Amateur Radio Amateur Extra Class License Study Guide (For use July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2008) Compliments of: Earl N8KBR Source Material is Publicly Available (Source: Question Pool of 804 questions with graphics and CFR Title 47, Part 97, Amateur Radio Service.) This document may be freely distributed and was developed for not-for-profit use only. Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 1 of 65 Foreword This document is simply a compilation of the publicly available question pool which has been converted into statements and formatted. The intent was to retain as much of the original words from the question pool as possible to leverage familiarization in the learning and memory process. The 15 terms most frequently used in the text are: dB signal amateur MHz output antenna line circuit station ohms voltage frequency power current impedance The author’s hope is that this document might be useful as a resource in studying for the Element 4, Amateur Extra Class License Radio Exam. Table of Contents ELEMENT 4 SUBELEMENT Page # SUBELEMENT E1 -- COMMISSION'S RULES.................................... 3 SUBELEMENT E2 -- OPERATING PROCEDURES.................................. 14 SUBELEMENT E3 -- RADIO WAVE PROPAGATION................................ 19 SUBELEMENT E4 -- AMATEUR RADIO PRACTICES ............................. 22 SUBELEMENT E5 -- ELECTRICAL PRINCIPLES................................. 28 SUBELEMENT E6 -- CIRCUIT COMPONENTS.................................... 39 SUBELEMENT E7 -- PRACTICAL CIRCUITS.................................... 46 SUBELEMENT E8 -- SIGNALS AND EMISSIONS................................. 54 SUBELEMENT E9 -- ANTENNAS.............................................. 59 Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 2 of 65 SUBELEMENT E1 -- COMMISSION'S RULES [7 Exam Questions -- 7 Groups] Operating standards: Frequency privileges for Extra class amateurs Exclusive frequency privileges authorized to Amateur Extra Class control operators in the: 80-meter band 3500-3525 kHz 75-meter band 3750-3775 kHz 40-meter band 7000-7025 kHz 20-meter band 14.000-14.025 MHz and 14.150-14.175 MHz 15-meter band 21.000-21.025 MHz and 21.200-21.225 MHz The 80, 75, 40, 20 and 15 meters frequency bands contain at least one segment authorized to only control operators holding an Amateur Extra Class operator license. Within the 20-meter band, 50 kHz is the amount of spectrum authorized to only control operators holding an Amateur Extra Class operator license. The 80/75, 20 and 15 meters frequency bands contain two segments authorized to only control operators holding an Amateur Extra Class operator license, CEPT radio-amateur Class 1 license or Class 1 IARP. Emission standards An amateur station licensee must eliminate or reduce the interference if a spurious emission from the station causes harmful interference to the reception of another radio station. The maximum mean power permitted to any spurious emission from a transmitter or external RF power amplifier transmitting at a mean power greater than 25 watts on an amateur service VHF band is 60 dB below the mean power of the fundamental emission. The maximum mean power permitted for any spurious emission from a transmitter having a mean power of 25 W or less on an amateur service VHF band is the lesser of 25 microwatts or 40 dB below the mean power of the fundamental emission. Message forwarding If a packet bulletin board station in a message forwarding system inadvertently forwards a message that is in violation of FCC rules, the control operator of the originating station and conditionally the first forwarding station is accountable for the rules violation. If your packet bulletin board station inadvertently forwards a communication that violates FCC rules, the first action you should take is discontinue forwarding the communication as soon as you become aware of it. Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 3 of 65 Frequency sharing between ITU Regions For each ITU Region, each frequency band is allocated internationally to the amateur service designated as primary service or secondary service. FCC modification of station license The FCC might modify an amateur station license to promote the public interest, convenience and necessity. 30-meter band sharing The sharing requirements for an amateur station transmitting in the 30-meter band are it must not cause harmful interference to stations in the fixed service authorized by other nations. Stations aboard ships or aircraft If an amateur station is installed on board a ship and is separate from the ship radio installation, its operation must be approved by the master of the ship before the station may transmit. Telemetry Telemetry is a one-way transmission of measurements at a distance from the measuring instrument Telecommand of an amateur station Telecommand is a one-way transmission to initiate, modify or terminate functions of a device at a distance. Authorized telecommand transmissions When sending telecommand messages to a station in space operation an amateur station may transmit special codes intended to obscure the meaning of messages. Station restrictions: Restrictions on station locations If the land may have environmental importance; or it is significant in American history, architecture or culture might restrict the physical location of an amateur station apparatus or antenna structure. An Environmental Assessment must be submitted to the FCC must be done before an amateur station is placed within an officially designated wilderness area or wildlife preserve, or an area listed in the National Register of Historical Places. Restricted operation Outside of 1 mile distance from an FCC monitoring facility an amateur station may be located without concern for protecting the facility from harmful Interference. Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 4 of 65 If an amateur station causes interference to the reception of a domestic broadcast station with a receiver of good engineering design, the operation of the amateur station may be restricted on the frequency or frequencies used when the interference occurs. Teacher as control operator An amateur operator may accept compensation for serving as the control operator of an amateur station used in a classroom only when the amateur operator is paid as an incident of a teaching position during periods of time when the station is used by that teacher as a part of classroom instruction at an educational institution. Only an amateur operator accepting such pay as an incident of a teaching position during times when the station is used by that teacher as a part of classroom instruction may the operator accept compensation for serving as a control operator in a classroom at an educational institution. Station antenna structures If an amateur antenna structure is located in a valley or canyon, the structure must be no higher than 200 feet above the ground level at its site. Local authorities must reasonably accommodate amateur service communications and must constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the state or local authorities’ legitimate purpose when legislating height and dimension restrictions for an amateur station antenna structure. If you are installing an amateur radio station antenna at a site within 5 miles from a public use airport, you must evaluate the height of your antenna based on the FCC Part 17 regulations. Definition and operation of remote control and automatic control A remotely controlled station is a station controlled indirectly through a control link. Amateur stations used for remote control of model aircraft may not be operated under automatic control. The use of devices and procedures for control so that the control operator does not have to be present at the control point is considered automatic control of a station. The control operator responsibilities of a station under automatic control differ from one under local control in that under automatic control the control operator is not required to be present at the control point. Control link A control link is the means of control between a control point and a remotely controlled station. Control link is the term for apparatus to effect remote control between the control point and a remotely controlled station. Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 5 of 65 Reciprocal operating: Reciprocal operating authority/Purpose of reciprocal agreement rules An FCC authorization for alien reciprocal operation is an FCC authorization to the holder of an amateur license issued by certain foreign governments to operate an amateur station in the US. Any non-US citizen holding an amateur service license issued by their government with which the US has a reciprocal operating arrangement is authorized for alien reciprocal operation in places where the FCC regulates the amateur service. US citizens are not eligible for alien reciprocal operation. A US citizen holding a foreign amateur service license may never be authorized for alien reciprocal operation in places where the FCC regulates the amateur service. Not being a citizen of the country that issued the amateur service license would disqualify a foreign amateur operator from being authorized for alien reciprocal operation in places where the FCC regulates the amateur service. No special document is required before a Canadian citizen holding a Canadian amateur service license may reciprocal operate in the US. Alien control operator privileges The frequency privileges authorized for alien reciprocal operation are those authorized to the alien by his country of citizenship, but not to exceed those authorized to Amateur Extra Class operators. If the US and the alien amateur's home country have a multilateral or bilateral reciprocal operating agreement, a properly licensed alien amateur has operating privileges equivalent to those authorized by their home license, not to exceed the operating privileges of an Amateur Extra Class operator license. A licensed alien amateur operator may be the control operator of an amateur station at any location where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC. Identification A Canadian amateur station must include the letter-numeral indicating the station location after the Canadian call sign and the closest city and state once during the communication with the assigned call sign in the station identification announcement when operating in the US. An alien operator must supply an additional identification in the form of the letter-numeral indicating the station location in the US included before their call and the closest city and state given once during the communication when operating in the US under an FCC authorization for alien reciprocal operation. CEPT An operating arrangement, the CEPT agreement, allows an FCC licensed US citizen to operate in many European countries and alien amateurs from many European countries to operate in the US. Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 6 of 65 IARP A multilateral or bilateral operating arrangement, the IARP agreement, allows an FCC licensed US citizen and many Central and South American amateur operators to operate in each other's countries. Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES): Definition Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) is a radio service using amateur stations for civil defense communications during periods of local, regional, or national civil emergencies. Purpose The purpose of RACES is to provide civil-defense communications during emergencies. Station registration An amateur station must be registered with a civil defense organization before participating in RACES. Station license required Any FCC-licensed amateur station certified by the responsible civil defense organization for the area served may be operated in RACES. Control operator requirements Anyone who holds an FCC-issued amateur operator license and is certified by a civil defense organization may be the control operator of a RACES station. Control operator privileges All amateur service frequencies otherwise authorized to the control operator are authorized normally to an amateur station participating in RACES. Frequencies available Specific segments in the amateur service MF, HF, VHF and UHF bands are the frequencies authorized to an amateur station participating in RACES during a period when the President's War Emergency Powers are in force. All frequencies authorized to the amateur service are normally available for RACES operation. Limitations on use of RACES frequencies An emergency during which the President's War Emergency Powers are invoked can cause limits to be placed on the frequencies available for RACES operation. Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 7 of 65 Points of communication for RACES operation Amateur stations participating in RACES and specific other stations authorized by the responsible civil defense official may communicate. Permissible communications Communications for National defense or immediate safety of people and property and communications authorized by the area civil defense organization are permissible in RACES. Amateur Satellite Service: Definition/Purpose/Station license required for space station/Frequencies available The amateur-satellite service is a service using amateur stations on satellites for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations. Telecommand operation: Definition/Eligibility Any amateur station so designated by the space station licensee is eligible to be telecommand stations. Telecommand station (definition) A telecommand station in the amateur-satellite service is an amateur station that transmits communications to initiate, modify or terminate functions of a space station. Space telecommand station/ Special provisions A unique privilege is afforded a telecommand station. A telecommand station may transmit command messages to the space station using codes intended to obscure their meaning. Telemetry: Definition/Special provisions Telemetry is the term for space-to-Earth transmissions used to communicate the results of measurements made by a space station. Space station: Definition A space station in the amateur-satellite service is an amateur station located more than 50 km above the Earth's surface. Eligibility Any FCC-licensed amateur station is eligible to operate as a space station. Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 8 of 65 Special provisions A space station must be capable of effecting a cessation of transmissions by telecommand whenever so ordered by the FCC. Space station may transmit following types of communications: (cid:1) Automatic retransmission of signals from Earth stations and other space stations (cid:1) One-way communications (cid:1) Telemetry consisting of specially coded messages (cid:1) (All of these choices are correct) Authorized frequencies (space station) Only the 40m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m and 10m amateur service HF bands have frequencies authorized to space stations. The 2 meter VHF amateur service band has frequencies available for space stations. The 70 cm, 23 cm, 13 cm amateur service UHF bands have frequencies available for a space station. Notification requirements The licensee of a space station must give the FCC International Bureau the first written pre-space notification no less than 27 months prior to initiating space station transmissions. Earth operation: Definition An earth station in the amateur-satellite service is an amateur station within 50 km of the Earth's surface for communications with Amateur stations by means of objects in space. Eligibility/Authorized frequencies (Earth station) Any amateur station, subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held by the control operator is eligible to operate as Earth stations. Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs): Definition/ VEC qualifications/ VEC agreement/ Scheduling Examinations/ Coordinating VEs Reimbursement for expenses A Volunteer-Examiner Coordinator is an organization that has entered into an agreement with the FCC to coordinate amateur operator license examinations. Accrediting VEs The VE accreditation process can be described as each VEC ensures that its Volunteer Examiner applicants meet FCC requirements to serve as VEs. Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 9 of 65 Persons who have ever had an amateur operator or amateur station license suspended or revoked seeking to be VEs cannot be accredited. Question pools All of the VECs are responsible for maintaining the question pools from which all amateur license examination questions must be taken. Volunteer Examiners (VEs): Definition/Requirements/Accreditation An accredited Volunteer Examiner is an amateur operator who is approved by a VEC to administer amateur operator license examinations. A VE Team is a group of at least three VEs who administer examinations for an amateur operator license. Reimbursement for expenses Preparing, processing, administering and coordinating an examination for an amateur radio license are the types of out-of-pocket expenses for which the FCC rules authorize a VE and VEC to accept reimbursement. Actual out-of-pocket expenses may be reimbursed to the VE team and VEC accept for preparing, processing, administering and coordinating an examination. VE conduct Revocation of the VE's amateur station license grant and the suspension of the VE's amateur operator license grant may be the penalty for a VE who fraudulently administers or certifies an examination. Preparing an examination/Examination elements An Extra class VE or a qualified supplier who selects questions from the appropriate VEC question pool may prepare an Element 4 amateur operator license examination. Definition of code and written elements The purpose of an amateur operator telegraphy examination is it proves that the examinee has the ability to send correctly by hand and to receive correctly by ear, texts in the International Morse Code. Preparation responsibility A VE holding an FCC-issued Amateur Extra or Advanced Class operator license grant must select from the VEC question pool the set of questions that are administered in an Element 3 examination. Examination requirements The questions that are listed in the VEC-maintained question pool must be used in all written US amateur license examinations. Revision Date: 6/21/2006 Page 10 of 65