FCC ULS consolidated licensee database
After you pass your exam, when can you start operating?
Not until your operator/station license grant appears in the FCC’s license database
As an amateur radio operator, you must keep your address up to date with the FCC. If the FCC cannot reach you at the address on your license, you could be subject to what?
Revocation of the station license or suspension of the operator license
How long is a HAM license valid?
10 Years
In 10 years when the license expires, you have a grace period of how long to renew it?
2 years
During the two-year grace period, a “renew” link will appear online in the FCC database to allow you to renew your license online.
During the 2-year grace period, can you transmit?
No transmitting is allowed until the FCC license database shows that the license has been renewed
What happens if you miss renewing during the grace period?
You must retake the exam
When must an amateur station identify itself?
An amateur station is required to transmit its call sign at least every 10 minutes during and at the end of a communication.
For certain events such as a community service communications net, ham radio operators may use a special call sign called a tactical identifier, such as “Race Headquarters.” When using tactical identifiers such as “Race Headquarters” during a public service event, when must an amateur station identify itself?
You must transmit your FCC call sign at the end of each communication and every 10 minutes during a communication.
What does the FCC say about using the phonetic alphabet when identifying your call sign on the air.
it is encouraged
What language(s) may be used in the United States and its territories for station identification when operating in a phone sub-band.
Only the English language is allowed
Sometimes ham radio operators will use a self-assigned indicator after their call sign to indicate a specific operating condition. What are some examples?
KL7CC stroke W3
KL7CC slant W3
KL7CC slash W3
What is one exception where you are not required to identify your call sign on the air?
When transmitting signals to control model craft such as boats, cars, and drones, amateurs do not need to identify.
Is obscene language allowed?
Any indecent or obscene language is prohibited on the air – as ham radio operators, we all have a responsibility to keep our airwaves clean and respect the hobby.
It is also prohibited to broadcast on ham radio. Broadcasting means what?
transmissions intended for reception by the general public
An amateur station is authorized to transmit signals related to broadcasting, program production, or newsgathering when no other means are available ONLY if the what?
communications directly relate to the immediate safety of human life or protection of property
Can you interfere with other amateur radio stations?
No. Willful interference to other amateur radio stations is permitted at no time, so don’t ever try to block or interfere with other stations.
Usually, ham radio is a two-way conversation, but an amateur radio station can make one-way transmissions when?
when transmitting code practice, information bulletins, or transmissions necessary to provide emergency communications
You cannot use amateur radio to sell equipment commercially, but you may offer equipment for sale or trade on the air when?
when the equipment is normally used in an amateur station and such activity is not conducted on a regular basis
When may an amateur operator may receive compensation for operating a station?
Only when the communication is incidental to classroom instruction at an educational institution
Can a station operate without a control operator?
No.
When operating ham radio, someone has to be in control of the station - this is the control operator. An amateur station is never permitted to transmit without a control operator.
What is an amateur station control point?
An amateur station control point is the location at which the control operator function is performed.
Who designates the station control operator?
The station licensee designates the station control operator. Usually, the person operating the station is the same person that holds the license for that station. Unless otherwise stated, the station licensee is assumed to be the control operator.
When a station licensee designates another control operator to transmit on their station, what determines the privileges of the station?
The class of operator license held by the control operator
If a Technician class licensee becomes the control operator of an Amateur Extra’s station, how may they operate?
Only Technician privileges may be used. “At no time” may a Technician class licensee be the control operator of a station operating in an exclusive Amateur Extra class operator frequency segment.
Who is responsible for following the rules when the control operator is not the station licensee?
The control operator and the station licensee are equally responsible
What are Third-Party communications?
A message from a control operator to another amateur station control operator on behalf of another person
When must the station licensee make the station and its records available for FCC inspection?
At any time upon request by an FCC representative.
What is the ITU?
The International Telecommunications Union (or ITU) is a United Nations agency for information and communication technology issues.
When can operate your amateur station in a foreign country?
When the foreign country authorizes it
When are you not allowed to communicate with a foreign country?
Any country whose administration has notified the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that it objects to such communications
When talking internationally (to another country), an FCC-licensed amateur radio station is permitted to make what king of communications?
Communications incidental to the purposes of the Amateur Radio Service and remarks of a personal character
You may greet other amateurs on the air and make small talk. Making small talk is considered “remarks of a personal character.”
Are you allow to communicate with a foreign country from international waters?
Yes.
You also may transmit from any vessel or craft located in international waters and is documented or registered in the United States.
What does RACES mean?
RACES is the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. It is an organization of many functions:
A radio service using amateur frequencies for emergency management or civil defense communications.
A radio service using amateur stations for emergency management or civil defense communications.
An emergency service using amateur operators certified by a civil defense organization as being enrolled in that organization.
All of the above!
What is a Space Station?
A space station is an amateur station located more than 50 km above the Earth’s surface.
Who can communicate through an amateur satellite or space station?
Any amateur whose license privileges allow them to transmit on a satellite uplink frequency
When is Transmitting encoded messages which hide their meaning allowed?
When transmitting control commands to space stations or radio control craft
When are you allowed to transmit music?
You also can transmit music only when “incidental to an authorized retransmission of manned spacecraft communications”
What is a beacon?
A beacon is an amateur station transmitting communications for the purposes of observing propagation or related experimental activities.
In layman’s terms, a beacon is a station that transmits health or status information, so you cannot transmit it to a beacon.
What is a repeater?
A repeater station simultaneously retransmits the signals of an amateur station on a different channel or channels. It is used to repeat your signal from a high location and can help you communicate further.
What is an example of automatic control?
Repeater operation is an example of automatic control – it is automatic and doesn’t need anyone operating. But it’s not the only type of station that can retransmit.
What can automatically retransmit the signals of other amateur stations?
Repeater, auxiliary or space stations
If a repeater retransmits communications that violate FCC rule, who is responsible?
The control operator of the originating station
What is another example of remote control?
Operating the station over the internet is an example of remote control as defined by Part 97. For example, if you have a ham radio shack at your home, you may want to operate your station remotely over the internet while away from home.
Describe remote control.
The following are true about remote control operation:
The control operator must be at the control point.
The operator must be present at all times.
The control operator indirectly manipulates the control.
All of the above!
If you are looking for a recommendation on transmit/receive channels and other parameters for auxiliary and repeater stations, you can use what?
The Volunteer Frequency Coordinator recognized by local amateurs.
This is just a fancy way to say that a local volunteer organization can recommend what frequencies to use. These organizations try to prevent interference to stations by requiring set distances between stations using the same frequency on a regular basis.
Who can select the frequency coordinator to be in charge of frequency assignments?
The amateur operators in a local or regional area
When you talk about frequencies, in ham radio, you can use either exact frequencies or you can refer to the band.What are some examples?
- 525 MHz is a frequency in the 6-meter band.
146. 52 MHz is a frequency is in the 2-meter band.
What frequencies are limited for fixed digital message forwarding systems only?
219 and 220 MHz
What frequencies are limited to CW only?
50.0 MHz to 50.1 MHz and 144.0 MHz to 144.1
With your Technician license, you will have phone privileges on which band?
10-meter band.
The 10-meter band is also the only HF band available to Technician class amateurs for RTTY and data transmissions.
What is the maximum peak envelope power output in HF bands for Technician class operators?
200 watts
What is the maximum peak envelope power output for frequencies above 30MHZ for Technician class operators?
For frequencies above 30 MHz, up to 1500 watts
Once you get your license, remember not to interfere with bands that could be used for non-amateur (such as military) communication. When using most frequencies (such as the 70-cm band), what must you do?
U.S. amateurs may find non-amateur stations in those portions and must avoid interfering with them.
Name some reasons not to set your transmit frequency exactly at the edge of an amateur band or sub-band
You could end up interfering due to a calibration error
Modulation sidebands
Transmitter frequency drift.
All of the above!
