[Page 675-684]
TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
PART 97--AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE--Table of Contents
Subpart A--General Provisions
Sec. 97.1 Basis and purpose.
The rules and regulations in this part are designed
to provide an
amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in
the
following principles:
(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of
the amateur service
to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service,
particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.
(b) Continuation and extension of the amateur's
proven ability to
contribute to the advancement of the radio art.
(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur
service through
rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication
and
technical phases of the art.
(d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the
amateur radio
service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts.
(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's
unique ability to
enhance international goodwill.
Sec. 97.3 Definitions.
(a) The definitions of terms used in part 97 are:
(1) Amateur operator. A person holding a written
authorization to be
the control operator of an amateur station.
(2) Amateur radio services. The amateur service,
the amateur-
satellite service and the radio amateur civil emergency service.
(3) Amateur-satellite service. A radiocommunication
service using
stations on Earth satellites for the same purpose as those of the
amateur service.
(4) Amateur service. A radiocommunication service
for the purpose of
self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried
out by amateurs, that is, duly authorized persons interested in radio
technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.
(5) Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio
service
consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on
radiocommunications.
(6) Automatic control. The use of devices and procedures
for control
of a station when it is transmitting so that compliance with the FCC
Rules is achieved without the control operator being present at a
control point.
(7) Auxiliary station. An amateur station, other
than in a message
forwarding system, that is transmitting communications point-to-point
within a system of cooperating amateur stations.
(8) Bandwidth. The width of a frequency band outside
of which the
mean power of the transmitted signal is attenuated at least 26 dB below
the mean power of the transmitted signal within the band.
(9) Beacon. An amateur station transmitting communications
for the
purposes of observation of propagation and reception or other related
experimental activities.
(10) Broadcasting. Transmissions intended for reception
by the
general public, either direct or relayed.
(11) Call sign system. The method used to select
a call sign for
amateur station over-the-air identification purposes. The call sign
systems are:
[[Page 676]]
(i) Sequential call sign system. The call sign is
selected by the
FCC from an alphabetized list corresponding to the geographic region
of
the licensee's mailing address and operator class. The call sign is
shown on the license. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing
the procedures of the sequential call sign system.
(ii) Vanity call sign system. The call sign is selected
by the FCC
from a list of call signs requested by the licensee. The call sign
is
shown on the license. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing
the procedures of the vanity call sign system.
(iii) Special event call sign system. The call sign
is selected by
the station licensee from a list of call signs shown on a common data
base coordinated, maintained and disseminated by the amateur station
special event call sign data base coordinators. The call sign must
have
the single letter prefix K, N or W, followed by a single numeral 0
through 9, followed by a single letter A through W or Y or Z (for
example K1A). The special event call sign is substituted for the call
sign shown on the station license grant while the station is
transmitting. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing the
procedures of the special event call sign system.
(12) Control operator. An amateur operator designated
by the
licensee of a station to be responsible for the transmissions from
that
station to assure compliance with the FCC Rules.
(13) Control point. The location at which the control
operator
function is performed.
(14) CSCE. Certificate of successful completion
of an examination.
(15) Earth station. An amateur station located on,
or within 50 km
of, the Earth's surface intended for communications with space stations
or with other Earth stations by means of one or more other objects
in
space.
(16) EIC. Engineer in Charge of an FCC Field Facility.
(17) External RF power amplifier. A device capable
of increasing
power output when used in conjunction with, but not an integral part
of,
a transmitter.
(18) External RF power amplifier kit. A number of
electronic parts,
which, when assembled, is an external RF power amplifier, even if
additional parts are required to complete assembly.
(19) FAA. Federal Aviation Administration.
(20) FCC. Federal Communications Commission.
(21) Frequency coordinator. An entity, recognized
in a local or
regional area by amateur operators whose stations are eligible to be
auxiliary or repeater stations, that recommends transmit/receive
channels and associated operating and technical parameters for such
stations in order to avoid or minimize potential interference.
(22) Harmful interference. Interference which endangers
the
functioning of a radionavigation service or of other safety services
or
seriously degrades, obstructs or repeatedly interrupts a
radiocommunication service operating in accordance with the Radio
Regulations.
(23) Indicator. Words, letters or numerals appended
to and separated
from the call sign during the station identification.
(24) Information bulletin. A message directed only
to amateur
operators consisting solely of subject matter of direct interest to
the
amateur service.
(25) International Morse code. A dot-dash code as
defined in
International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT)
Recommendation F.1 (1984), Division B, I. Morse code.
(26) ITU. International Telecommunication Union.
(27) Line A. Begins at Aberdeen, WA, running by
great circle arc to
the intersection of 48 deg. N, 120 deg. W, thence along parallel 48
deg.
N, to the intersection of 95 deg. W, thence by great circle arc through
the southernmost point of Duluth, MN, thence by great circle arc to
45 deg. N, 85 deg. W, thence southward along meridian 85 deg. W, to
its
intersection with parallel 41 deg. N, thence along parallel 41 deg.
N,
to its intersection with meridian 82 deg. 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.
(28) Local control. The use of a control operator
who directly
manipulates the operating adjustments in the station to
[[Page 677]]
achieve compliance with the FCC Rules.
(29) Message forwarding system. A group of amateur
stations
participating in a voluntary, cooperative, interactive arrangement
where
communications are sent from the control operator of an originating
station to the control operator of one or more destination stations
by
one or more forwarding stations.
(30) National Radio Quiet Zone. The area in Maryland,
Virginia and
West Virginia Bounded by 39 deg. 15'N on the north, 78 deg. 30'W on
the
east, 37 deg. 30' N on the south and 80 deg. 30' W on the west.
(31) Physician. For the purpose of this part, a
person who is
licensed to practice in a place where the amateur service is regulated
by the FCC, as either a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of
Osteophathy (D.O.)
(32) Question pool. All current examination questions
for a
designated written examination element.
(33) Question set. A series of examination on a
given examination
selected from the question pool.
(34) Radio Regulations. The latest ITU Radio Regulations
to which
the United States is a party.
(35) RACES (radio amateur civil emergency service).
A radio service
using amateur stations for civil defense communications during periods
of local, regional or national civil emergencies.
(36) Remote control. The use of a control operator
who indirectly
manipulates the operating adjustments in the station through a control
link to achieve compliance with the FCC Rules.
(37) Repeater. An amateur station that simultaneously
retransmits
the transmission of another amateur station on a different channel
or
channels.
(38) Space station. An amateur station located more
than 50 km above
the Earth's surface.
(39) Space telemetry. A one-way transmission from
a space station of
measurements made from the measuring instruments in a spacecraft,
including those relating to the functioning of the spacecraft.
(40) Spurious emission. An emission, or frequencies
outside the
necessary bandwidth of a transmission, the level of which may be reduced
without affecting the information being transmitted.
(41) Telecommand. A one-way transmission to initiate,
modify, or
terminate functions of a device at a distance.
(42) Telecommand station. An amateur station that
transmits
communications to initiate, modify or terminate functions of a space
station.
(43) Telemetry. A one-way transmission of measurements
at a distance
from the measuring instrument.
(44) Third party communications. A message from
the control operator
(first party) of an amateur station to another amateur station control
operator (second party) on behalf of another person (third party).
(45) VE. Volunteer examiner.
(46) VEC. Volunteer-examiner coordinator.
(b) The definitions of technical smybols used in
this part are:
(1) EHF (extremely high frequency). The frequency
range 30-300 GHz.
(2) HF (high frequency). The frequency range 3-30
MHz.
(3) Hz. Hertz.
(4) m. Meters.
(5) MF (medium frequency). The frequency range 300-3000
kHz.
(6) PEP (peak envelope power). The average power
supplied to the
antenna transmission line by a transmitter during one RF cycle at the
crest of the modulation envelope taken under normal operating
conditions.
(7) RF. Radio frequency.
(8) SHF (super-high frequency). The frequency range
3-30 GHz.
(9) UHF (ultra-high frequency). The frequency range
300-3000 MHz.
(10) VHF (very-high frequency). The frequency range
30-300 MHz.
(11) W. Watts.
(c) The following terms are used in this part to
indicate emission
types. Refer to Sec. 2.201 of the FCC Rules, Emission, modulation and
transmission characteristics, for information on emission type
designators.
(1) CW. International Morse code telegraphy emissions
having
designators with A, C, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1 as the second
symbol; A or B as the third symbol; and emissions J2A and J2B.
[[Page 678]]
(2) Data. Telemetry, telecommand and computer communications
emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first
symbol; 1 as the second symbol; D as the third symbol; and emission
J2D.
Only a digital code of a type specifically authorized in this part
may
be transmitted.
(3) Image. Facsimile and television emissions having
designators
with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2 or 3 as the
second symbol; C or F as the third symbol; and emissions having B as
the
first symbol; 7, 8 or 9 as the second symbol; W as the third symbol.
(4) MCW. Tone-modulated international Morse code
telegraphy
emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H or R as the first
symbol; 2 as the second symbol; A or B as the third symbol.
(5) Phone. Speech and other sound emissions having
designators with
A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2 or 3 as the second
symbol; E as the third symbol. Also speech emissions having B as the
first symbol; 7, 8 or 9 as the second symbol; E as the third symbol.
MCW
for the purpose of performing the station identification procedure,
or
for providing telegraphy practice interspersed with speech. Incidental
tones for the purpose of selective calling or alerting or to control
the
level of a demodulated signal may also be considered phone.
(6) Pulse. Emissions having designators with K,
L, M, P, Q, V or W
as the first symbol; 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 or X as the second symbol;
A,
B, C, D, E, F, N, W or X as the third symbol.
(7) RTTY. Narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy
emissions having
designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1 as
the
second symbol; B as the third symbol; and emission J2B. Only a digital
code of a type specifically authorized in this part may be transmitted.
(8) SS. Spread-spectrum emissions using bandwidth-expansion
modulation emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or
R as
the first symbol; X as the second symbol; X as the third symbol. Only
a
SS emission of a type specifically authorized in this part may be
transmitted.
(9) Test. Emissions containing no information having
the designators
with N as the third symbol. Test does not include pulse emissions with
no information or modulation unless pulse emissions are also authorized
in the frequency band.
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 56 FR 29, Jan. 2, 1991;
56 FR
56171, Nov. 1, 1991; 59 FR 18975, Apr. 21, 1994; 60 FR 7460, Feb. 8,
1995; 62 FR 17567, Apr. 10, 1997]
Sec. 97.5 Station license required.
(a) The person having physical control of the station
apparatus must
have been granted a station license of the type listed in paragraph
(b)
of this section, or hold an unexpired document of the type listed in
paragraph (c) of this section, before the station may transmit on any
amateur service frequency from any place that is:
(1) Within 50 km of the Earth's surface and at a
place where the
amateur service is regulated by the FCC;
(2) Within 50 km of the Earth's surface and aboard
any vessel or
craft that is documented or registered in the United States; or
(3) More than 50 km above the Earth's surface aboard
any craft that
is documented or registered in the United States.
(b) The types of station licenses are:
(1) An operator/primary station license. One, but
only one,
operator/primary station license is granted to each person who is
qualified to be an amateur operator. The primary station license is
granted together with the amateur operator license. Except for a
representative of a foreign government, any person who qualifies by
examination is eligible to apply for an operator/primary station
license. The operator/primary station license document is printed on
FCC
Form 660.
(2) A club station license. A club station license
is granted only
to the person who is the license trustee designated by an officer of
the
club. The trustee must be a person who has been granted an Amateur
Extra, Advanced, General, Technician Plus, or Technician operator
license. The club must be composed of at least four persons and must
have a name, a document of organization, management, and a primary
[[Page 679]]
purpose devoted to amateur service activities consistent with this part.
The club station license document is printed on FCC Form 660.
(3) A military recreation station license. A military
recreation
station license is granted only to the person who is the license
custodian designated by the official in charge of the United States
military recreational premises where the station is situated. The person
must not be a representative of a foreign government. The person need
not have been granted an amateur operator license. The military
recreation station license document is printed on FCC Form 660.
(4) A RACES station license. A RACES station license
is granted only
to the person who is the license custodian designated by the official
responsible for the governmental agency served by that civil defense
organization. The custodian must be the civil defense official
responsible for coordination of all civil defense activities in the
area
concerned. The custodian must not be a representative of a foreign
government. The custodian need not have been granted an amateur operator
license. The RACES station license document is printed on FCC Form
660.
(c) The types of documents are:
(1) A reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee
(FCC Form 610-AL)
issued to the person by the FCC.
(2) An amateur service license issued to the person
by the
Government of Canada. The person must be a Canadian citizen.
(d) A person who has been granted a station license
of the type
listed in paragraph (b) of this section, or who holds an unexpired
document of the type listed in paragraph (c) of this section, is
authorized to use in accordance with the FCC Rules all transmitting
apparatus under the physical control of the station licensee at points
where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC.
[59 FR 54831, Nov. 2, 1994, as amended at 62 FR 17567, Apr. 10, 1997]
Sec. 97.7 Control operator required.
When transmitting, each amateur station must have
a control
operator. The control operator must be a person who has been granted
an
amateur operator/primary station license, or who holds an unexpired
document of the following types:
(a) A reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee
(FCC Form 610-AL)
issued to the person by the FCC, or
(b) An amateur service license issued to the person
by the
Government of Canada. The person must be a Canadian citizen.
[59 FR 54832, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.9 Operator license.
(a) The classes of amateur operator licenses are:
Novice,
Technician, Technician Plus (until such licenses expire, a Technician
Class license granted before February 14, 1991, is considered a
Technician Plus Class license), General, Advanced, and Amateur Extra.
A
person who has been granted an operator license is authorized to be
the
control operator of an amateur station with the privileges of the
operator class specified on the license.
(b) A person who has been granted an operator license
of Novice,
Technician, Technician Plus, General, or Advanced class and who has
properly submitted to the administering VEs an application document,
FCC
Form 610, for an operator license of a higher class, and who holds
a
CSCE indicating that the person has completed the necessary examinations
within the previous 365 days, is authorized to exercise the rights
and
privileges of the higher operator class until final disposition of
the
application or until 365 days following the passing of the examination,
whichever comes first.
[59 FR 54832, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.11 Stations aboard ships or aircraft.
(a) The installation and operation of an amateur
station on a ship
or aircraft must be approved by the master of the ship or pilot in
command of the aircraft.
(b) The station must be separate from and independent
of all other
radio apparatus installed on the ship or aircraft, except a common
antenna may be shared with a voluntary ship radio installation. The
station's transmissions must not cause interference
[[Page 680]]
to any other apparatus installed on the ship or aircraft.
(c) The station must not constitute a hazard to
the safety of life
or property. For a station aboard an aircraft, the apparatus shall
not
be operated while the aircraft is operating under Instrument Flight
Rules, as defined by the FAA, unless the station has been found to
comply with all applicable FAA Rules.
Sec. 97.13 Restrictions on station location.
(a) Before placing an amateur station on land of
environmental
importance or that is significant in American history, architecture
or
culture, the licensee may be required to take certain actions prescribed
by Sec. 1.1301-1.1319 of the FCC Rules.
(b) A station within 1600 m (1 mile) of an FCC monitoring
facility
must protect that facility from harmful interference. Failure to do
so
could result in imposition of operating restrictions upon the amateur
station by an EIC pursuant to Sec. 97.121 of this part. Geographical
coordinates of the facilities that require protection are listed in
Sec. 0.121(c) of the FCC Rules.
(c) Before causing or allowing an amateur station
to transmit from
any place where the operation of the station could cause human exposure
to RF electromagnetic field levels in excess of those allowed under
Sec. 1.1310 of this chapter, the licensee is required to take certain
actions.
(1) The licensee must perform the routine RF environmental
evaluation prescribed by Sec. 1.1307(b) of this chapter, if the
transmitter PEP exceeds the following limits:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transmitter
Wavelength band
power
(watts)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MF
------------------------------------------------------------------------
160 m......................................................
500
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HF
------------------------------------------------------------------------
80 m.......................................................
500
75 m.......................................................
500
40 m.......................................................
500
30 m.......................................................
425
20 m.......................................................
225
17 m.......................................................
125
15 m.......................................................
100
12 m.......................................................
75
10 m.......................................................
50
VHF (all bands)............................................
50
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UHF
------------------------------------------------------------------------
70 cm......................................................
70
33 cm......................................................
150
23 cm......................................................
200
13 cm......................................................
250
SHF (all bands)............................................
250
EHF (all bands)............................................
250
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) If the routine environmental evaluation indicates
that the RF
electromagnetic fields could exceed the limits contained in Sec. 1.1310
of this chapter in accessible areas, the licensee must take action
to
prevent human exposure to such RF electromagnetic fields. Further
information on evaluating compliance with these limits can be found
in
the FCC's OET Bulletin 65, ``Evaluating Compliance with FCC-Specified
Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic
Fields.''
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 20398, May 16, 1990;
61
FR 41019, Aug. 7, 1996; 62 FR 47963, Sept. 12, 1997; 62 FR 49557, Sept.
22, 1997]
Effective Date Note: At 62 FR 47963, Sept. 12, 1997,
as corrected at
62 FR 49557, Sept. 22, 1997, paragraph (c) in Sec. 97.13 was revised,
effective Oct. 15, 1997. For the convenience of the user, the superseded
text is set forth as follows:
Sec. 97.13 Restrictions on station location.
* * * * *
(c) Before causing or allowing an amateur station
to transmit from
any place where the operation of the station could cause human exposure
to levels of radiofrequency (RF) radiation in excess of that allowed
under Sec. 1.1310 of this chapter, the licensee is required to take
certain actions. A routine RF radiation evaluation, as discussed in
Sec. 1.1307(b) of this chapter, is required if the transmitter power
exceeds 50 watts peak envelope power; otherwise the operation is
categorically excluded from routine RF radiation evaluation except
as
specified in Sec. 1.1307(c) and Sec. 1.1307(d) of this chapter. Where
the routine evaluation indicates that the RF radiation could be in
excess of the limits contained in Sec. 1.1310 of this chapter, the
licensee must take action to prevent such an occurrence. Further
information on evaluating compliance with these limits can be found
in
the FCC's OST/OET Bulletin Number 65, ``Evaluation Compliance with
[[Page 681]]
FCC-Specified Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency
Radiation.''
Sec. 97.15 Station antenna structures.
(a) Unless the amateur station license has received
prior approval
from the FCC, no antenna structure, including the radiating elements,
tower, supports and all appurtenances, may be higher than 61 m (200
feet) above ground level at its site.
(b) Unless the amateur station licensee has received
prior approval
from the FCC, no antenna structure, at an airport or heliport that
is
available for public use and is listed in the Airport Directory of
the
current Airman's Information Manual or in either the Alaska or Pacific
Airman's Guide and Chart Supplement; or at an airport or heliport under
construction that is the subject of a notice or proposal on file with
the FAA, and except for military airports, it is clearly indicated
that
the airport will be available for public use; or at an airport or
heliport that is operated by the armed forces of the United States;
or
at a place near any of these airports or heliports, may be higher than:
(1) 1 m above the airport elevation for each 100
m from the nearest
runway longer than 1 km within 6.1 km of the antenna structure.
(2) 2 m above the airport elevation for each 100
m from the nearest
runway shorter than 1 km within 3.1 km of the antenna structure.
(3) 4 m above the airport elevation for each 100
m from the nearest
landing pad within 1.5 km of the antenna structure.
(c) An amateur station antenna structure no higher
than 6.1 m (20
feet) above ground level at its site or no higher than 6.1 m above
any
natural object or existing manmade structure, other than an antenna
structure, is exempt from the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b)
of
this section.
(d) Further details as to whether an aeronautical
study is required
or if the structure must be registered, painted, or lighted are
contained in part 17 of this chapter, Construction, Marking, and
Lighting of Antenna Structures. To request approval to place an antenna
structure higher than the limits specified in paragraphs (a), (b),
and
(c) of this section, the licensee must notify the FAA using FAA Form
7460-1 and the structure owner must register the structure using FCC
Form 854.
(e) Except as otherwise provided herein, a station
antenna structure
may be erected at heights and dimensions sufficient to accommodate
amateur service communications. [State and local regulation of a station
antenna structure must not preclude amateur service communications.
Rather, it must reasonably accommodate such communications and must
constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the state
or
local authority's legitimate purpose. [See PRB-1, 101 FCC 2d 952 (1985)
for details.]
[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989; 54 FR 39535, Sept. 27, 1989, as amended
at
60 FR 50123, Sept. 28, 1995; 61 FR 4369, Feb. 6, 1996]
Sec. 97.17 Application for new license or reciprocal permit for
alien
amateur licensee.
(a) Any qualified person is eligible to apply for
an amateur service
license.
(b) Each application for a new amateur service license
must be made
on the proper document:
(1) FCC Form 610 for a new operator/primary station
license;
(2) FCC Form 610-A for a reciprocal permit for alien
amateur
licensee; and
(3) FCC Form 610-B for a new amateur service club
or military
recreation station license.
(c) Each application for a new operator/primary
station license must
be submitted to the VEs administering the qualifying examination.
(d) Any eligible person may apply for a reciprocal
permit for alien
amateur licensee. The application document, FCC Form 610-A, must be
submitted to the FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.
(1) The person must be a citizen of a country with
which the United
States has arrangements to grant reciprocal operating permits to
visiting alien amateur operators is eligible to apply for a reciprocal
permit for alien amateur licensee.
(2) The person must be a citizen of the same country
that issued the
amateur service license.
(3) No person who is a citizen of the United States,
regardless of
any other
[[Page 682]]
citizenship also held, is eligible for a reciprocal permit for alien
amateur licensee.
(4) No person who has been granted an amateur operator
license is
eligible for a reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee.
(e) No person shall obtain or attempt to obtain,
or assist another
person to obtain or attempt to obtain, an amateur service license or
reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee by fraudulent means.
(f) One unique call sign will be shown on the license
of each new
primary, club, and military recreation station. The call sign will
be
selected by the sequential call sign system.
(g) Each application for a new club or military
recreation station
license must be submitted to the FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg,
PA 17325-7245. No new license for a RACES station will be issued.
[59 FR 54832, Nov. 2, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 7460, Feb. 8, 1995;
60
FR 53132, Oct. 12, 1995]
Sec. 97.19 Application for a vanity call sign.
(a) A person who has been granted an operator/primary
station
license or a license trustee who has been granted a club station license
is eligible to make application for modification of the license, or
the
renewal thereof, to show a call sign selected by the vanity call sign
system. RACES and military recreation stations are not eligible for
a
vanity call sign.
(b) Each application for a modification of an operator/primary
or
club station license, or the renewal thereof, to show a call sign
selected by the vanity call sign system must be made on FCC Form 610-V.
The form must be submitted with the appropriate fee to the address
specified in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Fee Filing Guide.
(c) Only unassigned call signs that are available
to the sequential
call sign system are available to the vanity call sign system with
the
following exceptions:
(1) A call sign shown on an expired license is not
available to the
vanity call sign system for 2 years following the expiration of the
license.
(2) A call sign shown on a surrendered, revoked,
set aside,
cancelled, or voided license is not available to the vanity call sign
system for 2 years following the date such action is taken.
(3) Except for an applicant who is the spouse, child,
grandchild,
stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister,
stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law, and
except for an applicant who is a club station license trustee acting
with the written consent of at least one relative, as listed above,
of a
person now deceased, the call sign shown on the license of a person
now
deceased is not available to the vanity call sign system for 2 years
following the person's death, or for 2 years following the expiration
of
the license, whichever is sooner.
(d) The vanity call sign requested by an applicant
must be selected
from the group of call signs corresponding to the same or lower class
of
operator license held by the applicant as designated in the sequential
call sign system.
(1) The applicant must request that the call sign
shown on the
current license be vacated and provide a list of up to 25 call signs
in
order of preference.
(2) The first assignable call sign from the applicant's
list will be
shown on the license grant. When none of those call signs are
assignable, the call sign vacated by the applicant will be shown on
the
license grant.
(3) Vanity call signs will be selected from those
call signs
assignable at the time the application is processed by the FCC.
(4) A call sign designated under the sequential
call sign system for
Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean Insular Areas, and Pacific Insular areas
will
be assigned only to a primary or club station whose licensee's mailing
address is in the corresponding state, commonwealth, or island. This
limitation does not apply to an applicant for the call sign as the
spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent,
brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew,
or
in-law, of the former holder now deceased.
[60 FR 7460, Feb. 8, 1995, as amended at 60 FR 50123, Sept. 28, 1995;
60
FR 53132, Oct. 12, 1995]
[[Page 683]]
Sec. 97.21 Application for a modified or renewed license.
(a) A person who has been granted an amateur station
license that
has not expired:
(1) Must apply for a modification of the license
as necessary to
show the correct mailing address, licensee name, club name, license
trustee name, or license custodian name. The application document must
be submitted to: FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245.
For an operator/primary station license, the application must be made
on
FCC Form 610. For a club, military recreation, or RACES station license,
the application must be made on FCC Form 610-B.
(2) May apply for a modification of the license
to show a higher
operator class. The application must be made on FCC Form 610 and must
be
submitted to the VEs administering the qualifying examination.
(3) May apply for renewal of the license for another
term. (The FCC
may mail to the licensee an FCC Form 610-R that may be used for this
purpose.)
(i) When the license does not show a call sign selected
by the
vanity call sign system, the application may be made on FCC Form 610-R
if it is received from the FCC. If the Form 610-R is not received from
the FCC within 30 days of the expiration date of the license for an
operator/primary station license, the application may be made on FCC
Form 610. For a club, military recreation, or RACES station license,
the
application may be made on FCC Form 610-B. The application may be
submitted no more than 90 days before its expiration to: FCC, 1270
Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245. When the application for
renewal of the license has been received by the FCC at 1270 Fairfield
Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245 on or before the license expiration
date, the license operating authority is continued until the final
disposition of the application.
(ii) When the license shows a call sign selected
by the vanity call
sign system, the application must be filed as specified in Section
97.19(b). When the application has been received at the proper address
specified in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Fee Filing Guide
on
or before the license expiration date, the license operating authority
is continued until final disposition of the application.
(4) May apply for a modification of the license
to show a different
call sign selected by the sequential call sign system. The application
document must be submitted to: FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg,
PA
17325-7245. The application must be made on FCC Form 610. This
modification is not available to club, military recreation, or RACES
stations.
(b) A person who had been granted an amateur station
license, but
the license has expired, may apply for renewal of the license for
another term during a 2 year filing grace period. The application
document must be received by the FCC at 1270 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg,
PA 17325-7245 prior to the end of the grace period. For an operator/
primary station license, the application must be made on FCC Form 610.
For a club, military recreation, or RACES station license, the
application must be made on FCC Form 610-B. Unless and until the license
is renewed, no privileges in this part are conferred.
(c) Each application for a modified or renewed amateur
service
license must be accompanied by a photocopy (or the original) of the
license document unless an application for renewal using FCC Form 610-R
is being made, or unless the original document has been lost, mutilated
or destroyed.
(d) Unless the holder of a station license requests
a change in call
sign, the same call sign will be assigned to the station upon renewal
or
modification of a station license.
(e) A reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee
cannot be
renewed. A new reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee may be
issued upon proper application.
[59 FR 54832, Nov. 2, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 7461, Feb. 8, 1995;
60
FR 53133, Oct. 12, 1995; 61 FR 21386, May 10, 1996]
Sec. 97.23 Mailing address.
(a) Each application for a license and each application
for a
reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee must show a mailing address
in an area where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC and where
the licensee or permittee can receive mail delivery by the
[[Page 684]]
United States Postal Service. Each application for a reciprocal permit
for alien amateur licensee must also show the permittee's mailing
address in the country of citizenship.
(b) When there is a change in the mailing address
for a person who
has been granted an amateur operator/primary station license, the person
must file a timely application for a modification of the license.
Revocation of the station license or suspension of the operator license
may result when correspondence from the FCC is returned as undeliverable
because the person failed to provide the correct mailing address.
(c) When a person who has been granted a reciprocal
permit for alien
amateur licensee changes the mailing address where he or she can receive
mail delivery by the United States Postal Service, the person must
file
an application for a new permit. Cancellation of the reciprocal permit
for alien amateur licensee may result when correspondence from the
FCC
is returned as undeliverable because the permittee failed to provide
the
correct mailing address.
[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.25 License term.
(a) An amateur service license is normally granted
for a 10-year
term.
(b) A reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee
is normally
granted for a 1-year term.
[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.27 FCC modification of station license.
(a) The FCC may modify a station license, either
for a limited time
or for the duration of the term thereof, if it determines:
(1) That such action will promote the public interest,
convenience,
and necessity; or
(2) That such action will promote fuller compliance
with the
provisions of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, or of any
treaty ratified by the United States.
(b) When the FCC makes such a determination, it
will issue an order
of modification. The order will not become final until the licensee
is
notified in writing of the proposed action and the grounds and reasons
therefor. The licensee will be given reasonable opportunity of no less
than 30 days to protest the modification; except that, where safety
of
life or property is involved, a shorter period of notice may be
provided. Any protest by a licensee of an FCC order of modification
will
be handled in accordance with the provisions of 47 U.S.C. 316.
[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]
Sec. 97.29 Replacement license document.
Each person who has been granted an amateur station
license or
reciprocal permit for alien amateur licensee whose original license
document or permit document is lost, mutilated or destroyed must request
a replacement. The request must be made to: FCC, 1270 Fairfield Road,
Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245. A statement of how the document was lost,
mutilated, or destroyed must be attached to the request. A replacement
document must bear the same expiration date as the document that it
replaces.
[59 FR 54833, Nov. 2, 1994]