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Qualified Operations
Only people with suitable qualifications are permitted to operate an amateur station.
A person without amateur qualifications may communicate via an amatateur station, provided the station is always under the control of a qualified person.
Station Identification
When operating your Amateur Sation you must identify yourself using your call sign.
Identification is required in the following case
- At the beginning of a a group of transmissions
- At the end of a group of transmissions
- at least every 10 minutes during a sequence of transmissions.
Identification is not required every time you push the PTT button. Once at the start, once at the end and every ten minutes while you are having a conversation.
Maximum Power Output
The maximum power output from your station is limited by your license. The maximum power output from a Foundation operator is 10 Watts in all modes.
Encoded Messages Prohibited
Encoded messages in Amateur Radio is not pertmitted. This includes digital messages and also speaking in codes in voice modes. You must not try to obscure the meaning of the message you are sending.
Usage of “digital modes”, that are encoded with the publicly available method and thus can be decoded by any amateur, are permitted.
Distress and urgency Signals
In amateur Radio, an emergency situation is indicated by the use of the word “MAY-DAY”.
Stations calling MAY-DAY have priority over all other communications.
If you hear a station calling MAY-DAY, cease all transmissions and listen. Take note of the details and if no other station sucessfully makes contact with the station in emergency, you should attempt to contact them. Note, the Amateur Class license allows amateur to operator ouside of the normal class license regulations during an emergency.
Be sure to record all details for later relay to the proper authorities.
Urgent situations that do not rise to the level of emergencies can be indicated by the use of the signal PAN-PAN.
A Station calling PAN-PAN is indicating that they need assistance but may not need an emergency response.
You should listen and record the details of the situation for later user. A station calling PAN-PAN could at any time upgrade their situation to emergency status and you should prepare to act.
All Emergency communications must be relayed to the appropriate authority as soon as possible.
- for land-based distress situations - the police via 000
- for air or sea-based distress situations - the Rescue Coordination Centre, Canberra ACT
- aviation rescue services telephone 1800 815 257
- maritime rescue services telephone 1800 641 792
Sation Security
You must ensure that your station equipment is left in a secure state which does not allow auuthorised people to operate the station.
Sample Questions
Below are some sample questions you may encounter in your exam.
Syllabus
Syllabus items covered by this module.