Technician Licensing Class “Chapter 7”

1. Technician Licensing Class“Chapter 7” Licensing Regulations Valid dates: July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2014

2. Basis & Purpose continued • Encourage and improve amateur service through rules and regs to provide for advancing skills in communications and technical phases of the art • Expand existing reservoir within amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts • Continue and extend the amateur’s unique ability to enhance international goodwill

3. The FCC • Makes and Enforces rules for amateur radio service in the US • Federal License good in all states and possessions and territories • No pecuniary interest permitted • Amateur Operator – a person named in an amateur operator/primary license station grant on the ULS consolidated license database to be the control operator

4. Examinations • Technician Class Element 2 26 of 35 questions • General Element 3 26 out of 35 questions • Amateur Extra Element 4 37 out of 50

5. Examinations • By volunteer Examiners • VEC Volunteer Examiner Organizations to which Volunteer Examiners (VE) are accreddited. The ARRL is one of several VECs • The Exam must be pre-announced • Must have two forms of ID including one picture ID • Take your time and read questions carefully • Multiple Choice questions • $15 Cash or Check only fee for taking exam

6. Examinations • If you pass exam CSCE and form 605 are completed • You can also try taking the next higher exam element at this time without extra cost • If you fail the Tech exam you can take another test tech test however it is considered a different test session and the $15 fee applies

7. License Term or Renewal • Ten years and renewal for free • Can renew couple months before expiration. Forms available on line from FCC or ARRL and other sources. Various renewal assistance is available • If license lost or destroyed you can request replacement from FCC by letter and get new copy to replace old one

8. Responsibilities • Operate IAW FCC Rules and Regulations • No Unauthorized Operation • Must maintain valid current information on file with FCC especially current mailing address • The FCC has the right to inspect your station at any time.

9. Working with the FCC • FCC ULS Web site • Register and get your FRN • Required to submit changes etc to FCC

10. Bands and Privileges • Technician VHF UHF Bands in ITU Region 2 • VHF • 6 Meters 50 – 54 MHz • 2 Meters 144 – 148 MHz • 1.25 Meters 219 – 220 and 222 – 225 MHz • UHF • 70 cm 420 – 450 MHz • 33 cm 902 – 928 MHz • 23 cm 1240 – 1300 MHz • 13 cm 2300 – 2310 MHz and 2390 – 2450 MHz

11. US Frequency Allocation Chart

12. US Frequency Allocation Chart

13. Technician HF Privileges200 watts PEP Max Output • 80 M • 3.525 – 3.600 MHz CW only • 40 M • 7.025 – 71.25 MHz CW Only • 15 M • 21.025 – 21.200 MHz CW Only • 10 M • 28.000 – 28.300 MHz CW, RTTY, and Data • 28.300 – 28.500 MHz CW and SSB

14. Emission Types Designators • CW • Data • Image • MCW • Phone • Pulse • RTTY • SS • Test

15. US HF – UHF Amateur Allocations • See Page 7 – 13 • MAX transmitter output power for US Amateurs is 1500 Watts PEP • Some bands have reduced power limitations for all amateurs usually 200 Watts PEP others 50 Watts

16. Primary & Secondary Allocations • Primary – has precedence over and protection from any secondary, permitted or Part 15 Devices • Secondary – can use band but must not cause interference to Primary service communications. Has precedence over Permitted services and Part 15 devices • This sharing arrangement allows more efficient use of the frequency spectrum

17. Other Allocation Information • 420 – 430 MHz not amateur bands in Canada • Power and Distance restrictions in US near border • “A” / “B” Lines 50 miles from border • All UHF and higher bands shared • 70 cm band power restrictions near certain military bases • 40 Meters shared with AM SW broadcasting • 23 cm band shared with radiolocation service

18. Band Plans • Discussed in other classes • Combines compatible emissions and use into sub bands • Voluntary – not mandatory • However, very sensible • FCC considers band plans “good practice”

19. Repeater Coordination • Repeaters can cover large areas • In addition to having repeater sub bands, repeaters are coordinated via volunteer repeater coordinators to reduce interference between repeaters • National Frequency Coordinators’ Council • FCC will give priority to coordinated repeaters if there is conflict • Regional coordinators selected by local amateurs

20. International Rules • FCC does not have authority outside of US and Possessions • Each country has its own rules for spectrum use and call signs • International Telecommunications Union (ITU) created and put under UN to manage radio and telecommunications and call signs etc • IARU – International Amateur Radio Union part of ITU

21. International Rules • Must operate IAW regional allocations and country allocations and rules • Some countries do not have amateur service or do not want their amateurs talking to others • Changes from time to time with events

22. ITU Regions

23. International Operating • Country must permit amateur operation • Country must issue you a license as permission for you to operate • To use your US license the country must have entered a reciprocal licensing agreement • Can be government to government • Can be via IARP (International Amateur Radio Permit) or CEPT (Conference of Postal and Telecommunications) license agreements

24. US Call Signs

25. US Call Districts & Call Signs

26. Call Signs • Prefix 1 or 2 Letters and a digit • Suffix 1, 2 or 3 letters • US Call signs start with • W, K, or N and a number or W, K, or N plus another letter and then a number • Also AA through AL and a number

27. Call Sign Groups • A Amateur Extra • 1-letter K,N or @ prefix with 2-letter suffix (1 x 2) • 2-letter A prefix and 1-letter Suffix (2 x 1) • B Advanced • 2-letter K, N, or W prefix and 2-letter Suffix(2x2) • C General, Tech & Tech+ • 1-letter K, N or W prefix & 3-letter Suffix (1 x 3) • D Tech, Novice & Club • 2-letter W or K prefix & 3 letter suffix (2 x 3)

28. Call Sign Assignments • New Licensee gets the next call sign in sequence for his license group in the call area district number of his residence • Techs will get a KF7xxx • General will get K, W N, 7 & 3 letters • Can keep call sign if you move to different area • Can keep same call if you upgrade, but have option to get assigned license from new group • Vanity Licenses

29. The Slashed Zero • Long tradition in telegraphy and radio • Used to differentiate zero (0)from letter O 

30. Portable & Upgrade Call Signs • Temporary operation • K3SHD/6 K3SHD Portable 6 if operating in California • K3SHD/Mob or K3SHD Mobile or Maritime Mobile (MM) if on US ship in international waters • Aeronautical Mobile if on aircraft • Illegal to use self-assigned suffixes • Upgrade KF7XYZ/AG upgraded to General • Upgrade KF7XYZ/AE upgraded to Extra • Can do AG AE right after test session, based on CSCE & do not have to wait for it in FCC database

31. Vanity Call Signs • Can pick vanity call sign similar to vanity vehicle license plate • Call must be available and from a group equal to or lower than your class of license • Club and Special Event calls • Club call originally comes from Group D but can be changed via Vanity Call Sign Program