Quick Access to the Table of Contents Subparts.

Subpart A--General Provisions

Subpart B--Station Operation Standards

Subpart C-- Special Operations

Subpart D--Technical Standards

Subpart E--Providing Emergency Communications

Subpart F--Qualifying Examination Systems

Appendixes

Editorial Note:

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 (signed into Public Law 104-104 by President Clinton on February 8, 1996) removed many of the burdensome conflict-of-interest, record keeping and financial certification requirements previously imposed on VEs (volunteer examiners) and VECs (volunteer- examiner coordinators)

The following regulations have now been abolished and removed from the Part 97 rules:

Section 97.509(b)(5) - This rule previously precluded VEs (volunteer examiners) from being engaged in the manufacture or distribution of amateur station transmitting equipment or the publication or distri- bution of license preparation materials.

Section 97.521(e) - This rule previously precluded (VECs) volunteer-examiner coordinators from being engaged in the manufacture or distribution of amateur station transmitting equipment or the publication or distribution of license preparation materials "...unless a persuasive showing is made to the FCC that preventative measures have been taken to preclude any possible conflict of interest."

Section 97.527(c)(d)(e) and (f) - This rule previously required VEs and VECs to keep out-of-pocket expense records for a period of 3 years and to file a written certification annually with the FCC verifying "...that all expenses for the period from January 1 to December 31 of the preceding year for which reimbursement was obtained were necessarily and prudently incurred." VECs were required to disaccredit any VE who failed to provide this certification and to so advise the FCC.

There are no longer any regulatory prohibitions preventing VEs or VECs from distributing license preparation (study) materials to anyone or from being employed by a company that manufactures or sells amateur radio station equipment.