Section 8.6: Authorized and Prohibited Transmissions #

Welcome to the “do’s and don’ts” of amateur radio! Understanding what you can and can’t transmit is crucial for operating legally and ethically. Let’s break it down:

Authorized Transmissions #

Key Information: Transmissions to a different country are limited to communications incidental to the purposes of the Amateur Radio Service and to remarks of a personal character.

Non-Commercial Communication: Amateur radio is for personal use and self-training, not for business.
Key Information: The control operator of an amateur station may receive compensation for operating that station when the communication is incidental to classroom instruction at an educational institution.
- Here’s a tricky one: Can you ever get paid for being a ham? The short answer is usually ’no’ - after all, we’re in this for the love of radio, not the money. But there’s one situation where the FCC says it’s okay to get compensated. If you’re helping out during an emergency or an emergency drill, and it’s related to your day job, you can get paid for your time. Just remember, the radio part needs to be a small piece of what you’re doing, not the main event.
Emergency Communications:
Key Information: Amateur stations may transmit information in support of broadcasting, program production, or news gathering when such communications are directly related to the immediate safety of human life or protection of property.
In a real emergency, the usual rules take a backseat—you’re allowed to use any communication method necessary to get help! It’s like having a “break glass in case of emergency” option for the rulebook, but remember that you may be called on to justify your decision, so make sure it was an actual emergency and that was the only way to solve it!
Part 97.403 Specifies:
No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.
Ham Radio Show-and-Tell:
- Spread the word about cool ham radio stuff
- Practice for when the zombies come (aka disaster prep)
- Take your station for a test drive
- Warm up for public service events
One-Way Traffic (Sometimes):
- Morse code practice
- Beacon stations for propagation studies
- Control signals for amateur radio satellites
Quick “Hello, Can You Hear Me?” Tests:
- Signal reports (aka “You sound like you’re transmitting from inside a tin can”)
- Equipment tests (make sure your fancy new radio actually works)
Going International:
Key Information: FCC-licensed amateur radio stations are prohibited from exchanging communications with any country whose administration has notified the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that it objects to such communications.
Time to flex those language skills! You can chat with hams worldwide, but keep it personal or radio-related. It’s like having pen pals, but cooler.
There are some countries that you are not allowed to communicate with: We won’t be listing them here, because they could change over time, but any country can notify the ITU that they don’t want ham radio operators to communicate with their citizens. If that happens? Forbidden.
Key Information: From within any vessel or craft located in international waters and documented or registered in the United States, an FCC-licensed amateur station may transmit.
Here’s a fun fact: You can transmit from a boat in international waters, as long as you stick to frequency bands allocated internationally in each of the three ITU regions. If you are in territorial waters of another country then you need to know and follow their rules.

Third-Party Communications: Playing Telephone (Literally) #

Key Information: Third party communications are messages from a control operator (first party) of an amateur station to another amateur station control operator (second party) on behalf of another person (third party).

Ever wanted to let your non-ham friend use your radio? That – as well as passing messages on their behalf – counts as a third-party communication, and it comes with some rules:

What’s the Deal?: Third-party communication is when you’re the middleman, passing a message from a non-ham to another station. It’s like being a radio relay for your friends. Additionally Part 97 allows that person to participate, as long as the control operator is at the control point.
Domestic Third-Party Traffic: Within the U.S., it’s generally a free-for-all. Let your friends and family experience the magic of ham radio! (subject to the restrictions mentioned below)
International Third-Party Traffic:
Key Information: When a non-licensed person is allowed to speak to a foreign station using a station under the control of a licensed amateur operator, the foreign station must be in a country with which the U.S. has a third party agreement.
This is where it gets tricky. Both countries need to have a “handshake agreement” allowing it. It’s like needing parental permission for an international field trip. No third-party agreement? No talking to that foreign station! (except for emergency or disaster relief communications)
Part 97 specifies that:
Transmissions to a different country, where permitted, shall be limited to communications incidental to the purposes of the amateur service and to remarks of a personal character.
You’re the Boss: When letting a non-ham use your station, you need to be the responsible adult in the room. Stay present and keep an ear on what’s happening.
Not for Everyone: Some folks aren’t allowed to join the third-party party, like those who’ve had their ham licenses revoked. It’s like a “no entry” list for a fancy club.

One-Way Transmissions #

Key Information:
One-way transmissions by an amateur station are prohibited when they constitute broadcasting.
Broadcasting for the Amateur Radio Service is defined as transmissions intended for reception by the general public.

While amateur radio is primarily designed for two-way communications, there are specific situations where one-way transmissions are permitted:

Morse Code Practice: Stations may transmit one-way signals for brief periods to provide practice in receiving Morse code.
Beacon Stations: These stations transmit one-way signals to study propagation or for other experimental purposes.
Remote Control: One-way transmissions are allowed for remote control of model craft, such as drones or boats.
Space Telemetry: One-way transmissions from space stations (like satellites) for telemetry purposes are permitted.
Brief Transmissions: Short, one-way transmissions are allowed for station identification, testing equipment, or making adjustments to the station.
Emergency Communications: In cases of immediate safety of life or protection of property, one-way transmissions of any kind may be necessary and allowed. For example, Amateur Radio may be used when no other means is available in support of broadcasting, program production, or news gathering when the safety of human life or protection of property is on the line.

Remember, these are exceptions to the general rule. The primary purpose of amateur radio remains two-way communications. Always ensure your transmissions comply with FCC regulations and the spirit of amateur radio.

Prohibited Transmissions: #

Commercial Communications: No using ham radio to conduct business or make money.
Key Information: Amateur radio operators may use their stations to notify other amateurs of the availability of equipment for sale or trade when selling amateur radio equipment and not on a regular basis.
- The language used in Part 97 to refer to these prohibited transmissions is:
  Communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer"
- There are a few exceptions made in Part 97(a)(3):
  1. You can notify other operators that you have ham radio equipment for sale or trade, so long as it isn’t something you do “on a regular basis”.
  2. You can be paid when using the radio if you are participating on behalf of an employer in a emergency/disaster preparedness drill and/or testing in preparation for those drills. There are some time limits, so read up on it before you do so.
  3. You can be paid when using a radio as an incidental part of teaching a class
  4. A control operator for a club station can be paid for running the station when doing information bulletins or telegraphy – there are a bunch of weird requirements for this and who does that anyway? But know that it’s a Thing and look it up if you need!
Broadcasting: One-way transmissions intended for the general public are not allowed, other than the exceptions mentioned above.
Encrypted Messages:
Key Information: Messages encoded to obscure their meaning may be transmitted when transmitting control commands to space stations or radio control craft.
Transmissions intended to obscure the meaning of the communication are generally prohibited.
Now, you might think that all ham radio messages need to be out in the open for anyone to understand. And generally, you’d be right! But there’s a cool exception: You’re allowed to send encoded messages when you’re controlling space stations or radio-controlled devices such as a plane or FPV drone.
Music Transmission:
Key Information: An amateur station is authorized to transmit music using a phone emission only when incidental to an authorized retransmission of manned spacecraft communications.
Playing music over the air is generally not allowed, except for incidental music rebroadcast from space shuttle communications.
Keep It Family-Friendly:
Key Information: Any language that may be considered indecent or obscene is prohibited in amateur radio communications.
Imagine your grandma is listening - because she might be! No obscene or indecent language allowed. Let’s keep it clean, folks.
No False or Fraudulent Signals: False distress calls or pretending to be another station? That’s not just against the rules, it’s potentially dangerous. Don’t do it!
Stay in Your Lane: Retransmitting other radio services (like your local FM station or police scanner) is a big no-no. Stick to amateur radio content.
Check the “Do Not Call” List:
Some countries are off-limits for ham communication—not just because the FCC says so, but because those countries have notified the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) (See Section 8.2) that they don’t allow their citizens to communicate with foreign amateur radio operators.
Play Nice:

Key Information: Willful interference to other amateur radio stations is permitted at no time.

Intentionally interfering with other stations is like stepping on someone’s sandcastle. It’s not cool, and it’s definitely not allowed.

Remember: The essence of ham radio is two-way communication and experimentation. If what you’re doing doesn’t fall into these categories, it’s probably not allowed.

So there you have it, folks - your guide to staying on the right side of the FCC while having a blast on the ham bands. Now go forth and communicate responsibly!