Questions tagged [united-states]
Questions specific to rules, regulations, and practices in the United States of America.
311
questions
1
vote
1
answer
85
views
Can you cancel an FCC application for a vanity callsign?
Sometimes when you check for available callsigns at websites such as radioqth, you find more than one callsign available on different days, but within a close range ... such as only 10 days apart. ...
3
votes
1
answer
91
views
Is there documented FCC/Congressional reasoning behind restricting Tech licensees to CW on HF?
Is anyone aware of documented Congressional/FCC reasoning behind restricting Technician licensees to CW on HF?
I'm not (yet) advocating for a change or to keep status quo, rather am trying to ...
- 4,575
2
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Are Baofeng radios illegal in the US?
After having acquired a Baofeng, 5 days later, I found out that it is illegal. For the people who say my question is a duplicate and downvoted my question: I know about this question being the same as ...
- 624
1
vote
2
answers
154
views
What is this pulsating signal?
When scanning through UHF, I find that there are a few frequencies that made a sound similar to a fast drum (~300 bpm?) Here are a list of the frequencies:
451.200 MHz
454.280 MHz
more coming soon
...
- 624
1
vote
1
answer
91
views
FCC rule stating emission type for various bands
The general question is as follows:
Where within the FCC rules exactly (47 CFR 97.xxx or similar) does it specify the emissions type (ie. CW, Data, RTTY, Phone, etc...) allowed for a specific band for ...
- 23
-3
votes
1
answer
556
views
Handheld amateur radio
Recently purchased a MY-EMR1 which is a handheld ham radio and I want to synchronize it to my sisters in another state if it is possible, she has the same type of radio. All the frequencies have been ...
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
358
views
Circular polarization
I'm installing my first beam antenna.
I have 2 connection points, one for vertical and 1 for horizontal. So far. I have not found a lot of information which would be better.
To run them separately or ...
5
votes
0
answers
118
views
Are there any stations other than W1AW that fall under 47 CFR 97.113(a)(3)(iv)?
47 CFR 97.113(a)(3) normally prohibits amateurs from transmitting
[c]ommunications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an ...
- 604
2
votes
2
answers
122
views
3rd party rules
Why are there 3rd party rules?
http://arrl.org/third-party-operating-agreements lists the countries we are allowed to pass 3rd party messages from.
The fcc regulations specifically state that 3rd ...
- 97
1
vote
3
answers
423
views
Is it legal to practice using a one-time pad?
Imagine two people want to practice the procedure for sending and receiving messages over amateur radio that are encrypted using a one-time pad. Here’s what doing this for real would look like:
...
- 11
2
votes
1
answer
97
views
Kosher to setup a D-Star (or DV) repeater on 10m?
Equipment availability and other logistics aside, is it kosher in the US to fire up a D-Star (or other digital voice) repeater in the appropriate portion of 10m? I haven't been able to find any ...
- 4,575
2
votes
2
answers
585
views
Operating on the US-Canada Border
How would one identify if one were operating from a location directly on the US/Canada border? Wxxxx/VEx or Wxxxx?
How about POTA? If I were to operate a POTA twofer on the boundary at the border of ...
- 326
5
votes
1
answer
220
views
How do I get QSL cards from the Incoming Bureau?
I'm new to QSLing and want to know how to get QSL cards from an incoming bureau in the USA. I have sent outgoing cards recently and want to know how to acquire the replies. Could somebody describe the ...
- 326
7
votes
1
answer
176
views
Is it possible to remove the previous callsign information?
I had a name change some years ago and had a new callsign generated. But the FCC keeping a record of my previous callsign puts me at risk of an abusive ex finding me.
Is it possible to disassociate ...
- 171
1
vote
1
answer
170
views
Could a non-licensee transmit to a licensed person remotely, if the licensed person ensures they follow laws?
Let's suppose that Person A, who does not have a license, would like to contact Person B, who is licensed, over an amateur radio frequency. I know that under certain circumstances, Person A would be ...
- 125
1
vote
2
answers
95
views
How do equipment manufacturers test equipment? [duplicate]
How do manufacturers of ham radio equipment test the devices they sell without violating laws against commercial use of ham radio frequencies?
- 179
2
votes
0
answers
63
views
Would it be feasible to create a GSM, 3G, LTE, or 5G NR ham radio network? [duplicate]
Would it be feasible to create a cellular network compatible with standard unlocked phones using amateur frequencies and following amateur regulations?
- 179
13
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Is there any legal recourse against unauthorized usage of a private repeater in the USA?
Can the FCC revoke an amateur license for unwelcomed use of another amateur's private/closed repeater system?
It's clear that private repeaters are allowed, per 47 CFR 97.205(e):
Limiting the use of ...
- 7,441
2
votes
3
answers
234
views
Would repeated non-interfering kerchunking with ID within ten minutes be illegal or just annoying?
I'm not going to do this. I'm just curious whether it's legal or not.
Suppose there's a net at 8:00 on a repeater. There is no traffic prior to the net. Is it legal to repeatedly kerchunk the repeater ...
- 604
3
votes
1
answer
169
views
Is it legal to make transmissions to one's own auto-confirming radio with the intent that a non-licensed person read the messages?
Is this scenario legal?
John, K1ABC, sends this message from a portable QTH: K1ABC-1 DE K1ABC-2 On the way home DE K1ABC/P
John's home radio automatically responds ...
- 604
5
votes
4
answers
536
views
UHF 70cm unlicensed use
We are farmers with (edit) 25-40w radios mostly old Kenwoods and Motorolas in all of our tractors and vehicles. I'm not exactly sure what frequency we have but the man who programmed them set them up ...
- 51
0
votes
1
answer
205
views
What is the maximum height I can go above the roof of my house
I have a new 5/8 wave Antenna with 3 radials. It's just over 22 feet high, the mast-pole is 30 foot long and will be mounted on the side of my house question is, what is the maximum "legal" ...
user22806
2
votes
2
answers
125
views
communicating with France from Oregon
Newbie ham here. My stepdaughter in France is interested in off-grid communication with us in Oregon, and so I am looking into what that would take. If I knew what frequency bands would be best I ...
- 1,062
2
votes
1
answer
122
views
How do you map old FCC license classes to the new 3-class system?
A lot of resources, including this ubiquitous (and otherwise very useful) band chart from the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) refer to the older FCC license system which had Novice, Technician, ...
- 255
1
vote
1
answer
285
views
What replaces the first class radio license?
Several electricians here were hired partly because they had amateur radio licenses and one of them had a 'First Class Radiotelephone' license. It'd be nice to get that credential but it's no longer ...
- 463
3
votes
1
answer
262
views
Multiplayer game over ham radio digital link?
Would it be legal to play a multiplayer video game over a ham radio link? Both players are hams, and their call signs will be transmitted in the link.
- 604
4
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Putting up a tower on my residential property
I live in upstate South Carolina.
I contacted the city and the person who answered the phone call said it would be a new structure and can't be higher the the house on the property.
I looked at the ...
- 41
3
votes
1
answer
131
views
Is a club call sign with a suffix (i.e. /GOTA) permissible for a Field Day GOTA station?
The 2017 Field Day GOTA Station FAQ states "The GOTA station uses a callsign different from the call used by the group’s main Field Day operation. The GOTA station must use the same, single ...
- 183
1
vote
1
answer
145
views
Would a transmitter similar to "The Thing" be legal on ham bands in the US?
The Thing was a listening device used by the Soviet Union to eavesdrop on US government officials. It was basically an AM transmitter if I understand correctly, but it required another transmitter on ...
- 604
3
votes
2
answers
272
views
Can someone without privileges on a band operate FT8 on it using the callsign of a ham who does and is present?
I have an Extra license. Is it legal for my dad (who has a Technician license) or my mom (who is not licensed) to operate FT8 on 20 meters using my call sign, if I am physically present at the control ...
- 604
3
votes
2
answers
992
views
Why is there a repeater on 146.46? Isn't that a simplex frequency?
I have a commercial GE Phoenix transceiver that I sent out to be programmed on 146.460 but have been informed by a club that my transmissions are interfering with their repeater that has a 146.460 ...
- 463
3
votes
3
answers
278
views
Can you base64 encode or compress ham transmissions [US]?
(a) No amateur station shall transmit: <...> Music using a phone emission except as specifically provided elsewhere in this section;
communications intended to facilitate a criminal act; ...
- 133
2
votes
2
answers
260
views
Can users ID for a repeater?
If a typical Amateur Radio repeater's ID'er goes down, can the users of that repeater ID on behalf of that repeater? IE,"this is Blah Blah Blah on the Blah Blah Blah repeater". Maybe I'm ...
- 21
5
votes
2
answers
307
views
When was the FCC Part 97 requirement for a time-out timer removed from repeaters under automatic control? Or, am I just nuts?
I've been remiss in keeping up with the changes in Part 97, especially in the area of repeater stations. A recent discussion about changing the time-out timer's period had me scurrying to the CFR, and ...
- 53
2
votes
1
answer
473
views
What are the limitations of the 6.765 - 6.975 MHz ISM band in the United States? [closed]
There is a region of the lower 43 meter band designated for ISM use in the United States by the FCC starting at 6.765 MHz and ending at 6.975 MHz. Both "FIXED" and "MOBILE" usage ...
- 21
7
votes
1
answer
372
views
Can we use UHF/VHF ham bands for search and rescue missions?
Suppose that several licensed amateurs are part of a volunteer search and rescue team. The team is normally licensed and carries equipment to communicate on a variety of public safety bands in VHF/UHF ...
- 171
13
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Hanging a dipole from a tree not code compliant?
I just got off the phone with my town's electrical inspector (in Massachusetts), and he informed me that you are not allowed to hang anything electrical from "vegetation". He said if I did ...
- 367
3
votes
1
answer
530
views
programming Pofung UV-82
As an alternative to the higher priced Motorola portables we use at our volunteer fire department, individuals have purchased several Bao Feng UV-82HP units to carry to monitor dispatch and fire ...
- 39
3
votes
1
answer
351
views
Is the mode on the band plan chart mandatory?
In the ARRL band plan found here in the bands where we are permitted to transmit, is the specified mode always mandatory? If I get caught making a silly mistake by the FCC transmitting on the wrong ...
- 363
1
vote
1
answer
70
views
What are the unintentional radiation limits in U.S. HF bands?
What are the radiation limits in U.S. HF bands in terms, not in terms of uV/M, but in dBm or uV levels transmitted though an HF dipole antenna? I assume that if the antenna is connected to a receiver ...
- 13.5k
21
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Why do people say, "get a nickel," on repeaters?
Sometimes, I'll hear someone say "wait a moment, I'm getting a nickel," and then drop the carrier only to resume talking. Why?
- 4,575
2
votes
6
answers
186
views
Extra Class Requirements and Study Guides for a General Class operator
I've had my general class license for 20 years. I never progressed farther. This was back when you had to learn morse code at 13 WPM for General.
I'm just curious what the procedures are to upgrade ...
- 129
2
votes
3
answers
483
views
Store and forward system like voicemail for hams
I want to be able to get in touch with hams in my area when we are not both on air at the same time, but are close enough to each other for VHF communication. I want to be able to use my radio to call ...
- 133
4
votes
1
answer
172
views
Is A7RW a legal call sign?
I've seen a reference to the callsign A7RW. I can't find it in the FCC database or by searching the ARRL. Is it a legitimate US callsign?
- 41
18
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Why are proprietary codecs used in amateur radio?
This may be slightly off topic (maybe there's a Legal Stack Exchange :-D), but how is it that codecs like Yaesu's C4FM are allowed to be proprietary while still being used on Amateur bands? At the ...
4
votes
1
answer
649
views
Does the FCC e-mail when a vanity call sign is approved?
I submitted an application for a vanity call sign a little over 18 days ago, and it's marked "pending". I presume that it will be processed soon, but the FCC's ULS search page is being slow ...
2
votes
4
answers
411
views
Will the feds show up to my door? Is there a way to not get in trouble?
Ok so I am in the USA, and I have just bought a BFTECH BF-F5XP. I have a couple of questions. First of all, could I make my own Privacy code (Interference prevention code), and channels? What I am ...
user18671
1
vote
1
answer
109
views
Will Brexit have any impact on UK recognition of foreign licenses
As a US license holder (and duel citizen of the US and UK) I know that I can operate in the UK for a couple of months using the M/W2*** prefix, while holding Amateur Extra, but I cannot apply for a UK ...
- 211
1
vote
1
answer
185
views
Anytone 878 UV Commercial license?
This radio has a commercial mode but no where that I can find does it describe which commercial license. Looking at the tag under the battery...
FCC ID T4KD887UV
https://fccid.io/T4KD878UV
...so part ...
- 363
1
vote
1
answer
126
views
Is a Foundation or Intermediate license from the UK recognised in the US?
I know that a Full license is recognised in the US, but is the same true for a Foundation or Intermediate license? On the surface they look equivalent to the US Technician and General licenses, so are ...
- 13