[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 119 (Friday, June 20, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 35290-35292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14414]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 97

[WT Docket No. 12-283; FCC 14-74]


Amateur Service Rules

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the rules for the Amateur Radio Service 
by modifying the qualifying examination system to grant partial 
examination credit for certain expired amateur operator licenses, 
permits examinations to be administered remotely, and allows amateur 
stations to transmit certain additional emission types. The rule 
amendments are necessary to implement these changes. Additionally, this 
document amends certain rules to conform them to prior Commission 
decisions. The effect of this action is to enhance the usefulness of 
the amateur service rules by making the amateur service more accessible 
to former licensees and to allow amateur stations to transmit certain 
additional emission types.

DATES: Effective July 21, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William T. Cross, Mobility Division, 
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-0680, or TTY (202) 
418-7233.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Report 
and Order (R&O), adopted June 5, 2014, and released June 9, 2014. The 
full text of this document is available for inspection and copying 
during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center, 445 12th 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20554. The complete text may be purchased 
from the Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 
445 12th Street SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554. The full text 
may also be downloaded at: www.fcc.gov. Alternative formats are 
available to persons with disabilities by sending an email to 
[email protected] or by calling the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau 
at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty).
    1. By this action, the Commission amends the rules for the Amateur 
Radio Service by modifying the qualifying examination system to grant 
partial examination credit for certain expired amateur operator 
licenses.
    2. Also, by this action, the Commission permits examinations to be 
administered remotely.
    3. In addition, the Commission allows amateur stations to transmit 
certain additional emission types and makes certain minor, non-
substantive amendments to the amateur service rules to reflect that the 
Commission previously eliminated the requirement that certain amateur 
radio service licensees pass a Morse code examination.
    4. The rules that the Commission adopted in this R&O apply to 
amateur radio clubs, some of which may be small entities. The 
Commission certifies that no regulatory flexibility analysis is 
necessary here because, even if a substantial number of amateur radio 
clubs were affected by the rules, there would not be a significant 
economic impact on those entities. The rules we are adopting do not 
impose economic requirements. Instead, they relate to the 
administration of the amateur radio service. Therefore, we certify that 
the rule changes adopted in this R&O will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
    5. This R&O and the rule amendments are issued under the authority 
contained in 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 303(r), and 403.
    6. Paperwork Reduction Act Analysis. This Report and Order does not 
contain new or modified information collection(s), subject to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. In addition, 
because businesses are not eligible for licensing in the amateur radio 
service, the Report and Order it does not contain any proposed new or 
modified ``information collection burden for small business concerns 
with fewer than 25 employees,'' pursuant to the Small Business 
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(4).
    7. Congressional Review Act. The Commission will send a copy of 
this Report and Order to Congress and the Government Accountability 
Office pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 
801(a)(1)(4).
    8. The Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, 
Reference Information Center, SHALL SEND a copy of this Report and 
Order, including the Initial and Final Regulatory Flexibility 
Certifications, to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration.

 List of Subject in 47 CFR Part 97

    Radio.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.

Rule Changes

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR part 97 as follows:

PART 97--AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE

0
1. The authority citation for part 97 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 154, 303. 
Interpret or

[[Page 35291]]

apply 48 Stat. 1064-1068, 1081-1105, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 151-155, 
301-609, unless otherwise noted.


0
2. Section 97.3 is amended by revising paragraph (c)(5) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  97.3  Definitions.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (5) Phone. Speech and other sound emissions having designators with 
A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2, 3 or X as the 
second symbol; E 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.
* * * * *

0
3. Section 97.7 is amended by revising the section heading to read as 
follows:


Sec.  97.7  Control operator required.

* * * * *

0
4. Section 97.21 is amended by revising paragraph (c) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  97.21  Application for a modified or renewed license grant.

* * * * *
    (c) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, a call 
sign obtained under the sequential or vanity call sign system will be 
reassigned to the station upon renewal or modification of a station 
license.

0
5. Section 97.113 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(3)(i) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  97.113  Prohibited transmissions.

    (a) * * *
    (3) * * *
    (i) A station licensee or station control operator may participate 
on behalf of an employer in an emergency preparedness or disaster 
readiness test or drill, limited to the duration and scope of such test 
or drill, and operational testing immediately prior to such test or 
drill. Tests or drills that are not government-sponsored are limited to 
a total time of one hour per week; except that no more than twice in 
any calendar year, they may be conducted for a period not to exceed 72 
hours.
* * * * *

0
6. Section 97.307 is amended by revising paragraphs (f)(8) and (f)(10) 
to read as follows:


Sec.  97.307  Emission standards.

* * * * *
    (f) * * *
    (8) A RTTY or data emission having designators with A, B, C, D, E, 
F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2, 7, 9 or X as the second 
symbol; and D or W as the third symbol is also authorized.
* * * * *
    (10) A station having a control operator holding a Novice Class 
operator license or a Technician Class operator license may only 
transmit a CW emission using the international Morse code or phone 
emissions J3E and R3E.
* * * * *

0
7. Section 97.505 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  97.505  Element credit.

    (a) The administering VEs must give credit as specified below to an 
examinee holding any of the following license grants:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Unexpired (or     Expired and beyond
         Operator class           within the renewal  the renewal  grace
                                    grace period)           period
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Amateur Extra..............  Not applicable.....  Elements 3 and 4.
(2) Advanced; General; or        Elements 2 and 3...  Element 3.
 Technician granted before
 March 21, 1987.
(3) Technician Plus; or          Element 2..........  No credit.
 Technician granted on or after
 March 21, 1987.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (b) The administering VEs must give credit to an examinee holding a 
CSCE for each element the CSCE indicates the examinee passed within the 
previous 365 days.

0
8. Section 97.507 is amended by revising paragraphs (a) and (c) and 
removing paragraph (d) to read as follows:


Sec.  97.507  Preparing an examination.

    (a) Each written question set administered to an examinee must be 
prepared by a VE holding an Amateur Extra Class operator license. A 
written question set may also be prepared for the following elements by 
a VE holding an operator license of the class indicated:
* * * * *
    (c) Each written question set administered to an examinee for an 
amateur operator license must be prepared, or obtained from a supplier, 
by the administering VEs according to instructions from the 
coordinating VEC.

0
9. Section 97.509 is amended by revising paragraphs (c), (f) and (h) 
and removing and reserving paragraph (g), to read as follows:


Sec.  97.509  Administering VE requirements.

* * * * *
    (c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout the 
entire examination. The administering VEs are responsible for the 
proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The 
administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon 
failure of the examinee to comply with their instructions.
* * * * *
    (f) No examination that has been compromised shall be administered 
to any examinee. The same question set may not be re-administered to 
the same examinee.
    (g) [Reserved]
    (h) Upon completion of each examination element, the administering 
VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers. For examinations 
administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the examinee's 
answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The administering VEs 
are responsible for determining the correctness of the examinee's 
answers.
* * * * *

0
10. Section 97.513 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  97.513  VE session manager requirements.

* * * * *
    (b) The VE session manager may carry on liaison functions between 
the VE team and the coordinating VEC.
* * * * *

0
11. Section 97.519 is amended by revising paragraph (b)(2) to read as 
follows:

[[Page 35292]]

Sec.  97.519  Coordinating examination sessions.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) Resolve all discrepancies and verify that the VEs' 
certifications are properly completed; and
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2014-14414 Filed 6-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P