I recently obtained my Amateur Radio operator license and am learning much. One of the things I have learned about is nets. Nets, or networks, are times dedicated on some repeaters for specific functions such as testing equipment and reporting practices, education and entertainment.
I am able to listen to some nets, but cannot reach to participate because of limitations in my equipment. On one such net I heard an argument over the station identification requirements of the FCC. Because it was a hot topic, I decided to investigate.
Interestingly even during the nets, they try to remember to pause every ten-minutes to identify with their call sign and at the end of the net as the FCC requires.
THE PROBLEM
Some people seem to key the microphone on the radio briefly to see if their radio is transmitting. Repeaters are the obvious target because they usually give some sort of digital response. This annoys some amateur radio operators and usually repeater operators.
The argument in this case was that a station calling is supposed to identify themselves at the beginning of a contact, every ten minutes and at the end. Someone responded with the fact that the test questions on the examination indicated that the FCC requires that identification be used only every ten minutes and at the end of the transmission.
Another person noted that you could just download Part 97 of 47 CFR which covers Amateur radio operations. The argument came back that it was big and thick, took a long time to download and a ream of paper to print (or words to that effect). In the links below you can see that is just not so. You can download the PDF which prints on 36 pages. You can also go to the Government Printing Office web site and simply read it online.
Since I am interested in helping people obtain a Ham license, I added the questions from each examination that I could find concerning this topic. Hopefully this will help you understand those questions so you can breeze through them and concentrate on the tougher technical questions. I added the questions that I found in the Technician, General and Amateur Extra class license pools. Of course there is the more selfish reason that research, such as this, helps me learn and remember the rules so I can keep out of trouble as much as possible.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?
While researching I happened across the FCC Amateur Radio Service Enforcement Actions page on their web site.
In July, David Tolassi (W4BHV) in Georgia was fined $1000 for failing to identify. Daniel R. Hicks (KB8UYZ) in Cincinnati, Ohio was fined $8000 in August for failure to identify and causing interference. Thomas J. Warren agreed to pay a $3500 fine for failure to identify this month. William F. Crowell (W6WBJ) of Diamond Springs, California was fined $25,000 for failing to identify and deliberately causing interference by broadcasting music, noise and voices to interfere with others just a few days ago.
(Here is a bonus answer to the Technician Exam, question T1D04. It is illegal to transmit any music except When incidental to an authorized re-transmission of manned spacecraft communications .)
So how important is station identification? How important is your hard-earned cash.
The FCC does have a soft-spot. This link also shows more letters of warning than fines. They are out to promote the fair use of the amateur radio bands for everyone. Everyone makes a mistake from time-to-time.
So let’s look at the regulations.
HERE IS THE ACTUAL FCC REGULATION
The actual requirements for station identification is listed in 47 CFR §97.119. This is the regulation as of this writing.
§97.119 Station identification.
(a) Each amateur station, except a space station or telecommand station, must transmit its assigned call sign on its transmitting channel at the end of each communication, and at least every 10 minutes during a communication, for the purpose of clearly making the source of the transmissions from the station known to those receiving the transmissions. No station may transmit unidentified communications or signals, or transmit as the station call sign, any call sign not authorized to the station.
(b) The call sign must be transmitted with an emission authorized for the transmitting channel in one of the following ways:
(1) By a CW emission. When keyed by an automatic device used only for identification, the speed must not exceed 20 words per minute;
(2) By a phone emission in the English language. Use of a phonetic alphabet as an aid for correct station identification is encouraged;
(3) By a RTTY emission using a specified digital code when all or part of the communications are transmitted by a RTTY or data emission;
(4) By an image emission conforming to the applicable transmission standards, either color or monochrome, of §73.682(a) of the FCC Rules when all or part of the communications are transmitted in the same image emission
So it is clear that the FCC requires an identification at the end of the transmission and every ten minutes no matter what mode of communications you use. It does not state that you are required to identify at the beginning of a transmission.
This should be a moot point, however. When you key the microphone to call someone, it is only natural to tell them who is calling by using your call sign. For example, Station called, this KG7YDJ, over or something of the like. Most people usually do. If you want to key a repeater, simply say This is KG7YDJ, radio check. It’s not rocket science, folks. It’s amateur radio.
Though it could be space related with Earth-Moon-Earth transmissions and satellites available. But that’s another article.
(c) One or more indicators may be included with the call sign. Each indicator must be separated from the call sign by the slant mark (/) or by any suitable word that denotes the slant mark. If an indicator is self-assigned, it must be included before, after, or both before and after, the call sign. No self-assigned indicator may conflict with any other indicator specified by the FCC Rules or with any prefix assigned to another country.
The slash indicators they are referring to are listed later in (f) and other areas of FCC regulations. I am not sure what they all are and when to use them, so I do not. As an Amateur Extra license holder, I am not required to use those in (f) any longer.
(d) When transmitting in conjunction with an event of special significance, a station may substitute for its assigned call sign a special event call sign as shown for that station for that period of time on the common data base coordinated, maintained and disseminated by the special event call sign data base coordinators. Additionally, the station must transmit its assigned call sign at least once per hour during such transmissions.
(e) When the operator license class held by the control operator exceeds that of the station licensee, an indicator consisting of the call sign assigned to the control operator’s station must be included after the call sign.
(f) When the control operator is a person who is exercising the rights and privileges authorized by §97.9(b) of this part, an indicator must be included after the call sign as follows:
(1) For a control operator who has requested a license modification from Novice Class to Technical Class: KT;
(2) For a control operator who has requested a license modification from Novice or Technician to General Class: AG;
(3) For a control operator who has requested a license modification from Novice, Technician, General, or Advanced Class to Amateur Extra Class: AE.
These are the slant codes used for various license upgrades. The two questions on the exams that you face are:
T1F08 [97.119(f)] Which indicator is required by the FCC to be transmitted after a station call sign? Answer /KT, /AE or /AG when using new license privileges earned by CSCE while waiting for an upgrade to a previously issued license to appear in the FCC license database
G1D01 (C) [97.119(f)(2)] Which of the following is a proper way to identify when transmitting using phone on General Class frequencies if you have a CSCE for the required elements but your upgrade from Technician has not appeared in the FCC database? Answer: Give your call sign followed by “slant AG”
Thus if you have a Technician license and have passed the exam for General, you can used the frequency privileges of the General as long as you add slant AG to your call sign.
(g) When the station is transmitting under the authority of §97.107 of this part, an indicator consisting of the appropriate letter-numeral designating the station location must be included before the call sign that was issued to the station by the country granting the license. For an amateur service license granted by the Government of Canada, however, the indicator must be included after the call sign. At least once during each intercommunication, the identification announcement must include the geographical location as nearly as possible by city and state, commonwealth or possession.
This section refers to non-US citizens.
SUMMARY
This article is not meant to disrespect old Ham operators not discourage new Ham operators from asking questions and learning. I have heard other comments on nets that did not seem the appropriate place to bring them up. If a net is for fun, have fun. Talk about your dog, tell a joke (a good clean joke, of course: §97.113(a)(4)). If you are on a technical net, this is generally used for questions about antennas and equipment. But a question about rules might not be unwarranted time permitting.
Which brings up another point for new Ham radio operators. Don’t get on the bad side of an old Ham. Some old Hams know everything there is to know about antennas. Some old Hams can make test equipment sing Yankee Doodle Dandy. Others have tools you do not have and are even willing to help you set up a new antenna or station. Or explain how to set up a repeater. Or who to call concerning frequency allocations in your area. Or any other question you might have that will make you an old Ham.
I think this topic might have come up because I hear people keying a local repeater all the time in my area. I am told that 2-meter and 70-cm (VHF/UHF) is reasonably lax on protocol. Still there are rules. Old Hams that you hear on these bands generally frequent the more popular HF bands commensurate with their license where protocol is more stringently enforced.
Amateur radio is supposed to be a friendly affair and I recommend that new Hams do not get into it with one whose been around a while. If a comment is directed at you—even a snooty one—you can simply respond with Thank you for the information. I’ll research that further. And do so. There is a wealth of information on the Internet and, as we see, the FCC rules are easily accessible.
There is, no doubt, a local group in your area. They usually meet once a month or better. It is a good place to meet old Hams so you know that most are not in-your-face ogres. You can also get answers to questions
When I plug in the microphone to my Baofeng, I sometimes accidentally key the mic. I simple state KG7YDJ monitoring or KG7YDJ radio check no response required. You can simply use your call sign. It will not take any minutes out of your day to do so and you fulfill the FCC requirements.
Exam Questions
Section T1D
T1D11 (D) [97.119(a)] When may an amateur station transmit without identifying?
A. When the transmissions are of a brief nature to make station adjustments
B. When the transmissions are unmodulated
C. When the transmitted power level is below 1 watt
D. When transmitting signals to control a model craft
Section T1F is all about identification
T1F – Station identification; repeaters; third party communications; club stations; FCC inspection
T1F01 (A) What type of identification is being used when identifying a station on the air as Race Headquarters?
A. Tactical call sign
B. An official call sign reserved for RACES drills
C. SSID
D. Broadcast station
T1F02 (C) [97.119 (a)] When using tactical identifiers such as “Race Headquarters” during a community service net operation, how often must your station transmit the station’s FCCassigned call sign?
A. Never, the tactical call is sufficient
B. Once during every hour
C. At the end of each communication and every ten minutes during a communication
D. At the end of every transmission
T1F03 (D) [97.119(a)] When is an amateur station required to transmit its assigned call sign?
A. At the beginning of each contact, and every 10 minutes thereafter
B. At least once during each transmission
C. At least every 15 minutes during and at the end of a communication
D. At least every 10 minutes during and at the end of a communication
T1F04 (C) [97.119(b)(2)] Which of the following is an acceptable language to use for station identification when operating in a phone sub-band?
A. Any language recognized by the United Nations
B. Any language recognized by the ITU
C. The English language
D. English, French, or Spanish
T1F05 (B) [97.119(b)(2)] What method of call sign identification is required for a station transmitting phone signals?
A. Send the call sign followed by the indicator RPT
B. Send the call sign using CW or phone emission
C. Send the call sign followed by the indicator R
D. Send the call sign using only phone emission
T1F06 (D) [97.119(c)] Which of the following formats of a self-assigned indicator is acceptable when identifying using a phone transmission?
A. KL7CC stroke W3
B. KL7CC slant W3
C. KL7CC slash W3
D. All of these choices are correct
T1F07 (B) [97.115(a)(2)] Which of the following restrictions apply when a non-licensed person is allowed to speak to a foreign station using a station under the control of a Technician Class control operator?
A. The person must be a U.S. citizen
B. The foreign station must be one with which the U.S. has a third party agreement
C. The licensed control operator must do the station identification
D. All of these choices are correct
T1F08 (D) [97.119(f)] Which indicator is required by the FCC to be transmitted after a station call sign?
A. /M when operating mobile
B. /R when operating a repeater
C. / followed the FCC Region number when operating out of the region in which the license was issued
D. /KT, /AE or /AG when using new license privileges earned by CSCE while waiting for an upgrade to a previously issued license to appear in the FCC license database
T1F09 (C) [97.3(a)(40)] What type of amateur station simultaneously retransmits the signal of another amateur station on a different channel or channels?
A. Beacon station
B. Earth station
C. Repeater station
D. Message forwarding station
T1F10 (A) [97.205(g)] Who is accountable should a repeater inadvertently retransmit communications that violate the FCC rules?
A. The control operator of the originating station
B. The control operator of the repeater
C. The owner of the repeater
D. Both the originating station and the repeater owner
T1F11 (A) [97.115(a)] To which foreign stations do the FCC rules authorize the transmission of nonemergency third party communications?
A. Any station whose government permits such communications
B. Those in ITU Region 2 only
C. Those in ITU Regions 2 and 3 only
D. Those in ITU Region 3 only
T1F12 (B) [97.5(b)(2)] How many persons are required to be members of a club for a club station license to be issued by the FCC?
A. At least 5
B. At least 4
C. A trustee and 2 officers
D. At least 2
T1F13 (B) [97.103(c)] When must the station licensee make the station and its records available for FCC inspection?
A. At any time ten days after notification by the FCC of such an inspection
B. At any time upon request by an FCC representative
C. Only after failing to comply with an FCC notice of violation
D. Only when presented with a valid warrant by an FCC official or government agent
G1D01 (C) [97.119(f)(2)]
Which of the following is a proper way to identify when transmitting using phone on General Class frequencies if you have a CSCE for the required elements but your upgrade from Technician has not appeared in the FCC database?
A. Give your call sign followed by the words “General Class”
B. No special identification is needed
C. Give your call sign followed by “slant AG”
D. Give your call sign followed the abbreviation “CSCE”
G1E09 (C) [97.119(b)(2)]
What language must you use when identifying your station if you are using a language other than English in making a contact using phone emission?
A. The language being used for the contact
B. Any language if the US has a third party agreement with that country
C. English
D. Any language of a country that is a member of the ITU
G2B07 (C)
Which of the following complies with good amateur practice when choosing a frequency on which to initiate a call?
A. Check to see if the channel is assigned to another station
B. Identify your station by transmitting your call sign at least 3 times
C. Follow the voluntary band plan for the operating mode you intend to use
D. All of these choices are correct
E2C11 (A) How should you generally identify your station when attempting to contact a DX station working a pileup or in a contest?
A. Send your full call sign once or twice
B. Send only the last two letters of your call sign until you make contact
C. Send your full call sign and grid square
D. Send the call sign of the DX station three times, the words this is, then your call sign three times