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Who's in Control of Your Station?

About a month or so before Field Day and certain other popular operating events, ARRL is inundated with questions about FCC rules as they apply to Field Day and other operating events. We'll use Field Day in this article, but it is equally applicable in other instances where there are questions on the type of control. Of course, every station must have a control operator (97.103). You normally operate your own station, but on Field Day, you often operate using someone else's station. You, the licensee, are responsible for all transmissions from your station. During Field Day, many amateurs often use a single call sign, so the station licensee must designate a control operator(s). Both the station licensee and the control operator are equally responsible for all transmissions (97.103(a) and (b)). When you, the station licensee, designate others as control operators, you should make a note in the log. You are no longer required to carry a photocopy of your license whenever you are the control operator of a station, but it's still a good idea. For a detailed look at this topic, seeĀ FCC Rule Book available from Amateur Radio dealers).

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