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T1B11

COMMISSION'S RULES · Frequency allocations; Emission modes; Spectrum sharing; Transmissions near band edges; Contacting the International Space Station; Power output

T1B11§ 97.313T1B →

What is the maximum peak envelope power output for Technician class operators in their HF band segments?

  1. A200 watts
  2. B100 watts
  3. C50 watts
  4. D10 watts
Why Section 97.313 sets a special ceiling of 200 watts PEP for Technician (and Novice) operation in the HF bands, which for Technicians means the CW segments of 80, 40 and 15 meters plus the CW, RTTY/data and SSB privileges on 10 meters. This is lower than the general 1500 watt PEP limit that applies to most amateur operation. Remember that Part 97 also requires you to use no more power than necessary for the communication, so 200 watts is a cap, not a target.
Watch out The 100 watt figure is tempting because it is the typical output of a common HF transceiver and it is the VHF/UHF limit Technicians face on 219-220 MHz, but it is not the HF rule; 50 watts is the limit in the 70 cm band for certain cases, not HF.
Tech on HF: 200 watts PEP. Think "two hundred on the HF bands, fifteen hundred everywhere else you're allowed."
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.313 Transmitter power standards.

(a) 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.

(c) No station may transmit with a transmitter power output exceeding 200 W PEP:

(1) On the 10.10-10.15 MHz segment;

(2) On the 3.525-3.60 MHz, 7.025-7.125 MHz, 21.025-21.20 MHz, and 28.0-28.5 MHz segment when the control operator is a Novice Class operator or a Technician Class operator; or

(3) The 7.050-7.075 MHz segment when the station is within ITU Regions 1 or 3.

(d) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 25 W PEP on the VHF 1.25 m band when the control operator is a Novice operator.

(e) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 5 W PEP on the UHF 23 cm band when the control operator is a Novice operator.

(f) An Earth station or telecommand station may transmit on the 435-438 MHz segment with a maximum of 611 W effective radiated power (1 kW equivalent isotropically radiated power). The transmitting antenna elevation angle between the lower half-power (−3 dB relative to the peak or antenna bore sight) point and the horizon must always be greater than 10°. No other station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the UHF 70 cm band from an area specified in § 2.106(c)(270)(i) of this chapter, unless expressly authorized by the FCC after mutual agreement, on a case-by-case basis, between the Regional Director of the applicable field facility and the military area frequency coordinator at the applicable military base.

(g) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the 33 cm band from within 241 km of the boundaries of the White Sands Missile Range. Its boundaries are those portions of Texas and New Mexico bounded on the south by latitude 31°41′ North, on the east by longitude 104°11′ West, on the north by latitude 34°30′ North, and on the west by longitude 107°30′ West.

(h) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the 219-220 MHz segment of the 1.25 m band.

(i) 60 m band power requirements: No station may transmit on the frequencies 5.332, 5.348, 5.373, and 5.405 MHz in the 60 m band with a radiated power exceeding 100 W ERP. No station may transmit in the 5.3515-5.3665 MHz band with a radiated power exceeding 9.15 W ERP. For the purpose of computing ERP, the transmitter PEP will be multiplied by the antenna gain relative to a half-wave dipole antenna. A half-wave dipole antenna will be presumed to have a gain of 1 (0 dBd). Licensees using other antennas must maintain in their station records either the antenna manufacturer's data on the antenna gain or calculations of the antenna gain.

(j) No station may transmit with a transmitter output exceeding 10 W PEP when the station is transmitting a SS emission type.

(k) No station may transmit in the 135.7-137.8 kHz (2200 m) band with a transmitter power exceeding 1.5 kW PEP or a radiated power exceeding 1 W EIRP.

(l) No station may transmit in the 472-479 kHz (630 m) band with a transmitter power exceeding 500 W PEP or a radiated power exceeding 5 W EIRP, except that in Alaska, stations located within 800 kilometers of the Russian Federation may not transmit with a radiated power exceeding 1 W EIRP.

(m) No station may transmit with a peak equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) exceeding 316 W in the 76-81 GHz (4 mm) band.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
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The rest of T1B

  1. T1B01 Which of the following frequency ranges are available for phone operation by Technician licensees?
  2. T1B02 Which of the following U.S. amateur radio operators are allowed to contact the International Space Station (I…
  3. T1B03 Which frequency is in the 6-meter amateur band?
  4. T1B04 Which amateur band includes 146.52 MHz?
  5. T1B05 Which of the following bands include frequencies where Technicians are authorized to use digital modes such a…
  6. T1B06 On which HF bands does a Technician class operator have phone privileges?
  7. T1B07 Which of the following VHF/UHF band segments are limited to CW only?
  8. T1B08 How are US amateurs restricted in segments of bands where the Amateur Radio Service is secondary?
  9. T1B09 Why should you not set your transmit frequency to be exactly at the edge of an amateur band or sub-band?
  10. T1B10 Where may SSB phone be used in amateur bands above 50 MHz?
  11. T1B11 What is the maximum peak envelope power output for Technician class operators in their HF band segments?
  12. T1B12 Except for some specific restrictions, what is the maximum peak envelope power output for Technician class op…
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