Chapter 1 : NTS â ARRL Eastern New York Section 1. TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ACTS SERIES TELECOMMUNICATIONS. Radio Communications Between Amateur Stations on Behalf of Third Parties. Third Party Communications Ham radio is frequently used to send messages on behalf of unlicensed persons or organizations. One of the oldest activities is the sending of messages, relaying them from station to station until delivered by a ham near the addressee. This is third party communication. Since these bypass the normal telephone and postal systems, many foreign governments want some form of control over them. The FCC also has some rules. A third party can also be the recipient of a message generated by a ham. A licensed amateur capable of being a control operator at either station is not considered a third party. The third party need not be present in either station. The communications transmitted on behalf of the third party need not be written. Spoken words, data, or images can all be third party communications. The third party may participate in transmitting or receiving the message at either station. An unlicensed person in your station sends third party communications when they transmit anything. An organization such as a church or school can also be a thirdy party. So handling messages, or traffic, phone patches, and live communications are all part of normal and emergency communications. And as a result, these may be exchanged between any amateur stations operating under FCC rules with the constraint that the communications must be noncommercial and of a personal nature. When signals cross borders, the rules change. International third-party communications are restricted to those countries that specifically allow third party communications with US hams. If you contact a DX station that asks you to pass a message to a family member in your state, doing so would be third-party. Making a contact to allow a visiting student to talk to his family in South America is third-party communications even if both the student and the family are present at the stations involved. Be sure there is a third-party agreement between countries in place. Page 1
Chapter 2 : Amateur apparatus licences ACMA Ham Radio: Third Party Communications Ham radio is frequently used to send messages on behalf of unlicensed persons or organizations. One of the oldest activities is the sending of messages, relaying them from station to station until delivered by a ham near the addressee. Net operation[ edit ] Nets operate more or less formally depending on their purpose and organization. Groups of nets may organize and operate in collaboration for a common purpose, such as to pass along emergency messages in time of disaster. The NCS operator calls the net to order at its designated start time, periodically calls for participants to join, listens for them to answer or check in keeps track of the roster of stations for that particular net session, and generally orchestrates the operation of the net. A different station might be designated NCS for each net session. Overall operation and scheduling of NCS assignments and net sessions is managed by the net manager. When a net covers a large geographic area, such as a continent or even the world, it becomes impractical for a single NCS to control. To cover a large scale area a net must operate on a frequency where signals can propagate long distances. Ironically, the same ability for long distance propagation leads to a situation where stations that are too close in proximity cannot hear each other. In this case two or more NCSs spaced geographically from one another can effectively collaborate to maintain contact with all possible participants. Informal operation[ edit ] An informal net may also have a net control station, but lack some or all of the formalities and protocols other than those used in non-net on-the-air operation. Or, it could begin at the designated time and frequency in an ad hoc fashion by whoever arrives first. Club nets, such as ones for discussing equipment or other topics, use a NCS simply to control the order in which participants transmit their comments to the group in round-robin style. Types of nets[ edit ] Traffic[ edit ] Traffic nets operate primarily to relay formal written messages. For decades, amateur radio operators in the United States and Canada have traditionally passed both routine and emergency messages on behalf of others as part of the public-service mission allowed within the USA and Canadian government amateur radio regulations. In many parts of the world outside North America, it is illegal for amateur radio operators to pass messages on behalf of third parties. Today, with inexpensive communication capability available to anyone, routine message handling has dwindled and is largely used for training purposes. During emergencies such as natural disasters â especially when normal communications channels are disabled or compromised â traffic nets utilizing emergency-powered stations are used to pass information into and out of affected areas. By checking into a DX net, a ham could have a chance to contact another station he or she might otherwise not be likely to hear by randomly tuning across the amateur bands. These can be clubs based on geographic location or clubs formed around a special interest. Special interest clubs or non-club groups often organize nets to enable discussions on a particular topic. A wide variety of such nets are in operation. One such example is nets that meet to discuss vintage or antique radio equipment. Page 2
Chapter 3 : Amateur radio net - Wikipedia Telecommunications, Radio Communications Between Amateur Stations on Behalf of Third Parties: Agreement Between the United States of America and Micronesia, Effected by Exchange of Notes Dated at Kolonia April 4 and September 12, The amateur service, the amateur-satellite service and the radio amateur civil emergency service. A radiocommunication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications. The use of devices and procedures for control of a station when it is transmitting so that compliance with the FCC Rules is achieved without the control operator being present at a control point. An amateur station, other than in a message forwarding system, that is transmitting communications point-to-point within a system of cooperating amateur stations. The width of a frequency band outside of which the mean power of the transmitted signal is attenuated at least 26 db below the mean power of the transmitted signal within the band. An amateur station transmitting communications for the purposes of observation of propagation and reception or other related experimental activities. Transmissions intended for reception by the general public, either direct or relayed. The method used to select a call sign for amateur station over-the-air identification purposes. The call sign systems are: The call sign is shown on the license. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing the procedures of the sequential call sign system. The call sign is selected by the FCC from a list of call signs requested by the licensee. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing the procedures of the vanity call sign system. The call sign is selected by the station licensee from a list of call signs shown on a common data base coordinated, maintained and disseminated by the amateur station special event call sign data base coordinators. The call sign must have the single letter prefix K, N or W, followed by a single numeral 0 through 9, followed by a single letter A through W or Y or Z for example K1A. The special event call sign is substituted for the call sign shown on the station license grant while the station is transmitting. The FCC will issue public announcements detailing the procedures of the special event call sign system. An amateur operator designated by the licensee of a station to be responsible for the transmissions from that station to assure compliance with the FCC Rules. The location at which the control operator function is performed. Certificate of successful completion of an examination. A device capable of increasing power output when used in conjunction with, but not an integral part of, a transmitter. Interference which endangers the functioning of a radionavigation service or of other safety services or seriously degrades, obstructs or repeatedly interrupts a radiocommunication service operating in accordance with the Radio Regulations. A document issued pursuant to the terms of the Inter-American Convention on an International Amateur Radio Permit by a country signatory to that Convention, other than the United States. Words, letters or numerals appended to and separated from the call sign during the station identification. A message directed only to amateur operators consisting solely of subject matter of direct interest to the amateur service. The use of a control operator who directly manipulates the operating adjustments in the station to achieve compliance with the FCC Rules. A group of amateur stations participating in a voluntary, cooperative, interactive arrangement where communications are sent from the control operator of an originating station to the control operator of one or more destination stations by one or more forwarding stations. For the purpose of this part, a person who is licensed to practice in a place where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC, as either a Doctor of Medicine M. All current examination questions for a designated written examination element. A series of examination questions on a given examination selected from the question pool. A radio service using amateur stations for civil defense communications during periods of local, regional or national civil emergencies. The use of a control operator who indirectly manipulates the operating adjustments in the station through a control link to achieve compliance with the Page 3
FCC Rules. An amateur station that simultaneously retransmits the transmission of another amateur station on a different channel or channels. A one-way transmission from a space station of measurements made from the measuring instruments in a spacecraft, including those relating to the functioning of the spacecraft. An emission, or frequencies outside the necessary bandwidth of a transmission, the level of which may be reduced without affecting the information being transmitted. A one-way transmission to initiate, modify, or terminate functions of a device at a distance. An amateur station that transmits communications to initiate, modify or terminate functions of a space station. A one-way transmission of measurements at a distance from the measuring instrument. A message from the control operator first party of an amateur station to another amateur station control operator second party on behalf of another person third party. The consolidated database, application filing system and processing system for all Wireless Telecommunications Services. The frequency range GHz. The product of the power supplied to the antenna and the antenna gain in a given direction relative to an isotropic antenna absolute or isotropic gain. Divide EIRP by 1. The product of the power supplied to the antenna and its gain relative to a half-wave dipole in a given direction. Multiply ERP by 1. The frequency range MHz. The frequency range khz. The average power supplied to the antenna transmission line by a transmitter during one RF cycle at the crest of the modulation envelope taken under normal operating conditions. Only a digital code of a type specifically authorized in this part may be transmitted. Facsimile and television emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2 or 3 as the second symbol; C or F as the third symbol; and emissions having B as the first symbol; 7, 8 or 9 as the second symbol; W as the third symbol. Also speech emissions having B or F as the first symbol; 7, 8 or 9 as the second symbol; E as the third symbol. MCW for the purpose of performing the station identification procedure, or for providing telegraphy practice interspersed with speech. Incidental tones for the purpose of selective calling or alerting or to control the level of a demodulated signal may also be considered phone. Spread spectrum emissions using bandwidth -expansion modulation emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; X as the second symbol; X as the third symbol. Emissions containing no information having the designators with N as the third symbol. Test does not include pulse emissions with no information or modulation unless pulse emissions are also authorized in the frequency band. It is not guaranteed to be accurate or up-to-date, though we do refresh the database weekly. More limitations on accuracy are described at the GPO site. Page 4
Chapter 4 : 47 CFR - Definitions. US Law LII / Legal Information Institute Telecommunications, radio communications between amateur stations on behalf of third parties: agreement between the United States of America and the 13 and June 4, (SuDoc S ) [U.S. State Department] on theinnatdunvilla.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. National Electrical Code -- A set of guidelines governing electrical safety, including antennas. Network -- A term used to describe several packet stations linked together to transmit data over long distances. Nonionizing radiation -- Electromagnetic radiation that does not have sufficient energy to knock electrons free from their atoms. Radio frequency RF radiation is nonionizing. NPN transistor -- A transistor that has a layer of P-type semiconductor material sandwiched between layers of N-type semiconductor material. Offset--The to Hz difference in CW transmitting and receiving frequencies in a transceiver. For a repeater, offset refers to the difference between its transmitting and receiving frequencies. Ohm -- The basic unit of electrical resistance, used to describe the amount of opposition to current. One-way communications -- Transmissions that are not intended to be answered. The FCC strictly limits the types of one-way communications allowed on the amateur bands. Open repeater -- A repeater that can be used by all hams who have a license that authorizes operation on the repeater frequencies. The operator license is that portion of an Amateur Radio license that gives permission to operate an amateur station. The primary station license is that portion of an Amateur Radio license that authorizes an amateur station at a specific location. The station license also lists the call sign of that station. To use a repeater, transmit on the input frequency and receive on the output frequency. Packet radio -- A system of digital communication whereby information is broken into short bursts. The bursts "packets" also contain addressing and error-detection information. Parallel circuit -- An electrical circuit in which the electrons follow more than one path in going from the negative supply terminal to the positive terminal. Parasitic beam antenna -- Another name for the beam antenna. Parasitic element -- Part of a directive antenna that derives energy from mutual coupling with the driven element. Parasitic elements are not connected directly to the feed line. Peak envelope power PEP -- The average power of a signal at its largest amplitude peak. Pecuniary -- Payment of any type, whether money or other goods. Amateurs may not operate their stations in return for any type of payment. Phone -- Another name for voice communications. Phone emission -- The FCC name for voice or other sound transmissions. Phonetic alphabet -- Standard words used on voice modes to make it easier to understand letters of the alphabet, such as those in call signs. Pico -- The metric prefix for, or divide by 1,,,, PNP transistor -- A transistor that has a layer of N-type semiconductor material sandwiched between layers of P-type semiconductor material. Polarization -- The electrical-field characteristic of a radio wave. An antenna that is parallel to the surface of the earth, such as a dipole, produces horizontally polarized waves. An antenna that has both horizontal and vertical polarization is said to be circularly polarized. Portable device -- A radio transmitting device designed to have a transmitting antenna that is generally within 20 centimeters of a human body. Potentiometer -- Another name for a variable resistor. The value of a potentiometer can be changed over a range of values without removing it from a circuit. Power -- The rate of energy consumption. Power supply -- A circuit that provides a direct-current output at some desired voltage from an ac input voltage. Priority traffic -- Emergency-related messages, but not as important as Emergency traffic. Procedural signal prosign -- One or two letters sent as a single character. Propagation -- The study of how radio waves travel. Q signals -- Three-letter symbols beginning with Q. Used on CW to save time and to improve communication. QSO -- A conversation between two radio amateurs. Quarter-wavelength vertical antenna -- An antenna constructed of a quarter-wavelength long radiating element placed perpendicular to the earth. Radio-frequency interference RFI -- Disturbance to electronic equipment caused by radio-frequency signals. Anything that one operator types on his teleprinter will be printed on the other machine. Also known as narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy. Receiver--A device that converts radio waves into signals we can hear or see. Receiver incremental tuning RIT --A transceiver control that allows for Page 5
a slight change in the receiver frequency without changing the transmitter frequency. Some manufacturers call this a clarifier CLAR control. Receiver overload -- Interference to a receiver caused by a strong RF signal that forces its way into the equipment. A signal that overloads the receiver RF amplifier front end causes front-end overload. Receiver overload is sometimes called RF overload. Reflection -- Signals that travel by line-of-sight propagation are reflected by large objects like buildings. Reflector -- An element behind the driven element in a Yagi and some other directional antennas. Repeater station -- An amateur station that automatically retransmits the signals of other stations. Resistance -- The ability to oppose an electric current. Resistor -- Any material that opposes a current in an electrical circuit. An electronic component specifically designed to oppose or control current through a circuit. Resonant frequency -- The desired operating frequency of a tuned circuit. In an antenna, the resonant frequency is one where the feed-point impedance contains only resistance. RF burn -- A burn produced by coming in contact with exposed RF voltages. RF carrier -- A steady radio frequency signal that is modulated to add an information signal to be transmitted. For example, a voice signal is added to the RF carrier to produce a phone emission signal. RF overload -- Another term for receiver overload. RF radiation -- Waves of electric and magnetic energy. Such electromagnetic radiation with frequencies as low as 3 khz and as high as GHz are considered to be part of the RF region. RF safety -- Preventing injury or illness to humans from the effects of radio-frequency energy. RST -- A system of numbers used for signal reports: R is readability, S is strength and T is tone. On single-sideband phone, only R and S reports are used. Safety interlock -- A switch that automatically turns off ac power to a piece of equipment when the top cover is removed. Schematic symbol -- A drawing used to represent a circuit component on a wiring diagram. Selectivity--The ability of a receiver to separate two closely spaced signals. Sensitivity--The ability of a receiver to detect weak signals. Series circuit -- An electrical circuit in which all the electrons must flow through every part of the circuit. There is only one path for the electrons to follow. Shack -- The room where an Amateur Radio operator keeps his or her station equipment. Short circuit -- An electrical circuit in which the current does not take the desired path, but finds a shortcut instead. Often the current goes directly from the negative power-supply terminal to the positive one, bypassing the rest of the circuit. Sidebands -- The sum or difference frequencies generated when an RF carrier is mixed with an audio signal. Single-sideband phone SSB signals have an upper sideband USB -- that part of the signal above the carrier and a lower sideband LSB -- the part of the signal below the carrier. Silent Key -- SK. Euphemism for a deceased Amateur Radio operator. Run the 30 together and it has the same sound as SK. Simplex operation -- Receiving and transmitting on the same frequency. SSB is a form of amplitude modulation. The amplitude of the transmitted signal varies with the voice signal variations. Single-pole, double-throw SPDT switch -- A switch that connects one center contact to one of two other contacts. Single-pole, single-throw SPST switch -- A switch that only connects one center contact to another contact. Skip zone -- An area of poor radio communication, too distant for ground waves and too close for sky waves. Sky-wave propagation -- The method by which radio waves travel through the ionosphere and back to Earth. Sometimes called skip, sky-wave propagation has a far greater range than line-of-sight and ground-wave propagation. SOS -- A Morse code call for emergency assistance. The German delegation proposed its own SOE, which was already in use on German ships as a general inquiry signal similar to CQ which was then used only by the Marconi system. The convention decided that SOS should be sent as a single code character with a sound unlike any other character, thus arresting the attention of anyone hearing it. Splatter -- A type of interference to stations on nearby frequencies. Splatter occurs when a transmitter is overmodulated. Spurious emissions -- Signals from a transmitter on frequencies other than the operating frequency. Page 6
Chapter 5 : General pool, section G1E Radio communications between amateur stations on behalf of third parties.: arrangement between the United States of America and the International Telecommunication Union, effected by exchange of letters signed at Geneva and Washington April 28 and June 7, What is the National Traffic System? A variety of communications modes are used. It carries on a proud tradition of message relaying, established by Hiram Percy Maxim when he founded the ARRL for the purpose of handling message traffic in The goals of the NTS are to provide two things: Timely and reliable movement of formal written message traffic from origin to destination as a free public service to the amateur community and the general public. Training of amateur operators in handling of written traffic and participating in directed nets. Training of amateur operators in the processing of third party messages in directed nets continues the existence of a reserve of well trained radio communications personnel. Why should I participate? Traffic handlers enjoy a special camaraderie in the ham world. Traffic handlers are a dedicated group of Amateurs who handle transfer and deliver traffic messages for others as a free service of the hobby. Learning and honing skills to provide communications for their global neighborhood should the need arise due to civil or natural causes. Carrying on a tradition of service to our neighbors begun in the earliest days of our hobby. Part of a social gathering of Amateurs on the air who also handle traffic for the reasons listed above. Whatever the reason, traffic handling is a rewarding activity with which every amateur should be familiar. Few hams participate in traffic nets on a regular basis but those who do so are a very dedicated group and welcome new members. Check into a net and try this interesting facet of our hobby. What are the requirements for participation? The National Traffic System operates daily, with over nets regularly operating. If you can spend even an hour or so each week, then the NTS can provide you with an opportunity to serve. How are the nets organized? Formal written radiogram traffic usually enters the system on local nets. Next, liaisons move the traffic from the local nets to a section net. Next the traffic moves to an area net, in our case Eastern Area Net. Next, the traffic goes to a member of the Transcontinental Corps TCC, a dedicated group of amateurs who handle long-haul traffic between areas. The TCC then moves the traffic to another area net, where the whole process happens in reverse. When the traffic makes it to the remote local net, an amateur takes the traffic for delivery to the recipient, usually by telephone. The NTS Staff is responsible for oversight of the system as a whole. All traffic handlers in the section are recognized in the ENY monthly traffic reports. Where can I find more information? Two parts of the manual will be of particular interest to traffic handlers: You can find any zip code for the entire US by address at this location. A handy reference for any traffic handler. Here is a minimal zip code prefix map of the Eastern New York section. The best way to learn is to get on the air, join a net, then participate and have fun. There are nets throughout the day, every day of the year, so you will have plenty of opportunity to learn through experience. See you on the air! Page 7
Chapter 6 : Third Party Traffic - Letting my son use my rig 1 Arrangement between the United States and Turkey relating to radio communications between amateur stations on behalf of third parties. Effected by exchange of notes at. T1D01 question pool: With which countries are FCC-licensed amateur stations prohibited from exchanging communications? The correct answer is: A review Worldwide ham radio call sign prefix map. Permissible Countries Section Currently, there are no banned countries. North Korea does not allow its citizens to operate amateur radio stations. Photo courtesy Dennis Rodman. You might think that Communist countries would not allow amateur radio but the Soviet Union now Russia, Cuba and China all have active ham radio operators, and international contacts with ham radio are allowable in those countries. Third Party Restrictions Quite a few countries prohibit amateur radio third party traffic information passed on behalf of a third party, someone other than the two radio hams involved in the radio contact. The main objective here is to limit amateur radio to communications between radio hams only and not have it become an alternate form of communication for the general public. This was more of an issue back when international phone calls were expensive and countries were trying to protect their local telephone companies. It seems kind of pointless now with easy access to the internet. The way the FCC rules read, you cannot provide third party traffic to another country unless there is a third party agreement in place between the US and the other country. The following countries have made the necessary arrangements with the United States to permit an amateur station regulated by the FCC to exchange messages for a third party with amateur stations in: Christopher and Nevis, St. It is up to the other country whether they honor your FCC license or not. Canada has a very simple reciprocal operating procedure: Others require you to file an application and pay a fee. Summary To wrap this up then, if you are operating from the US or its territories, you can work any amateur station that shows up on the air. If you do plan to pass Third Party Traffic, then be sure to verify that the US has a third-party agreement in place. Page 8
Chapter 7 : Ham Radio: Third Party Communications Section defines the term "third-party communication" as a message from the control operator (first party) of an amateur station to another amateur station control operator (second party) on behalf of another person (third party). Control categories; repeater regulations; harmful interference; third party rules; ITU regions; automatically controlled digital station G1E01 Which of the following would disqualify a third party from participating in stating a message over an amateur station? The third party is not a U. The third party is a licensed amateur D. The third party is speaking in a language other than English G1E01 A. The FCC does not want those who have abused the Amateur Radio system enough to where their amateur license has been revoked to have an opportunity to use the system. Do not allow such individuals to make third party communications from your station. Refer to FCC Part: Register to edit Tags: Under no circumstances B. Only if the station on meters is operating under a Special Temporary Authorization allowing such retransmission C. Only during an FCC declared general state of communications emergency D. Although Technician class operators may operate SSB within the range The permissible segments for operating a repeater on the 10 meter radio band are only open to operators with a General Class license or above. However, a 2 meter signal from a Technician class operator may be RE-transmitted by a General Class operator using a 10 meter repeater. In this case both operators hold the frequency band privileges for the band on which they are transmitting. The station initiating the contact must be under local or remote control B. The interrogating transmission must be made by another automatically controlled station C. No third party traffic maybe be transmitted D. The control operator of the interrogating station must hold an Extra Class license G1E03 An automatically controlled digital station means a station which is unattended, and which transmits in data modes RTTY, etc on frequencies that are allocated for data emissions. The interrogating station must be under local or remote control. In other words, it cannot be interrogated by another automatically controlled station. Third party traffic is perfectly acceptable, provided that it follows the rules for third-party messages. There is no restriction as to what license class the control operator of the interrogating station can have. Last edited by glitteribbon. When using a band where the Amateur Service is secondary C. When a station is transmitting spread spectrum emissions D. All of these choices are correct G1E04 D. All of the choices listed above are cases where special steps must be taken to make sure that the station is not causing harmful interference. Any message, as long as the amateur operator is not paid B. Only messages for other licensed amateurs C. Only messages relating to Amateur Radio or remarks of a personal character, or messages relating to emergencies or disaster relief D. Any messages, as long as the text of the message is recorded in the station log G1E05 C. Third parties in another country should use communication means to which their country allows them. The FCC does let U. S Amateur radio operators convey such third party communications only if they relate to Amateur radio, are remarks of a personal character, or messages relating to emergencies or disaster relief. The licensee of the uncoordinated repeater has primary responsibility to resolve the interference B. The licensee of the coordinated repeater has primary responsibility to resolve the interference C. Both repeater licensees share equal responsibility to resolve the interference D. The frequency coordinator bears primary responsibility to resolve the interference G1E06 A. The FCC has a system for coordinating repeaters so that repeaters do not interfere with each other, such as being too close to each other while operating on the same frequency. Because of this, the licensed operator of a non-coordinated repeater has primary responsibility to resolve any interference as they are seen as "secondary" to the registered coordinated repeater. For more info see Wikipedia: Every foreign country, unless there is a third party agreement in effect with that country D. Third party communications, however, are restricted, and are only allowed if the U. S has a third-party agreement with that country. To see a list of current countries with which the U. S has a third party agreement go to: Information must be exchanged in English B. The foreign amateur station must be in a country with which the United States has a third party agreement C. The control operator must have at least a General Class license D. The question is about third Page 9
party communication, which is the passing of messages for a third party. A contact involving a non-licensed person counts as third party communication, and third party communication is restricted to countries with which the U. The language being used for the contact B. Any language recognized by the United Nations C. Chapter 8 : Allowable International Contacts with Ham Radio Ham Radio theinnatdunvilla.com (a) An amateur station may transmit messages for a third party to: (1) Any station within the jurisdiction of the United States. (2) Any station within the jurisdiction of any foreign government when transmitting emergency or disaster relief communications and any station within the jurisdiction of any foreign government whose administrat. Chapter 9 : theinnatdunvilla.com Classifieds ICOM IC-SP2 Speaker/AutoPatch No amateur station, however, shall transmit messages for a third party to any station within the jurisdiction of any foreign government whose administration has not made arrangements with the United States to allow amateur stations to be used for transmitting international communications on behalf of third parties. Page 10