AY Honors/Radio/Answer Key

1. Pass a test and receive your license for the Technical Class Amateur Radio License
OR
Technician Class Amateur Radio License.

In order to earn the Technician Class Amateur Radio License, an operator must pass a 35 question exam administered by a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC). No morse code is required for the Technician Class, but knowledge of FCC regulations and electronics are essential. Study the material presented below, and when you feel you are ready, look over the question pool and take some practice tests:

• Question Pool
• Practice Tests

When you can consistently pass the practice tests, chances are good that you will be able to pass the real deal. All you need to do when you are ready is find an amatuer license examination session near you. This website will help you locate one:

• http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml

Now, let's learn about Amateur Radio!

FCC Rules, station license responsibilities

The FCC Rules and Regulations for the "Amateur Radio Service" is defined in the Code of Federal Regulations under Title 47, Part 97. Part 97 is the FCC's regulations for all amateur (ham) radio operations. The link for Part 97 is as follows: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_06/47cfr97_06.html

Control operator duties

By definition of Part 97.3, a control operator is defined as "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."

The control operator is required to monitor transmitions, repair (or have repaired) any equipment that is causing harmful interference, and make sure the transmitting station complies with the rules and regulations set out by the FCC.

A control operator does not have to be the person transmitting, nor does he even have to be in the room to control the radio (If he or she has the ability of remote operation of the station, that is). However, the control operator must be aware of every aspect of the station at all times. This includes: transmition frequency, power/ output of transmission, radio etiquette, etc.