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I an studying for my technician class examination, and I came across this question:

What may result when correspondence from the FCC is returned as undeliverable because the grantee failed to provide the correct mailing address?

A. Fine or imprisonment

B. Revocation of the station license or suspension of the operator license

C. Require the licensee to be re-examined

D. A reduction of one rank in operator class

The answer is B. I wanted to research more about the distinction, but my Google powers were falling me. I am using an Anki flashcard deck to study and this question was tagged with "T1C07 (B) [97.23]", but I don't know what that means.

Another Exam Question

What is the normal term for an FCC-issued primary station/operator license grant?

A. Five years

B. Life

C. Ten years

D. Twenty years

T1C08 (C) [97.25]

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    $\begingroup$ I don't know the details, but I understand that historically, operator licenses and station licenses were more distinct than they are now. This wording might be partially a historical artifact of that. I hope someone with knowledge of the actual history and current law can answer. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Reid AG6YO ♦
    Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 19:45
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    $\begingroup$ @KevinReidAG6YO I hope that somebody with the historical knowledge can answer, too. There is so much that I have been learning in the last couple of days. I am glad that ham.SE exists! $\endgroup$
    – KQ4JWT
    Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 20:07

3 Answers 3

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Answer the first part of your question:

Based on the FCC description of club stations, I think the VE exam answer is referring to a club station license. The description of the club station license from the above source:

A club station license allows members of an amateur radio club to have a station operating under a club call sign. The license is granted only to the trustee of the club. It conveys no operating privileges.

To be granted a club station license, a club must have:

  1. A name
  2. A document of organization
  3. Management
  4. A primary purpose devoted to amateur service activities consistent with the FCC Rules
  5. At least four persons
  6. A license trustee designated by an officer of the club
  7. Trustee must hold an amateur service operator license grant. (See Section 97.5(b)(2) of the FCC Rules)

To answer the second part of your question:

The numbers in brackets, 97.23 and 97.25, are the FCC part 97 sections that are relevant to the exam question.

T1C07 and T1C08 are ID codes for the questions, which are published by the National Conference of Volunteer Exam Coordinators (NCVEC). These questions are from the technician question pool (T), section 1C, and are questions 07 and 08 in that section.

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    $\begingroup$ I thought that any HAM operator with a mobile radio was in fact a station. This is mostly where my confusion comes from. $\endgroup$
    – KQ4JWT
    Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 19:17
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    $\begingroup$ "T1C07" is an ID for the question out of the question pool, which is published by NCVEC, not ARRL. "T" for Technician, "1C" for the group (topic), and "07" for the question itself. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Reid AG6YO ♦
    Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 19:42
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    $\begingroup$ Thanks Kevin, I'll incorporate that information into the answer. $\endgroup$
    – Andrew N5ITM
    Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 22:19
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You as an individual ham actually hold two licenses printed on one piece of paper, an operator license and station license (it actually shows both).

The station license permits you to build an Amateur radio station.

The operator license describes your class of privileges for actually operating it.

http://www.w5yi.org/page.php?id=146

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Clubs can have station licenses on a case-by-case basis. They are getting a lot more rare. Any correspondence about them usually would go directly to the trustee. These days, most club stations are the same as a ham's callsign. But there are others, like KL7KC in Fairbanks which are grandfathered in order to keep the callsign. In any case, it is up to the trustee to keep things in order. So this kind of letter wouldn't usually be addressed to the station location. KL7KC is in a CAP hanger which is rarely manned. There would be no expectation of a quick response if a letter was to be sent there.

Station licenses are definitely used for broadcast stations, and are tied to a specific location. The FCC maintains a separate tower database the correlates stations with tower locations, too. You need a station license and construction permit before you even begin to build a broadcast tower.

Ham licenses go with the person, not the location.

This question is a tad misleading, but it is the correct answer the way the question is asked. The second part, suspension of the operator license, is possible.

The reality is, the only reason this would apply to a ham is if they have been accused of a violation of some sort.

I have been a ham since 1971 and have never received anything like this from the FCC.

I have been a broadcast engineer since 1979 and have seen many kinds of letters from the FCC show up that required my attention. The station managers involved are always in a hurry to respond asap.

When I earned my General Radiotelephone Operator License back in 1983 it was required that I post it at stations where I was the engineer of record. (Back then the announcers all needed Third Class Radiotelephone Operator Licenses, too). But things are a lot different now.

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