[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 5]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR97.203]

[Page 576-577]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
                         COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 97--AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart C--Special Operations
 
Sec. 97.203  Beacon station.

    (a) Any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician, 
Technician Plus, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator 
license may be a beacon. A holder of a Technician, Technician Plus, 
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.
    (c) The transmitter power of a beacon must not exceed 100 W.
    (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 an EIC 
that the station is operating improperly or causing undue interference 
to other operations. The beacon may not resume transmitting without 
prior approval of the EIC.
    (g) A beacon may transmit one-way communications.
    (h) The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to repeaters that 
transmit on the 1.2 cm or shorter wavelength bands. Before establishing 
a repeater within 16 km (10 miles) of the Arecibo Observatory or before 
changing the transmitting frequency, transmitter power, antenna height 
or directivity of an existing repeater, the station licensee must give 
notification thereof at least 20 days in advance of planned peration to 
the Interference Office, Arecibo Observatory, Post Office Box 995, 
Arecibo, Puerto Rico 00613, in writing or electronically, of the 
technical

[[Page 577]]

parameters of the proposal. Licensees who choose to transmit information 
electronically should e-mail to: prcz@naic.edu
    (1) The notification shall state the geographical coordinates of the 
antenna (NAD-83 datum), antenna height above mean sea level (AMSL), 
antenna center of radiation above ground level (AGL), antenna 
directivity and gain, proposed frequency and FCC Rule Part, type of 
emission, effective radiated power, and whether the proposed use is 
itinerant. Licensees may wish to consult interference guidelines 
provided by Cornell University.
    (2) If an objection to the proposed operation is received by the FCC 
from the Arecibo Observatory, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, within 20 days from 
the date of notification, the FCC will consider all aspects of the 
problem and take whatever action is deemed appropriate. The licensee 
will be required to make reasonable efforts in order to resolve or 
mitigate any potential interference problem with the Arecibo 
Observatory.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 55 FR 9323, Mar. 13, 1990; 56 
FR 19610, Apr. 29, 1991; 56 FR 32517, July 17, 1991; 62 FR 55536, Oct. 
27, 1997; 63 FR 41204, Aug. 3, 1998; 63 FR 68980, Dec. 14, 1998]