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E1C05

COMMISSION RULES · Automatic and remote control; band-specific regulations; operating in and communicating with foreign countries; spurious emission standards; HF modulation index limit; band-specific rules

E1C05§ 97.221(c)(1), 97.115(c)E1C →

Under what situation may a station transmit third party communications while being automatically controlled?

  1. ANever
  2. BOnly when transmitting RTTY or data emissions
  3. COnly when transmitting SSB or CW
  4. DOn any mode approved by the National Telecommunication and Information Administration
Why Section 97.115(c) allows third party communications under automatic control only when the station is transmitting an RTTY or data emission. This is the rule that lets unattended digipeaters, packet nodes, winlink gateways and message forwarding systems relay traffic from third parties without a control operator present at the controls. Voice and CW repeaters or automatically controlled stations do not get that privilege, because the message content in digital store-and-forward systems is handled under the forwarding station rules.
Watch out The choice saying never is close to the spirit of the general rule but ignores the digital exception; the NTIA choice is a distractor since NTIA manages federal government spectrum, not amateur emission approvals.
Automatic control + third party traffic = digital only. Think packet/Winlink mailbox, not a voice repeater.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.221(c)(1) Automatically controlled digital station.

(a) This rule section does not apply to an auxiliary station, a beacon station, a repeater station, an earth station, a space station, or a space telecommand station.

(b) A station may be automatically controlled while transmitting a RTTY or data emission on the 6 m or shorter wavelength bands, and on the 28.120-28.189 MHz, 24.925-24.930 MHz, 21.090-21.100 MHz, 18.105-18.110 MHz, 14.0950-14.0995 MHz, 14.1005-14.112 MHz, 10.140-10.150 MHz, 7.100-7.105 MHz, or 3.585-3.600 MHz segments.

(c) Except for channels specified in § 97.303(h), a station may be automatically controlled while transmitting a RTTY or data emission on any other frequency authorized for such emission types provided that:

(1) The station is responding to interrogation by a station under local or remote control; and

(2) No transmission from the automatically controlled station occupies a bandwidth of more than 500 Hz.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
47 CFR 97.115(c) Third party communications.

(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 administration has made arrangements with the United States to allow amateur stations to be used for transmitting international communications on behalf of third parties. No station shall transmit messages for a third party to any station within the jurisdiction of any foreign government whose administration has not made such an arrangement. This prohibition does not apply to a message for any third party who is eligible to be a control operator of the station.

(b) The third party may participate in stating the message where:

(1) The control operator is present at the control point and is continuously monitoring and supervising the third party's participation; and

(2) The third party is not a prior amateur service licensee whose license was revoked or not renewed after hearing and re-licensing has not taken place; suspended for less than the balance of the license term and the suspension is still in effect; suspended for the balance of the license term and re-licensing has not taken place; or surrendered for cancellation following notice of revocation, suspension or monetary forfeiture proceedings. The third party may not be the subject of a cease and desist order which relates to amateur service operation and which is still in effect.

(c) No station may transmit third party communications while being automatically controlled except a station transmitting a RTTY or data emission.

(d) At the end of an exchange of international third party communications, the station must also transmit in the station identification procedure the call sign of the station with which a third party message was exchanged.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
← E1C04 All of E1C E1C06 →

The rest of E1C

  1. E1C01 What is the maximum bandwidth for a data emission on 60 meters?
  2. E1C02 Which of the following apply to communications transmitted to amateur stations in foreign countries?
  3. E1C03 How long must an operator wait after filing a notification with the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) before…
  4. E1C04 What is an IARP?
  5. E1C05 Under what situation may a station transmit third party communications while being automatically controlled?
  6. E1C06 Which of the following is required in order to operate in accordance with CEPT rules in foreign countries whe…
  7. E1C07 What notifications must be given before transmitting on the 630- or 2200-meter bands?
  8. E1C08 What is the maximum permissible duration of a remotely controlled station's transmissions if its control link…
  9. E1C09 What is the highest modulation index permitted at the highest modulation frequency for angle modulation below…
  10. E1C10 What is the maximum mean power level for a spurious emission below 30 MHz with respect to the fundamental emi…
  11. E1C11 Which of the following operating arrangements allows an FCC-licensed US citizen to operate in many European c…
  12. E1C12 In what portion of the 630-meter band are phone emissions permitted?
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