T1A06: On which of the following HF frequencies can automatically controlled…

T1A06§ 97.203(d)T1A →

On which of the following HF frequencies can automatically controlled amateur propagation beacons be found?

AAnywhere in the Technician portion of 10 meters
BAnywhere, if they are registered with the FCC
CIn a specific portion of each of the HF Technician bands
DOn ten meters, between 28.200 MHz and 28.300 MHz

Why Section 97.203(d) lists the narrow segments where a beacon station may be automatically controlled, and on HF those are small slices of each band, not whole bands. On 10 meters that segment is 28.20 to 28.30 MHz, which is why propagation beacons cluster there and why listening around 28.2 MHz tells you quickly whether the band is open. The other automatic beacon windows are similarly narrow, for example 14.099 to 14.101 MHz on 20 meters.

Watch out The idea of beacons anywhere in the Technician 10 meter allocation is tempting because Technicians do have 10 meter privileges, but beacon segments are defined by rule for all licensees and are far narrower; beacons also need no special FCC registration.

Beacons live at 28.2, right below the 10 meter SSB calling frequency 28.400. Remember 28.200 to 28.300.

HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.

47 CFR 97.203(d) Beacon station.

(a) Any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license may be a beacon. A holder of a Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license may be the control operator of a beacon, subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held.

(b) A beacon must not concurrently transmit on more than 1 channel in the same amateur service frequency band, from the same station location.

(d) A beacon may be automatically controlled while it is transmitting on the 28.20-28.30 MHz, 50.06-50.08 MHz, 144.275-144.300 MHz, 222.05-222.06 MHz or 432.300-432.400 MHz segments, or on the 33 cm and shorter wavelength bands.

(e) Before establishing an automatically controlled beacon in the National Radio Quiet Zone or before changing the transmitting frequency, transmitter power, antenna height or directivity, the station licensee must give written notification thereof to the Interference Office, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box 2, Green Bank, WV 24944.

(1) The notification must include the geographical coordinates of the antenna, antenna ground elevation above mean sea level (AMSL), antenna center of radiation above ground level (AGL), antenna directivity, proposed frequency, type of emission, and transmitter power.

(2) If an objection to the proposed operation is received by the FCC from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, Pocahontas County, WV, for itself or on behalf of the Naval Research Laboratory at Sugar Grove, Pendleton County, WV, within 20 days from the date of notification, the FCC will consider all aspects of the problem and take whatever action is deemed appropriate.

(f) A beacon must cease transmissions upon notification by a Regional Director that the station is operating improperly or causing undue interference to other operations. The beacon may not resume transmitting without prior approval of the Regional Director.

(g) A beacon may transmit one-way communications.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov

T1A06

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