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ELEMENT 3 - GENERAL CLASS Study guide for the
ELEMENT 3 -
GENERAL CLASS
Amateur Radio License Exam
By
John Nordlund AD5FU
Lynette Dowdy KD5QMD
For exams taken on or before 06/30/07 only!
The question pool is scheduled for change on July 1
st
2007
This text has been edited to to reflect withdrawn questions due to changes in
Part 97 rules that went into effect on 12/15/06
Page 1 of 30 SUBELEMENT G1 -- COMMISSION'S RULES [6 Exam Questions -- 6 Groups]
G1A General control operator frequency privileges
There are 11 questions in subelement G1A asking for you to identify the general class frequency
privilege in one of the amateur bands. The table below lists those frequency ranges for each
band addressed by those questions. Some of the questions reference ITU Region 2. ITU Region
2 includes all of North America.
* - withdrawn from the exam pool 12/15/2006, edited to show
new frequencies that you should know anyway.
160-meter band (ITU Region 2) 1800 - 2000-kHz
75/80-meter band (ITU Region 2) 3525 -
3600
-kHz and
3800
4000-kHz
*
40-meter band (ITU Region 2) 7025 -
7125
-kHz and
7175
7300-kHz
*
30-meter band 10100 - 10150-kHz
20-meter band 14025 - 14150-kHz and 14225 - 14350-kHz
15-meter band 21025 - 21200-kHz and
21275
21450-kHz
*
12-meter band 24890 - 24990-kHz
10-meter band 28000 - 29700-kHz
17-meter band 18068 - 18168-kHz
The frequency segments for General class licensees within the 75/80-meter band in ITU Region
2 that are authorized for CW emissions are 3525 -
3600
kHz and
3800
- 4000 kHz.
*
It is
important to note that CW is authorized anywhere that amateur transmissions are authorized
except on the 5 channels of the 60 meter band.
The frequency segments within the 10-meter band authorized for phone emissions are 28300 -
29700 kHz. Frequencies on the 10 meter band below 28300 kHz are restricted to CW or digital
modes only.
G1B Antenna structure limitations; good engineering and good amateur practice; beacon
operation; restricted operation; retransmitting radio signals
Provided it is not at or near a public-use airport, 200 feet is the maximum height above ground
an antenna structure may rise without requiring its owner to notify the FAA and register with the
FCC. FAA regulations require lighting devices for towers over 200 feet in height to assist aircraft
in avoiding your tower.
If the FCC Rules DO NOT specifically cover a situation, you must operate your amateur station
in accordance with good engineering and good amateur practice.
An amateur station may not be used for the gathering of news information based upon the idea
that the information is more quickly transmitted by amateur radio. While news organizations
may obtain information from amateur radio communications, amateur radio may not be used
directly as a news gathering/reporting system.
Page 2 of 30 Amateur radio may not be used to transmit music, obscene or indecent words, or false or
deceptive signals. With proper authorization, an amateur station may be used for the
retransmission of space
craft
communications. The only limited circumstance where music
may be transmitted by an amateur station is when it is an incidental part of an authorized space
craft
audio retransmission.
*
To prevent your station from accidentally re-transmitting music or
signals from a non amateur station, you should turn down the volume of the background audio
source.
An amateur station in two-way communication may never transmit a message in a secret code in
order to obscure the meaning of the communication. Abbreviations or procedural signals may be
used in the amateur service if they do not obscure the meaning of a message.
Beacon stations are a type of amateur station that may transmit only one-way communications.
The FCC requirements regarding beacon stations are that only one signal per band is permitted
from a given location, the transmitter power of the beacon station must not exceed 100 watts, the
control operator of the beacon station must hold a valid amateur operator license of Technician
class or higher. There is no requirement that all transmissions must use audio frequency shift
keying (AFSK).
G1C Transmitter power standards; certification of external RF- power-amplifiers;
standards for certification of external RF-power amplifiers; HF data emission standards
According to FCC rules, General class licensees are permitted to use the minimum power
required to conduct communications up to a maximum power of 1500 watts PEP output.
Different locations within the amateur bands may or may not have power restrictions that apply
due to FCC rules and/or other treaty requirements.
The maximum transmitting power an amateur station may use on 3690 kHz is 200 watts PEP
output because this frequency is assigned to Novice and Technician class operators who are
restricted to 200 watts PEP output.
The maximum transmitting power an amateur station may use on 7080 kHz is 1500 watts PEP
output. This frequency is part of the General class allocation on the 40 meter band.
The maximum transmitting power an amateur station may use on 10.140 MHz is 200 watts PEP
output. This band is limited to 200 watts PEP output by international treaty and FCC rules
because amateur radio is a secondary allocation on this band.
The maximum transmitting power an amateur station may use on 21.305 MHz is the minimum
power necessary to carry out the desired communications, with a maximum of 1500 watts PEP
output. 21.305 MHz is in the General class allocation on the 15 meter band.
The maximum transmitting power an amateur station may use on 24.950 MHz is 1500 watts PEP
output. The entire 12 meter band is available to General class licensees.
Page 3 of 30 The maximum transmitting power an amateur station may use on 7255 kHz is the minimum
power necessary to carry out the desired communications, with a maximum of 1500 watts PEP
output. 7255 kHz is in the General class allocation on the 40 meter band.
The maximum transmitting power an amateur station may use on 14.300 MHz is the minimum
power necessary to carry out the desired communications, with a maximum of 1500 watts PEP
output. 14.300 MHz is in the General class allocation on the 20 meter band.
The maximum transmitting power a station with a General Class control operator may use on
28.400 MHz is the minimum power necessary to carry out the desired communications, with a
maximum of 1500 watts PEP output. While 28.400 MHz is authorized for use by Technician
Plus operators who are restricted to 200 watts PEP output, there is no additional restriction for
General class and higher licensees at this frequency.
The maximum transmitting power a station with a General Class control operator may use on
28.150 MHz is the minimum power necessary to carry out the desired communications, with a
maximum of 1500 watts PEP output. 28.150 MHz is also authorized for use by Technician Plus
operators who are restricted to 200 watts PEP output, there is no additional restriction for
General class and higher licensees at this frequency.
The maximum transmitting power an amateur station may use on 1825 kHz is the minimum
power necessary to carry out the desired communications, with a maximum of 1500 watts PEP
output. The 160 meter band is only available to General class and higher licensees.
The requirements for when a station is transmitting on the 60-meter band are that all
transmissions may only use Upper Sideband (USB); the 3-dB bandwidth of a signal shall not
exceed 2.8 kHz, when centered on any of the five FCC- authorized transmitting frequencies;
transmissions shall not exceed an effective radiated power of 50 W PEP. There is no
requirement that antenna height shall not exceed 50 feet above mean sea level (AMSL). In fact
most locations are above 50 feet mean sea level.
G1D Examination element preparation; examination administration; temporary station
identification
There will be no Element 1 exams after 02/23/07, however these questions are still in the
pool, as that change does not go into effect until that date.
An accredited VE holding a General Class operator license may prepare and/or administer
examination Elements (1) Morse code and (2) Technician written exam. A minimum of three
VEC-accredited General Class or higher VEs must be present to administer a Technician Class
operator examination. To participate as an administering VE for a Technician Clas