T5-1 Chapter 6 – Operating Regulations Control Operators Identification Interference Third-party Communications Remote and Automatic Operation Prohibited Transmissions

T5-2 Control Operator Control operator is an amateur operator designated by the licensee of the station to be responsible for station transmissions. Control operator must be present at the station control point when a transmitter is operating. –A control operator can control any number of transmitters. When an amateur operator designates another licensed operator as control operator, both share responsibility for station operation.

T5-3 Control Operator (Cont’d) An amateur can only operate a amateur station as control operator according to his license privileges. A repeater station may be operated by automatic control with no control operator at the transmitter control point.

T5-4 Station Identification An amateur station must identify with the assigned call sign every ten minutes or less during a contact and at the end of the contact. There is no requirement to transmit both call signs when communicating with another amateur station. –An exception is the case of third-party communications with a station in a foreign county. Both station call signs are required at the end of the contact. Morse code emission mode may always be used to transmit your station identification.

T5-5 Station Identification (Cont’d) Any language may be used to communicate with other amateur stations; however, you must identify your station using English. FCC recommends that you use a phonetic alphabet as an aid to station identification. Two exceptions to identification rules: –When transmitting signals to control model craft –An amateur satellite does not have to transmit a station call sign.

T5-6 Interference Any transmission that disturbs other communications is harmful interference. –In general, interference may be natural noise (QRN) or signals from other operators (QRM). Intentional harmful interference is never allowed. Be polite, use common sense, use good equipment. Nobody owns a frequency.

T5-7 Third-Party Communications A message sent between two amateur stations for someone else is third-party communications. Third-party messages with other stations in the United Stations is allowed. Third-party messages may be passed only to stations in other countries who have a third-party communications agreement with the U.S.

T5-8 Third-Party Communications (Cont’d) In general, third-party international communications is prohibited except when: –An international third-party communications agreement exists. –In cases of emergency where there is a threat to lives or property. –The third party is eligible to be a control operator of the station. Third-party participation is when an unlicensed person participates in communications from your amateur station.

T5-9 Permitted One-Way Transmissions One-way transmissions are not intended to be answered. Examples are: control of model craft and beacon station operations. Part 97 of FCC rules also allow: –Brief transmissions to make station adjustments. –Brief transmissions to establish communications with another station. –Morse code practice transmissions. –Transmissions to disseminate information bulletins to amateurs.

T5-10 Remote and Automatic operation Local control: a control operator is physically present. Remote operation: the transmitter is controlled from somewhere else, but an operator is directly controlling through a link. Automatic operation: the transmitter is controlled by a device. (E.g. a repeater, beacon, or space station) –The licensee must guarantee that the transmitter operates in compliance with FCC rules. –Automatic operation is limited to specific band segments.

T5-11 Prohibited Practices FCC rules prohibit unidentified communications or signals –These are transmissions without giving a call sign. FCC rules prohibit transmission of false or deceptive signals. –These are transmissions intended to mislead or confuse. An example is transmitting a MAYDAY when there is no emergency. –You must avoid deliberately interfering with another station’s communications.