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PHYS 401 Physics of Ham Radio 136

Session 5 FCC Regulations

Safety

Figures in this course book are reproduced with the permission of the American Radio Relay League.

This booklet was compiled by John P. Cross AB5OX


The Amateur Service •  Amateur Operator - a person holding a valid license to operate an amateur

station. •  Amateur Station - A station licensed in the amateur service, including the

apparatus necessary for carrying on radiocommunications. •  Amateur Radio License - includes an operator license and a station license.

–  FCC (Gettysburg PA) issues licenses.

–  Class of license determines frequency privileges

–  New ones only Technician, AGeneral, and Amateur Extra

–  novice, advanced, Tech plus = old grandfathered .

–  Must have original or copy to operate.

–  FRN number - Good for 10 years - renew at ULS (2 year grace period).

–  ULS system: www.wireless.fcc.gov/uls to change email, address, renew, etc. •  Control Operator - 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. Must be at control point - able to turn the radio off! Operate only to privileges of control operator. Responsibility joint between control operator and station licensee.

•  Repeater – the originating transmitter is responsible, not the repeater.


Five Principles of Amateur Radio •  Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur

service to the public as a voluntary non commercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.

•  Continuation and extension of the amateur's ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.

•  Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communications and technical phases of the art.

•  Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians and electronics experts.

•  Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to enhance international goodwill.


Interference •  Harmful – Interference that is disruptive but not intentional. – Deal with it as best you can and help others avoid harmful interference. – Might happen if you are secondary user

• Willful – Intentionally causing interference. – This becomes a legal and law enforcement issue. – This is rare and there are procedures to deal with this


Amateur Licenses Class Tests PrivilegesTechnician Basic theory and

regulations(Element 2)

All amateur privileges above50.0 MHz

Technicianwith Morsecode privileges(Tech – plus)

5 wpm code(Element 1)

All "novice" HF plustechnician

General Elements 1,2 and 3 All privileges except thosereserved for Amateur Extra

Amateur Extra Elements 1,2,3 and4

All amateur privileges.

Note: Tech-plus no longer given out (no longer is Element 1 administered)

× ×


US Regions

Note: Tech-plus no longer given out (no longer is Element 1 administered)


• Portable – operating away from primary station location. • If in the different call sign district add:

– “portable 6” if voice. – /6 if Morse code or digital. – Not required, just nice to do.

• If recent upgrade add “AG” or “AE.” (upgrades don’t have to wait to be in the FCC database but new licenses do!) • Vanity call signs: $14 • Gen and Extra calls: 1x2 or 2x1

Call Sign Additions


200 Watts PEP

E = Amateur ExtraA = AdvancedG = GeneralT = TechnicianN = Novice

= RTTY and data= phone and image

= SSB phone= CW only

= USB phone, CW, RTTY, and data= Fixed digital message forwarding systems only

KEY

Note: CW operation is permitted throughout all amateur bands.

MCW is authorized above 50.1 MHz, except for 144.0-144.1 and 219-220 MHz.

Test transmissions are authorized above 51 MHz, except for 219-220 MHz

Copyright © ARRL 2012 rev. 4/12/2012

US AMATEUR POWER LIMITSFCC 97.313 An amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications. (b) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5 kW PEP.

See ARRLWeb at www.arrl.org for detailed band plans.

ARRL Headquarters: 860-594-0200 (Fax 860-594-0259) email: [email protected]

Publication Orders: www.arrl.org/shop Toll-Free 1-888-277-5289 (860-594-0355) email: [email protected]

Membership/Circulation Desk: www.arrl.org/membership Toll-Free 1-888-277-5289 (860-594-0338) email: [email protected]

Getting Started in Amateur Radio: Toll-Free 1-800-326-3942 (860-594-0355) email: [email protected]

Exams: 860-594-0300 email: [email protected]

Effective DateMarch 5, 2012

US Amateur Radio Bands Published by:

225 Main Street, Newington, CT USA 06111-1494www.arrl.org

®

160 Meters (1.8 MHz)

1.800 1.900 2.000

E,A,G

MHz

Phone and Image modes are permitted between 7.075 and 7.100 MHz for FCC licensed stations in ITU Regions 1 and 3 and by FCC licensed stations in ITU Region 2 West of 130 degrees West longitude or South of 20 degrees North latitude. See Sections 97.305(c) and 97.307(f)(11). Novice and Technician licensees outside ITU Region 2 may use CW only between 7.025 and 7.075 MHz and between 7.100 and 7.125 MHz. 7.200 to 7.300 MHz is not available outside ITU Region 2. See Section 97.301(e). These exemptions do not apply to stations in the continental US.

18.168 MHz18.11018.068

17 Meters (18 MHz)

E,A,G

20 Meters (14 MHz)

14.000

14.025 14.15014.175

14.225

14.350 MHz

EAG

14.150

33 cm (902 MHz)

902.0 928.0 MHz

E,A,G,T

*

70 cm (420 MHz)

420.0 450.0E,A,G,T

MHz

*

6 Meters (50 MHz)

50.0

50.1

54.0E,A,G,T

MHz

2 Meters (144 MHz)

144.0

144.1

148.0E,A,G,T

MHz

23 cm (1240 MHz)1240

1270 1295

1300

N (5 W )E,A,G,T

MHz

1.25 Meters (222 MHz)

219.0 220.0222.0 225.0

E,A,G,T

MHz

30 Meters (10.1 MHz)

10.100 10.150 MHz

E,A,G

Avoid interference to fixed services outside the US.Avoid interference to radiolocation operations from 1.900 to 2.000 MHz

12 Meters (24 MHz)

24.890 24.930 24.990 MHz

E,A,G

10 Meters (28 MHz)

28.000

28.000

28.300

28.500

29.700 MHz

E,A,G

General, Advanced, and Amateur Extra licensees may operate on these five channels on a secondary basis with a maximum effective radiated output of 100 W PEP. Permitted operating modes include upper sideband voice (USB), CW, RTTY, PSK31 and other digital modes such as PACTOR III as defined by the FCC Report and Order of November 18, 2011. USB is limited to 2.8 kHz centered on 5332, 5348, 5358.5, 5373 and 5405 kHz. CW and digital emissions must be centered 1.5 kHz above the channel frequencies indicated above. Only one signal at a time is permitted on any channel.

60 Meters (5.3 MHz)

*

80 Meters (3.5 MHz)

3.500

3.525

3.600 3.700

3.800

4.000

N,T(200 W )

N,T(200 W )

N,T(200 W )

N,T(200 W )

GAE

MHz

3.600

5330.5

2.8 kHz

5346.5 5357.0 5371.5 5403.5 kHz

E,A,G(100 W )

40 Meters (7 MHz)

7.000

7.025

7.125

7.175

7.300

E

MHz

AG

7.125

15 Meters (21 MHz)

21.000

21.025

21.200

21.225

21.275

21.450 MHz

EAG

21.200

N (25 W )

All licensees except Novices are authorized all modes on the following frequencies:2300-2310 MHz2390-2450 MHz3300-3500 MHz5650-5925 MHz

10.0-10.5 GHz *24.0-24.25 GHz47.0-47.2 GHz76.0-81.0 GHz

122.25-123.0 GHz134-141 GHz241-250 GHzAll above 275 GHz

*Geographical and power restrictions may apply to all bands above 420 MHz. See The ARRL Operating Manual for information about your area.

* No pulse emissions


Country Codes Each country has a prefix for that country or territory (340 at present)

US = (AA-AK), N, K, W www.arrl.org/DXCC/dxcclist_jan-2013a.txt

Examples: 3W = VietNam, 5N = Nigeria, 5X = Uganda, etc..


Power Limitations •  Transmitter Power: 1500 Watts PEP maximum

except: –  200 watts PEP on all novice/tech sub-bands –  200 watts PEP on 30 meters –  100 watts PEP for beacon stations –  Novice/tech 25 watts PEP 222.1-223.91 MHz –  Novice/tech 5 watts PEP 1270-1295 MHz

•  PEP (peak envelope power) - the average power supplied to the antenna transmission line by a transmitter during one RF cycle at the crest of modulation. Transmitter power is measured at the antenna terminals of the transmitter or amplifier.


On The Air Activities

•  Relaying Messages •  Ragchewing •  DX (long distance communications) •  Collecting Awards and Certificates •  Contesting •  Community Service •  Emergency Communications


Use of Phonetic Alphabet Improves Understanding


Operating Guidelines •  Valid US call signs begin with A, K, N, W, Number depends

on call district (NYT, page 2-16) •  Unidentified communications or signals prohibited. ID

every 10 minutes and at end of conversation. For third party in foreign country you have to use both call signs at end of conversation.

•  Broadcasting is prohibited; so is malicious (harmful) interference, false or deceptive signals

•  Third party communications allowed in US and countries with third party agreements.

•  Amateur Communications is noncommercial radio communication between amateur stations, solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary or business interest.


More Information About Operations • An amateur station must use the minimum power necessary to carry out the desired conversation.

• Test emissions (unmodulated carrier) should be minimized, use a dummy load

• Secondary service (e.g.450 MHz) - a station in secondary service must not cause harmful interference to stations in primary service and must accept interference from stations in primary service.

• Repeater - Station that automatically re-transmits the signals of other stations.

• FCC rules in favor of coordinated repeaters. Uncoordinated repeater is responsible for solving the interference problem.

• Auxiliary – additional transfer used to send to repeaters


Emergency Communications •  FCC recognizes that "amateurs may provide essential

communications in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communications systems are not available."

•  Operations in emergency situations may be outside the person’s license privileges.

•  RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) - must be registered with responsible civil defense organization to operate a RACES station. Rules permit tests and drills for one hour per week.

•  Tactical call signs ("command post" or "ambulance control") promote efficiency. They do not fulfill ID requirements, however.

•  ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) – volunteers. Must be licensed, registered and trained.


More Regulations •  Telecommand of Model Craft - transmitter must have

station's call sign and licensee's name and address. Maximum power is one watt.

•  Prohibited Transmissions: –  accepting direct or indirect payment for operating an

amateur station. (exception – teachers who teach amateur radio as part of their job)

–  broadcasting. –  news gathering –  transmitting music. –  aiding criminal activities. –  transmitting codes and ciphers. –  engaging in obscenity, profanity or indecency.


A Radio in space - IMAGE •  Space’s longest dipole antenna - 500 m tip to tip! •  Was active 2000 - 2006 •  Crossed dipoles, plus a spin axis antenna allow

direction finding. •  Sounding of remote regions is like “radar”.

–  Can get doppler information (motion of target) –  Bounces off the plasma regions of the

magnetosphere –  (like a skywave bounces off the ionosphere)

•  Crossed dipoles, plus a spin axis antenna allow direction finding of the return signals

•  “Space Weather” CD has information, and links to realtime data.

•  Listen to the sounds of space! http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/inspire/

http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/


A Radio in space - IMAGE


Emissions and SAFETY

Chapter 9

Figures in this course book are reproduced with the permission of the American Radio Relay League.

This booklet was compiled by John P. Cross AB5OX


RF Safety •  Radio Frequency (RF) is a combination of electric and

magnetic fields in the range of 3kHz to 300GHz. •  Non-ionizing radiation (60 Hz and RF): frequency is too

low to ionize atoms. •  Ionizing radiation (some X-rays, gamma rays, some

ultraviolet): frequency is high enough to ionize atoms •  Thermal effects: RF, at high enough power densities, is

capable of heating body tissue and causing burns. It can even heat the eyes enough to cause cataracts and blindness.

•  Athermal effects: evidence that magnetic fields (produced by RF radiation or power lines) may actually cause biological effects at power levels too low to cause heating. To date, studies are inconclusive.


Thermal Effects and Safety •  Your body can absorb RF energy at certain frequencies.

–  body (adult) resonant frequency 35 MHz (grounded) or 70 MHz (ungrounded).

–  head (adult) absorbs at 400 MHz while infants absorb 700 MHz.

–  absorption at the body surface about 1 GHz. •  Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) describes the rate that RF

is absorbed by the body. •  Maximum permissible exposure (MPE) is based on whole body

SAR and explains why the safe exposure limits vary with frequency.

•  You should avoid contact with antennas and open feed lines. Keep shields in place.

•  RF burns can be caused by touching antennas, feedlines and amplifiers, design your station accordingly.


Safe Exposure Levels •  IEEE developed guidelines for safe exposure levels. Have

been adopted by ANSI. –  averaged over a period of time, Duty cycle important.

(high duty cycle = more exposure) –  controlled environments: energy levels can be determined

and everyone on premises aware of presence of EM (e.g. amateur operator’s household).

–  uncontrolled environment: energy levels not known or persons present may or may not be aware of presence of EM (e.g. amateur operator’s neighbors).

•  Standards are different for electric (E,V/m) and magnetic (H, A/m) fields. Can also be expressed in power density (mW/cm2).

•  Cardiac pacemakers not affected, but check with doctor.


Exposure Standards

Note: people most sensitive at 10-40 MHz


-••• • ••• •- ••-• • -• --- – ••• --- •-• •-• –•-– !


FCC Exposure Regulations •  Controls exposure to RF fields, not strength of RF

fields. •  Depends on environment being controlled or

uncontrolled (visitors can wander in). •  Requires all amateur stations be evaluated.

–  actual measurements or calculations –  use of tables

•  Some stations exempted: <50 W PEP, HTs and vehicle mounted radios with PTT button.

•  These stations still have to comply with the MPE limits.

•  Most stations are already in compliance.


FCC Exposure Regulations (cont’d)

•  FCC has a bulletin that contains charts and tables to estimate compliance:

• OET Bulletin 65: Evaluating Compliance with FCC-Specified Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Radiation.

•  FCC does not require records, but could be useful if the FCC asks.

•  You will indicate that you know and understand the regulations when you fill out the Form 610 for you license examination.


Determining Field Strengths Around Antennas •  Field strength meters have an antenna which can cause

mutual coupling with the transmitting antenna resulting in an altered radiation pattern. This can happen in the reactive near (induction) field.

•  The reactive near field is considered to be about one half wavelength from the radiating center of a wire antenna.

•  In the radiating near field conductors can alter the radiation pattern. There could be “hot spots” you can’t find with a meter.

•  The radiating far field forms the traveling RF wave with an E and H component. –  E/H = 337Ω (intrinsic impedance of free space)

•  In the far field, field strength follow the inverse square law.


•  This table is used to determine exposure limits based on actual measurements or field strength calculations.

•  Requires calibrated field strength meter to make the measurements.

•  Note the difference in averaging time and the requirement to use power density above 300 MHz.


Evaluations by Tables

•  Tables are set up to evaluate stations with commonly used antennas and frequencies.

• Note that there is a difference in exposure for controlled and uncontrolled environments.

• Generally, distance to the limit increases with frequency, power and antenna gain.

•  These tables are the most commonly used method by amateurs.


•  Another method for evaluation is to use graphs such as this one.

•  Any value of effective radiated power, which takes into account antenna performance, can be found on the graph and be used to compare to MPE tables.


Steps to Limit RF Exposure •  Reduce power •  Locate antennas more distant from areas of

controlled and uncontrolled exposure. •  Reduce transmitting times within a 6 minute

(uncontrolled) or 30 minute (controlled) period. •  Select a low duty cycle (ratio of average power to

PEP) operating mode –  FM = PM = RTTY > CW > SSB

•  Select an antenna the reduces exposure and orient it properly.


Thi


Unauthorized Use - Safety Tips •  To protect your station from unauthorized use you

could: –  install a key lock on your power supply –  remove microphone from your mobile rig.

•  Be certain that you have a good ground, that your equipment is all grounded and ground all antennas when not in use.

•  RF exposure can cause damage to your body - so be careful. Keep antennas away from people. 1270 MHz can cause damage to eyes.

•  Do not defeat interlocks - they protect you from high voltage, especially in power amplifiers.


Electrical Wiring Safety •  Three conductor wiring systems (common in most houses):

– hot - black or red - this one should have the fuse. It also will have a connection to the brass screw in a lamp socket or switch.

– neutral - this one goes to the unfused side of a transformer primary. In a switch or socket, attach it to the white screw

– Ground - green or bare copper - connect this to the chassis ground or to the green screw in a switch or socket.

•  National Electrical Code provides limits for safety in power wiring and antennas.

•  Low levels of electricity (30 volts, 0.1 ampere) could be fatal. The brain is the most susceptible organ in the body.

•  If you have to mess with live wires, keep one hand behind your back (don’t let electricity cross your heart), make sure power supply switch is easily accessible, make sure others know where fuse box main breaker is.


Electrical Safety


Electrical Safety •  REMOVE POWER!

– Have ON/OFF switches and circuit breakers clearly marked. – Push people off live circuits with a broom or other nonconductor

• Call for help. • Learn CPR and first aid. • (Rice CPR includes training on AED’s

which can restart hearts that have stopped) (Know where the nearest AED is…)!


Household Wiring


ARRL Safety Code - Part 1 •  Unplug everything you plan to work on before touching

anything behind or inside the radio. •  Never let anyone turn the power on and off for you when

you’re working on a radio. •  Don’t work on a radio when you’re tired or sleepy. Don’t

work alone. •  Never adjust internal electrical components by hand - use

the proper plastic or insulated tools. Be sure the insulation is in good condition.

•  Don’t touch grounded metal (like radiators or water pipes) or wet floors when you’re working on radio equipment. You can get a dangerous shock even if the equipment is grounded, through “ground loops” between different ground points.


ARRL Safety Code - Part 2 •  Never wear headphones when working on radios. •  Always keep one hand in your pocket when working

on radios. That way, if you do touch a “hot” point, the electricity cannot travel across your chest and cause a heart attack.

•  Tell your family how to turn the power off and how to give artificial respiration. Be sure you are up to date in first aid.

•  Develop your own safety techniques. Take the time to be careful, death is permanent.

•  Antenna safety – everyone use hard hat; always have a buddy or spotter when working on tower

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