[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 5]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR97.315]

[Page 643]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
                         COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 97_AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart D_Technical Standards
 
Sec.  97.315  Certification of external RF power amplifiers.

    (a) No more than 1 unit of 1 model of an external RF power amplifier 
capable of operation below 144 MHz may be constructed or modified during 
any calendar year by an amateur operator for use at a station without a 
grant of certification. No amplifier capable of operation below 144 MHz 
may be constructed or modified by a non-amateur operator without a grant 
of certification from the FCC.
    (b) Any external RF power amplifier or external RF power amplifier 
kit (see Sec.  2.815 of the FCC Rules), manufactured, imported or 
modified for use in a station or attached at any station must be 
certificated for use in the amateur service in accordance with subpart J 
of part 2 of the FCC Rules. This requirement does not apply if one or 
more of the following conditions are met:
    (1) The amplifier is not capable of operation on frequencies below 
144 MHz. For the purpose of this part, an amplifier will be deemed to be 
incapable of operation below 144 MHz if it is not capable of being 
easily modified to increase its amplification characteristics below 120 
MHz and either:
    (i) The mean output power of the amplifier decreases, as frequency 
decreases from 144 MHz, to a point where 0 dB or less gain is exhibited 
at 120 MHz; or
    (ii) The amplifier is not capable of amplifying signals below 120 
MHz even for brief periods without sustaining permanent damage to its 
amplification circuitry.
    (2) The amplifier was manufactured before April 28, 1978, and has 
been issued a marketing waiver by the FCC, or the amplifier was 
purchased before April 28, 1978, by an amateur operator for use at that 
amateur operator's station.
    (3) The amplifier was:
    (i) Constructed by the licensee, not from an external RF power 
amplifier kit, for use at the licensee's station; or
    (ii) Modified by the licensee for use at the licensee's station.
    (4) The amplifier is sold by an amateur operator to another amateur 
operator or to a dealer.
    (5) The amplifier is purchased in used condition by an equipment 
dealer from an amateur operator and the amplifier is further sold to 
another amateur operator for use at that operator's station.
    (c) Any external RF power amplifier appearing in the Commission's 
database as certificated for use in the amateur service may be marketed 
for use in the amateur service.

[54 FR 25857, June 20, 1989, as amended at 63 FR 36611, July 7, 1998]

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