Contents

Contents for all of Part 97

Contents for Subpart D


97.301 Authorized frequency bands.
97.303 Frequency sharing requirements.
97.305 Authorized emission types.
97.307 Emission standards.
97.309 RTTY and data emission codes.
97.311 SS emission types.
97.313 Transmitter power standards.
97.315 Type acceptance of external RF power amplifiers.
97.317 Standards for type acceptance of external RF power amplifiers.

Subpart D--Technical Standards

97.301 Authorized frequency bands.

The following transmitting frequency bands are available to an amateur station located within 50 km of the Earth's surface, within the specified ITU Region, and outside any area where the amateur service is regulated by any authority other than the FCC.

(a) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an operator license of Technician, Technician Plus, General, Advanced, or Amateur Extra Class: 



Wavelength  ITU            ITU           ITU          Sharing requirements 


band        Region 1       Region 2      Region 3     See 97.303, Paragraph:  


  


VHF         MHz            MHz            MHz   


6 m         --             50-54          50-54           (a)  


2 m         144-146        144-148        144-148         (a)  


1.25 m      --             219-220        --              (a), (e)


 -do-       --             222-225        --              (a)  


  


UHF         MHz            MHz            MHz  


70 cm       430-440        420-450        420-450         (a), (b), (f)  


33 cm       --             902-928        --              (a), (b), (g)  


23 cm       1240-1300      1240-1300      1240-1300       (h), (i)  


13 cm       2300-2310      2300-2310      2300-2310       (a), (b), (j)  


-do-        2390-2450      2390-2450      2390-2450       (a), (b), (j)  


  


SHF         GHz            GHz            GHz  


9 cm        --             3.3-3.5        3.3-3.5         (a), (b), (k), (l) 


5 cm        5.650-5.850    5.650-5.925    5.650-5.850     (a), (b), (m) 


3 cm        10.00-10.50    10.00-10.50    10.00-10.50     (b), (c), (i), (n) 


1.2 cm      24.00-24.25    24.00-24.25    24.00-24.25     (a), (b), (h), (o) 


  


EHF         GHz            GHz            GHz  


6 mm        47.0-47.2      47.0-47.2      47.0-47.2  


4 mm        75.5-81.0      75.5-81.0      75.5-81.0       (b), (c), (h) 


2.5 mm      119.98-120.02  119.98-120.02  119.98-120.02   (k), (p) 


2 mm        142-149        142-149        142-149         (b), (c), (h), (k) 


1 mm        241-250        241-250        241-250         (b), (c), (h), (q) 


--          above 300      above 300      above 300       (k)

(b) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an operator license of Amateur Extra Class: 



Wavelength  ITU            ITU            ITU         Sharing requirements  


band        Region 1       Region 2       Region 3    See 97.303, Paragraph: 


  


MF          kHz            kHz            kHz  


160 m       1810-1850      1800-2000      1800-2000       (a), (b), (c)  


  


HF          MHz            MHz            MHz  


80 m        3.50-3.75      3.50-3.75      3.50-3.75       (a)  


75 m        3.75-3.80      3.75-4.00      3.75-3.90       (a)  


40 m        7.0-7.1        7.0-7.3        7.0-7.1         (a)  


30 m        10.10-10.15    10.10-10.15    10.10-10.15     (d)  


20 m        14.00-14.35    14.00-14.35    14.00-14.35  


17 m        18.068-18.168  18.068-18.168  18.068-18.168  


15 m        21.00-21.45    21.00-21.45    21.00-21.45  


12 m        24.89-24.99    24.89-24.99    24.89-24.99  


10 m        28.0-29.7      28.0-29.7      28.0-29.7

(c) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an operator license of Advanced Class: 



Wavelength  ITU            ITU            ITU         Sharing requirements  


band        Region 1       Region 2       Region 3    See 97.303, Paragraph: 


  


MF          kHz            kHz            kHz   


160 m       1810-1850      1800-2000      1800-2000       (a), (b), (c)  


  


HF          MHz            MHz            MHz  


80 m        3.525-3.750    3.525-3.750    3.525-3.750     (a)  


75 m        3.775-3.800    3.775-4.000    3.775-3.900     (a)  


40 m        7.025-7.100    7.025-7.300    7.025-7.100     (a)  


30 m        10.10-10.15    10.10-10.15    10.10-10.15     (d)  


20 m        14.025-14.150  14.025-14.150  14.025-14.150  


-do-        14.175-14.350  14.175-14.350  14.175-14.350  


17 m        18.068-18.168  18.068-18.168  18.068-18.168  


15 m        21.025-21.200  21.025-21.200  21.025-21.200  


-do-        21.225-21.450  21.225-21.450  21.225-21.450  


12 m        24.89-24.99    24.89-24.99    24.89-24.99  


10 m        28.0-29.7      28.0-29.7      28.0-29.7

(d) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an operator license of General Class: 



Wavelength  ITU            ITU            ITU         Sharing requirements  


band        Region 1       Region 2       Region 3    See 97.303, Paragraph: 


  


MF          kHz            kHz            kHz  


160 m       1810-1850      1800-2000      1800-2000       (a), (b), (c)  


  


HF          MHz            MHz            MHz  


80 m        3.525-3.750    3.525-3.750    3.525-3.750     (a)  


75 m        --             3.85-4.00      3.85-3.90       (a)  


40 m        7.025-7.100    7.025-7.150    7.025-7.100     (a)  


-do-        --             7.225-7.300    --              (a)  


30 m        10.10-10.15    10.10-10.15    10.10-10.15     (d)  


20 m        14.025-14.150  14.025-14.150  14.025-14.150  


-do-        14.225-14.350  14.225-14.350  14.225-14.350  


17 m        18.068-18.168  18.068-18.168  18.068-18.168  


15 m        21.025-21.200  21.025-21.200  21.025-21.200  


-do-        21.30-21.45    21.30-21.45    21.30-21.45  


12 m        24.89-24.99    24.89-24.99    24.89-24.99  


10 m        28.0-29.7      28.0-29.7      28.0-29.7

(e) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an operator license of Novice or Technician Plus Class: 



Wavelength  ITU            ITU            ITU         Sharing requirements  


band        Region 1       Region 2       Region 3    See 97.303, Paragraph:  


  


HF          MHz            MHz            MHz  


80 m        3.675-3.725    3.675-3.725    3.675-3.725     (a)  


40 m        7.050-7.075    7.10-7.15      7.050-7.075     (a)  


15 m        21.10-21.20    21.10-21.20    21.10-21.20  


10 m        28.1-28.5      28.1-28.5      28.1-28.5

(f) For a station having a control operator who has been granted an operator license of Novice Class: 



Wavelength  ITU            ITU            ITU         Sharing requirements  


band        Region 1       Region 2       Region 3    See 97.303, Paragraph:  


  


VHF         MHz            MHz            MHz   


1.25 m      --             222-225        --              (a)  


  


UHF         MHz            MHz            MHz  


23 cm       1270-1295      1270-1295      1270-1295       (h), (I)

Back to the Top

97.303 Frequency sharing requirements.

The following is a summary of the frequency sharing requirements that apply to amateur station transmissions on the frequency bands specified in 97.301 of this Part. (For each ITU Region, each frequency band allocated to the amateur service is designated as either a secondary service or a primary service. A station in a secondary service must not cause harmful interference to, and must accept interference from, stations in a primary service. See SS 2.105 and 2.106 of the FCC Rules, United States Table of Frequency Allocations for complete requirements.)

(a) Where, in adjacent ITU Regions or Subregions, a band of frequencies is allocated to different services of the same category, the basic priniciple is the equality of right to operate. The stations of each service in one region must operate so as not to cause harmful interference to services in the other Regions or Subregions. (See ITU Radio Regulations, No. 346 (Geneva, 1979).)

(b) No amateur station transmitting in the 1900-2000 kHz segment, the 70 cm band, the 33 cm band, the 13 cm band, the 9 cm band, the 5 cm band, the 3 cm band, the 24.05-24.25 GHz segment, the 76-81 GHz segment, the 144-149 GHz segment and the 241-248 GHz segment shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, the Government radiolocation service.

(c) No amateur station transmitting in the 1900-2000 kHz segment, the 3 cm band, the 76-81 GHz segment, the 144-149 GHz segment and the 241-248 GHz segment shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations in the non-Government radiolocation service.

(d) No amateur station transmitting in the 30 meter band shall cause harmful interference to stations authorized by other nations in the fixed service. The licensee of the amateur station must make all necessary adjustments, including termination of transmissions, if harmful interference is caused.

(e) In the 1.25 m band:

(1) Use of the 219-220 MHz segment is limited to amateur stations participating, as forwarding stations, in point-to-point fixed digital message forwarding systems, including intercity packet backbone networks. It is not available for other purposes.

(2) No amateur station transmitting in the 219-220 MHz segment shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to operation of Automated Maritime Telecommunications Systems (AMTS), television broadcasting on channels 11 and 13, Interactive Video and Data Service systems, Land Mobile Services systems, or any other service having a primary allocation in or adjacent to the band.

(3) No amateur station may transmit in the 219-220 MHz segment unless the licensee has given written notification of the station's specific geographic location for such transmissions in order to be incorporated into a data base that has been made available to the public. The notification must be given at least 30 days prior to making such transmissions. The notification must be given to:

The American Radio Relay League
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111-1494

(4) No amateur station may transmit in the 219-220 MHz segment from a location that is within 640 km of an AMTS Coast Station unless the amateur station licensee has given written notification of the station's specific geographic location for such transmissions to the AMTS licensee. The notification must be given at least 30 days prior to making such transmissions. AMTS Coast Station locations may be obtained either from:

The American Radio Relay League
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111-1494

or

Interactive Systems, Inc.
Suite 1103
1601 North Kent Street
Arlington, VA 22209
Fax: (703) 812-8275
Phone: (703) 812-8270

(5) No amateur station may transmit in the 219-220 MHz segment from a location that is within 80 km of an AMTS Coast Station that uses frequencies in the 217-218/219-220 MHz AMTS bands unless that amateur station licensee holds written approval from that AMTS licensee. The location of AMTS coast stations using the 217-218/219-220 MHz channels may be obtained as noted in 97.303(e)(4), above.

(f) In the 70 cm band:

(1) No amateur station shall transmit from north of Line A in the 420- 430 MHz segment.

(2) The 420-430 MHz segment is allocated to the amateur service in the United States on a secondary basis, and is allocated in the fixed and mobile (except aeronautical mobile) services in the International Table of allocations on a primary basis. No amateur station transmitting in this band shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed and mobile (except aeronautical mobile) services.

(3) The 430-440 MHz segment is allocated to the amateur service on a secondary basis in ITU Regions 2 and 3. No amateur station transmitting in this band in ITU Regions 2 and 3 shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the radiolocation service. In ITU Region 1, the 430-440 MHz segment is allocated to the amateur service on a co-primary basis with the radiolocation service. As between these two services in this band in ITU Region 1, the basic principle that applies is the equality of right to operate. Amateur stations authorized by the United States and radiolocation stations authorized by other nations in ITU Region 1 shall operate so as not to cause harmful interference to each other.

(4) No amateur station transmitting in the 449.75-450.25 MHz segment shall cause interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of stations in, the space operation service and the space research service or Government or non-Government stations for space telecommand.

(g) In the 33 cm band:

(1) No amateur station shall transmit from within the States of Colorado and Wyoming, bounded on the south by latitude 39 N, on the north by latitude 42 N, on the east by longitude 105 W, and on the west by longitude 180 W.1 This band is allocated on a secondary basis to the amateur service subject to not causing harmful interference to, and not receiving protection from any interference due to the operation of, industrial, scientific and medical devices, automatic vehicle monitoring systems or Government stations authorized in this band.

(2) No amateur station shall transmit from those portions of the States of Texas and New Mexico bounded on the south by latitude 31 41' N, on the north by latitude 34 30' N, on the east by longitude 104 11' W, and on the west by longitude 107 30' W.

(h) No amateur station transmitting in the 23 cm band, the 3 cm band, the 24.05-24.25 GHz segment, the 76-81 GHz segment, the 144-149 GHz segment and the 241-248 GHz segment shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the radiolocation service.

(i) In the 1240-1260 MHz segment, no amateur station shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations in the radionavigation-satellite service, the aeronautical radionavigation service, or the radiolocation service.

(j) In the 13 cm band:

(1) The amateur service is allocated on a secondary basis in all ITU Regions. In ITU Region 1, no amateur station shall cause harmful interference to, and is not protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed service. In ITU Regions 2 and 3, no station shall cause harmful interference to, and is not protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed, mobile and radiolocation services.

(2) In the United States, the 2300-2310 MHz segment is allocated to the amateur service on a co-secondary basis with the Government fixed and mobile services. In this segment, the fixed and mobile services must not cause harmful interference to the amateur service. No amateur station transmitting in the 2400-2450 MHz segment is protected from interference due to the operation of industrial, scientific and medical devices on 2450 MHz.

(k) No amateur station transmitting in the 3.332-3.339 GHz and 3.3458- 3525 GHz segments, the 2.5 mm band, the 144.68-144.98 GHz, 145.45-145.75 GHz and 146.82-147.12 GHz segments and the 343-348 GHz segment shall cause harmful interference to stations in the radio astronomy service. No amateur station transmitting in the 300-302 GHz, 324-326 GHz, 345-347 GHz, 363-365 GHz and 379-381 GHz segments shall cause harmful interference to stations in the space research service (passive) or Earth exploration-satellite service (passive).

(l) In the 9 cm band:

(1) In ITU Regions 2 and 3, the band is allocated to the amateur service on a secondary basis.

(2) In the United States, the band is allocated to the amateur service on a co-secondary basis with the non-Government radiolocation service.

(3) In the 3.3-3.4 GHz segment, no amateur station shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed and fixed-satellite service.

(4) In the 3.4-3.5 GHz segment, no amateur station shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed and fixed-satellite service.

(m) In the 5 cm band:

(1) In the 5.650-5.725 GHz segment, the amateur service is allocated in all ITU Regions on a co-secondary basis with the space research (deep space) service.

(2) In the 5.725-5.850 GHz segment, the amateur service is allocated in all ITU Regions on a secondary basis. No amateur station shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed-satellite service in ITU Region 1.

(3) No amateur station transmitting in the 5.725-5.875 GHz segment is protected from interference due to the operation of industrial, scientific and medical devices operating on 5.8 GHz.

(4) In the 5.650-5.850 GHz segment, no amateur station shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the radiolocation service.

(5) In the 5.850-5.925 GHz segment, the amateur service is allocated in ITU Region 2 on a co-secondary basis with the radiolocation service. In the United States, the segment is allocated to the amateur service on a secondary basis to the non-Government fixed-satellite service. No amateur station shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed, fixed-satellite and mobile services. No amateur station shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations in the non-Government fixed-satellite service.

(n) In the 3 cm band:

(1) In the United States, the 3 cm band is allocated to the amateur service on a co-secondary basis with the non-government radiolocation service.

(2) In the 10.00-10.45 GHz segment in ITU Regions 1 and 3, no amateur station shall cause interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations authorized by other nations in the fixed and mobile services.

(o) No amateur station transmitting in the 1.2 cm band is protected from interference due to the operation of industrial, scientific and medical devices on 24.125 GHz. In the United States, the 24.05-24.25 GHz segment is allocated to the amateur service on a co-secondary basis with the non- government radiolocation and Government and non-government Earth exploration-satellite (active) services.

(p) The 2.5 mm band is allocated to the amateur service on a secondary basis. No amateur station transmitting in this band shall cause harmful interference to, nor is protected from interference due to the operation of, stations in the fixed, inter-satellite and mobile services.

(q) No amateur station transmitting in the 244-246 GHz segment of the 1 mm band is protected from interference due to the operation of industrial, scientific and medical devices on 245 GHz.

Back to the Top

97.305 Authorized emission types.

(a) An amateur station may transmit a CW emission on any frequency authorized to the control operator.

(b) A station may transmit a test emission on any frequency authorized to the control operator for brief periods for experimental purposes, except that no pulse modulation emission may be transmitted on any frequency where pulse is not specifically authorized.

(c) A station may transmit the following emission types on the frequencies indicated, as authorized to the control operator, subject to the standards specified in 97.307(f) of this part. 



Wavelength   Frequencies        Emission Types       Standards See  


band         Authorized                              S97.307(f), paragraph: 


  


MF:  


160 m        Entire band        RTTY, data            (3)  


-do-         -do-               Phone, image          (1), (2)  


  


HF:  


80 m         Entire band        RTTY, data            (3), (9)  


75 m         Entire band        Phone, image          (1), (2)  


40 m         7.000-7.100 MHz    RTTY, data            (3), (9)  


-do-         7.075-7.100 MHz    Phone, image          (1), (2), (9), (11)  


-do-         7.100-7.150 MHz    RTTY, data            (3), (9)  


-do-         7.150-7.300 MHz    Phone, image          (1), (2)  


30 m         Entire band        RTTY, data            (3)  


20 m         14.00-14.15 MHz    RTTY, data            (3)  


-do-         14.15-14.35 MHz    Phone, image          (1), (2)  


17 m         18.068-18.110 MHz  RTTY, data            (3)  


-do-         18.110-18.168 MHz  Phone, image          (1), (2)  


15 m         21.0-21.2 MHz      RTTY, data            (3), (9)  


-do-         21.20-21.45 MHz    Phone, image          (1), (2)  


12 m         24.89-24.93 MHz    RTTY, data            (3)  


-do-         24.93-24.99 MHz    Phone, image          (1), (2)  


10 m         28.0-28.3 MHz      RTTY, data            (4)  


-do-         28.3-28.5 MHz      Phone, image          (1), (2), (10)  


-do-         28.5-29.0 MHz      Phone, image          (1), (2)  


-do-         29.0-29.7 MHz      Phone, image          (2)  


  


VHF:  


6 m          50.1-51.0 MHz      RTTY, data            (5)  


-do-         -do-               MCW, phone, image     (2)   


-do-         51.0-54.0 MHz      RTTY, data, test      (5), (8)  


-do-         -do-               MCW, phone, image     (2)  


2 m          144.1-148.0 MHz    RTTY, data, test      (5), (8)  


-do-         -do-               MCW, phone, image     (2)  


1.25 m       219-220 MHz        Data                  (13)

-do-         Entire band        RTTY, data, test      (6), (8)  


-do-         -do-               MCW, phone, image     (2)  


  


UHF:  


70 cm       Entire band         MCW, phone, image,   


                                RTTY, data, SS, test  (6), (8)  


33 cm       Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS, test,  


                                pulse                 (7), (8), (12)  


23 cm       Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS, test  (7), (8), (12)  


13 cm       Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS,  


                                test, pulse           (7), (8), (12)  


  


SHF:  


9 cm        Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS,  


                                test, pulse           (7), (8), (12)  


5 cm        Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS,  


                                test, pulse           (7), (8), (12)  


3 cm        Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS, test  (7), (8), (12)  


1.2 cm      Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS,  


                                test, pulse           (7), (8), (12)  


  


EHF:  


6 mm        Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS,  


                                test, pulse           (7), (8), (12)  


4 mm        Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS,  


                                test, pulse           (7), (8), (12)  


2.5 mm      Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS,  


                                test, pulse           (7), (8), (12)  


2 mm        Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS,  


                                test, pulse           (7), (8), (12)  


1 mm        Entire band         MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS,  


                                test, pulse           (7), (8), (12)  


--          Above 300 GHz       MCW, phone, image,  


                                RTTY, data, SS,  


                                test, pulse           (7), (8), (12)

Back to the Top

97.307 Emission standards.

(a) No amateur station transmission shall occupy more bandwidth than necessary for the information rate and emission type being transmitted, in accordance with good amateur practice.

(b) Emissions resulting from modulation must be confined to the band or segment available to the control operator. Emissions outside the necessary bandwidth must not cause splatter or keyclick interference to operations on adjacent frequencies.

(c) All spurious emissions from a station transmitter must be reduced to the greatest extent practicable. If any spurious emission, including chassis or power line radiation, causes harmful interference to the reception of another radio station, the licensee of the interfering amateur station is required to take steps to eliminate the interference, in accordance with good engineering practice.

(d) The mean power of any spurious emission from a station transmitter or external RF power amplifier transmitting on a frequency below 30 MHz must not exceed 50 mW and must be at least 40 dB below the mean power of the fundamental emission. For a transmitter of mean power less than 5 W, the attenuation must be at least 30 dB. A transmitter built before April 15, 1977, or first marketed before January 1, 1978, is exempt from this requirement.

(e) The mean power of any spurious emission from a station transmitter or external RF power amplifier transmitting on a frequency between 30-225 MHz must be at least 60 dB below the mean power of the fundamental. For a transmitter having a mean power of 25 W or less, the mean power of any spurious emission supplied to the antenna transmission line must not exceed 25 uW and must be at least 40 dB below the mean power of the fundamental emission, but need not be reduced below the power of 10 uW. A transmitter built before April 15, 1977, or first marketed before January 1, 1978, is exempt from this requirement.

(f) The following standards and limitations apply to transmissions on the frequencies specified in 97.305(c) of this Part.

(1) No angle-modulated emission may have a modulation index greater than 1 at the highest modulation frequency.

(2) No non-phone emission shall exceed the bandwidth of a communications quality phone emission of the same modulation type. The total bandwidth of an independent sideband emission (having B as the first symbol), or a multiplexed image and phone emission, shall not exceed that of a communications quality A3E emission.

(3) Only a RTTY or data emission using a specified digital code listed in 97.309(a) of this Part may be transmitted. The symbol rate must not exceed 300 bauds, or for frequency-shift keying, the frequency shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz.

(4) Only a RTTY or data emission using a specified digital code listed in 97.309(a) of this Part may be transmitted. The symbol rate must not exceed 1200 bauds. For frequency-shift keying, the frequency shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz.

(5) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified digital code listed in 97.309(a) of this Part may be transmitted. The symbol rate must not exceed 19.6 kilobauds. A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in S 97.309(b) of this Part also may be transmitted. The authorized bandwidth is 20 kHz.

(6) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified digital code listed in 97.309(a) of this Part may be transmitted. The symbol rate must not exceed 56 kilobauds. A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in 97.309(b) of this Part also may be transmitted. The authorized bandwidth is 100 kHz.

(7) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified digital code listed in 97.309(a) of this Part or an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in 97.309(b) of this Part may be transmitted.

(8) A RTTY or data emission having designators with A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2, 7 or 9 as the second symbol; and D or W as the third symbol is also authorized.

(9) A station having a control operator holding a Novice or Technician Class operator license may only transmit a CW emission using the international Morse code.

(10) A station having a control operator holding a Novice or Technician Class operator license may only transmit a CW emission using the international Morse code or phone emissions J3E and R3E.

(11) Phone and image emissions may be transmitted only by stations located in ITU Regions 1 and 3, and by stations located within ITU Region 2 that are west of 130 West longitude or south of 20 North latitude.

(12) Emission F8E may be transmitted.

(13) A data emission using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in 97.309(b) of this Part also may be transmitted. The authorized bandwidth is 100 kHz.

Back to the Top

97.309 RTTY and data emission codes.

(a) Where authorized by 97.305(c) and 97.307(f) of this Part, an amateur station may transmit a RTTY or data emission using the following specified digital codes:

(1) The 5-unit, start-stop, International Telegraph Alphabet No. 2, code defined in International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee Recommendation F.1, Division C (commonly known as Baudot).

(2) The 7-unit code, specified in International Radio Consultative Committee Recommendation CCIR 476-2 (1978), 476-3 (1982), 476-4 (1986) or 625 (1986) (commonly known as AMTOR).

(3) The 7-unit code defined in American National Standards Institute X3.4-1977 or International Alphabet No. 5 defined in International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee Recommendation T.50 or in International Organization for Standardization, International Standard ISO 646 (1983), and extensions as provided for in CCITT Recommendation T.61 (Malaga-Torremolinos, 1984) (commonly known as ASCII).

(4) An amateur station transmitting a RTTY or data emission using a digital code specified in this paragraph may use any technique whose technical characteristics have been documented publicly, such as CLOVER, G- TOR, or PacTOR, for the purpose of facilitating communications.

(b) Where authorized by 97.305(c) and 97.307(f) of this Part, a station may transmit a RTTY or data emission using an unspecified digital code, except to a station in a country with which the United States does not have an agreement permitting the code to be used. RTTY and data emissions using unspecified digital codes must not be transmitted for the purpose of obscuring the meaning of any communication. When deemed necessary by an EIC to assure compliance with the FCC Rules, a station must:

(1) Cease the transmission using the unspecified digital code;

(2) Restrict transmissions of any digital code to the extent instructed;

(3) Maintain a record, convertible to the original information, of all digital communications transmitted.

Back to the Top

97.311 SS emission types.

(a) SS emission transmissions by an amateur station are authorized only for communications between points within areas where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC. SS emission transmissions must not be used for the purpose of obscuring the meaning of any communication.

(b) Stations transmitting SS emission must not cause harmful interference to stations employing other authorized emissions, and must accept all interference caused by stations employing other authorized emissions. For the purposes of this paragraph, unintended triggering of carrier operated repeaters is not considered to be harmful interference.

(c) Only the following types of SS emission transmissions are authorized (hybrid SS emission transmissions involving both spreading techniques are prohibited):

(1) Frequency hopping where the carrier of the transmitted signal is modulated with unciphered information and changes frequency at fixed intervals under the direction of a high speed code sequence.

(2) Direct sequence where the information is modulo-2 added to a high speed code sequence. The combined information and code are then used to modulate the RF carrier. The high speed code sequence dominates the modulation function, and is the direct cause of the wide spreading of the transmitted signal.

(d) The only spreading sequences that are authorized are from the output of one binary linear feedback shift register (which may be implemented in hardware or software).

(1) Only the following sets of connections may be used: 


        Number of stages       Taps used   


        in shift register      in feedback  


        7                      7, 1.  


        13                     13, 4, 3, and 1.  


        19                     19, 5, 2, and 1.

(2) The shift register must not be reset other than by its feedback during an individual transmission. The shift register output sequence must be used without alteration.

(3) The output of the last stage of the binary linear feedback shift register must be used as follows:

(i) For frequency hopping transmissions using x frequencies, n consecutive bits from the shift register must be used to select the next frequency from a list of frequencies sorted in ascending order. Each consecutive frequency must be selected by a consecutive block of n bits. (Where n is the smallest integer greater than log2X.)

(ii) For direct sequence transmissions using m-ary modulation, consecutive blocks of log2 m bits from the shift register must be used to select the transmitted signal during each interval.

(e) The station records must document all SS emission transmissions and must be retained for a period of 1 year following the last entry. The station records must include sufficient information to enable the FCC, using the information contained therein, to demodulate all transmissions. The station records must contain at least the following:

(1) A technical description of the transmitted signal;

(2) Pertinent parameters describing the transmitted signal including the frequency or frequencies of operation and, where applicable, the chip rate, the code rate, the spreading function, the transmission protocol(s) including the method of achieving synchronization, and the modulation type;

(3) A general description of the type of information being conveyed (voice, text, memory dump, facsimile, television, etc.);

(4) The method and, if applicable, the frequency or frequencies used for station identification; and

(5) The date of beginning and the date of ending use of each type of transmitted signal.

(f) When deemed necessary by an EIC to assure compliance with this Part, a station licensee must:

(1) Cease SS emission transmissions;

(2) Restrict SS emission transmissions to the extent instructed; and

(3) Maintain a record, convertible to the original information (voice, text, image, etc.) of all spread spectrum communications transmitted.

(g) The transmitter power must not exceed 100 W.

Back to the Top

97.313 Transmitter power standards.

(a) An amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.

(b) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5 kW PEP.

(c) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 200 W PEP on:

(1) The 3.675-3.725 MHz, 7.10-7.15 MHz, 10.10-10.15 MHz and 21.1-21.2 MHz segments;

(2) The 28.1-28.5 MHz segment when the control operator is a Novice or Technician operator; or

(3) The 7.050-7.075 MHz segment when the station is within ITU Regions 1 or 3.

(d) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 25 W PEP on the VHF 1.25 m band when the control operator is a Novice operator.

(e) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 5 W PEP on the UHF 23 cm band when the control operator is a Novice operator.

(f) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the UHF 70 cm band from an area specified in footnote US7 to S 2.106 of the FCC Rules, unless expressly authorized by the FCC after mutual agreement, on a case-by-case basis, between the EIC of the applicable field facility and the military area frequency coordinator at the applicable military base. An Earth station or telecommand station, however, may transmit on the 435-438 MHz segment with a maximum of 611 W effective radiated power (1 kW equivalent isotropically radiated power) without the authorization otherwise required. The transmitting antenna elevation angle between the lower half-power (3 dB relative to the peak or antenna bore sight) point and the horizon must always be greater than 10 .

(g) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 watts PEP on the 33 cm band from within 241 km of the boundaries of the White Sands Missile Range. Its boundaries are those portions of Texas and New Mexico bounded on the south by latitude 31 41' North, on the east by longitude 104 11' West, on the north by latitude 34 30' North, and on the west by longitude 107 30' West.

(h) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the 219-220 MHz segment of the 1.25 m band.

Back to the Top

97.315 Type acceptance of external RF power amplifiers.

(a) No more than 1 unit of 1 model of an external RF power amplifier capable of operation below 144 MHz may be constructed or modified during any calendar year by an amateur operator for use at a station without a grant of type acceptance. No amplifier capable of operation below 144 MHz may be constructed or modified by a non-amateur operator without a grant of type acceptance from the FCC.

(b) Any external RF power amplifier or external RF power amplifier kit (see S 2.815 of the FCC Rules), manufactured, imported or modified for use in a station or attached at any station must be type accepted for use in the amateur service in accordance with Subpart J of Part 2 of the FCC Rules. This requirement does not apply if one or more of the following conditions are met:

(1) The amplifier is not capable of operation on frequencies below 144 MHz. For the purpose of this part, an amplifier will be deemed to be incapable of operation below 144 MHz if it is not capable of being easily modified to increase its amplification characteristics below 120 MHz and either:

(i) The mean output power of the amplifier decreases, as frequency decreases from 144 MHz, to a point where 0 dB or less gain is exhibited at 120 MHz; or

(ii) The amplifier is not capable of amplifying signals below 120 MHz even for brief periods without sustaining permanent damage to its amplification circuitry.

(2) The amplifier was manufactured before April 28, 1978, and has been issued a marketing waiver by the FCC, or the amplifier was purchased before April 28, 1978, by an amateur operator for use at that amateur operator's station.

(3) The amplifier was:

(i) Constructed by the licensee, not from an external RF power amplifier kit, for use at the licensee's station; or

(ii) Modified by the licensee for use at the licensee's station.

(4) The amplifier is sold by an amateur operator to another amateur operator or to a dealer.

(5) The amplifier is purchased in used condition by an equipment dealer from an amateur operator and the amplifier is further sold to another amateur operator for use at that operator's station.

(c) A list of type accepted equipment may be inspected at FCC headquarters in Washington, DC or at any FCC field location. Any external RF power amplifier appearing on this list as type accepted for use in the amateur service may be marketed for use in the amateur service.

Back to the Top

97.317 Standards for type acceptance of external RF power amplifiers.

(a) To receive a grant of type acceptance, the amplifier must satisfy the spurious emission standards of 97.307(d) or (e) of this Part, as applicable, when the amplifier is:

(1) Operated at its full output power;

(2) Placed in the "standby" or "off" positions, but still connected to the transmitter; and

(3) Driven with at least 50 W mean RF input power (unless higher drive level is specified).

(b) To receive a grant of type acceptance, the amplifier must not be capable of operation on any frequency or frequencies between 24 MHz and 35 MHz. The amplifier will be deemed incapable of such operation if it:

(1) Exhibits no more than 6 dB gain between 24 MHz and 26 MHz and between 28 MHz and 35 MHz. (This gain will be determined by the ratio of the input RF driving signal (mean power measurement) to the mean RF output power of the amplifier); and

(2) Exhibits no amplification (0 dB gain) between 26 MHz and 28 MHz.

(c) Type acceptance may be denied when denial would prevent the use of these amplifiers in services other than the amateur service. The following features will result in dismissal or denial of an application for the type acceptance:

(1) Any accessible wiring which, when altered, would permit operation of the amplifier in a manner contrary to the FCC Rules;

(2) Circuit boards or similar circuitry to facilitate the addition of components to change the amplifier's operating characteristics in a manner contrary to the FCC Rules;

(3) Instructions for operation or modification of the amplifier in a manner contrary to the FCC Rules;

(4) Any internal or external controls or adjustments to facilitate operation of the amplifier in a manner contrary to the FCC Rules;

(5) Any internal RF sensing circuitry or any external switch, the purpose of which is to place the amplifier in the transmit mode;

(6) The incorporation of more gain in the amplifier than is necessary to operate in the amateur service; for purposes of this paragraph, the amplifier must:

(i) Not be capable of achieving designed output power when driven with less than 40 W mean RF input power;

(ii) Not be capable of amplifying the input RF driving signal by more than 15 dB, unless the amplifier has a designed transmitter power of less than 1.5 kW (in such a case, gain must be reduced by the same number of dB as the transmitter power relationship to 1.5 kW; This gain limitation is determined by the ratio of the input RF driving signal to the RF output power of the amplifier where both signals are expressed in peak envelope power or mean power);

(iii) Not exhibit more gain than permitted by paragraph (c)(6)(ii) of this Section when driven by an RF input signal of less than 50 W mean power; and

(iv) Be capable of sustained operation at its designed power level.

(7) Any attenuation in the input of the amplifier which, when removed or modified, would permit the amplifier to function at its designed transmitter power when driven by an RF frequency input signal of less than 50 W mean power; or

(8) Any other features designed to facilitate operation in a telecommunication service other than the Amateur Radio Services, such as the Citizens Band (CB) Radio Service.

Back to the Top