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E1A03

COMMISSION RULES · Frequency privileges; signal frequency range; automatic message forwarding; stations aboard ships or aircraft; power restriction on 630- and 2200-meter bands

E1A03§ 97.305, 97.307(b)E1A →

What is the highest legal carrier frequency on the 20-meter band for transmitting a 2.8 kHz wide USB data signal?

  1. A14.0708 MHz
  2. B14.1002 MHz
  3. C14.1472 MHz
  4. D14.3490 MHz
Why Under 97.305 the RTTY/data segment on 20 meters runs from 14.000 to 14.150 MHz, and 97.307(b) says no part of your emitted signal may fall outside the authorized band segment. An upper sideband signal occupies the space from the suppressed carrier frequency upward, so a 2.8 kHz wide USB data signal extends 2.8 kHz above the carrier. Subtract that width from the segment edge: 14.150 MHz - 0.0028 MHz = 14.1472 MHz.
Watch out The choice near 14.349 MHz treats 14.350 MHz (the top of the phone/image segment) as the limit, but data emissions are not permitted above 14.150 MHz on 20 meters.
Data top on 20 m is 14.150. USB grows upward, so back off the full 2.8 kHz: 14.1472.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.305 Authorized emission types.

(a) Except as specified elsewhere in this part, an amateur station may transmit a CW emission on any frequency authorized to the control operator.

(b) A station may transmit a test emission on any frequency authorized to the control operator for brief periods for experimental purposes, except that no pulse modulation emission may be transmitted on any frequency where pulse is not specifically authorized and no SS modulation emission may be transmitted on any frequency where SS is not specifically authorized.

(c) A station may transmit the following emission types on the frequencies indicated, as authorized to the control operator, subject to the standards specified in § 97.307(f):

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
47 CFR 97.307(b) Emission standards.

(a) No amateur station transmission shall occupy more bandwidth than necessary for the information rate and emission type being transmitted, in accordance with good amateur practice.

(b) Emissions resulting from modulation must be confined to the band or segment available to the control operator. Emissions outside the necessary bandwidth must not cause splatter or keyclick interference to operations on adjacent frequencies.

(c) All spurious emissions from a station transmitter must be reduced to the greatest extent practicable. If any spurious emission, including chassis or power line radiation, causes harmful interference to the reception of another radio station, the licensee of the interfering amateur station is required to take steps to eliminate the interference, in accordance with good engineering practice.

(d) For transmitters installed after January 1, 2003, the mean power of any spurious emission from a station transmitter or external RF power amplifier transmitting on a frequency below 30 MHz must be at least 43 dB below the mean power of the fundamental emission. For transmitters installed on or before January 1, 2003, the mean power of any spurious emission from a station transmitter or external RF power amplifier transmitting on a frequency below 30 MHz must not exceed 50 mW and must be at least 40 dB below the mean power of the fundamental emission. For a transmitter of mean power less than 5 W installed on or before January 1, 2003, the attenuation must be at least 30 dB. A transmitter built before April 15, 1977, or first marketed before January 1, 1978, is exempt from this requirement.

(e) The mean power of any spurious emission from a station transmitter or external RF power amplifier transmitting on a frequency between 30-225 MHz must be at least 60 dB below the mean power of the fundamental. For a transmitter having a mean power of 25 W or less, the mean power of any spurious emission supplied to the antenna transmission line must not exceed 25 µW and must be at least 40 dB below the mean power of the fundamental emission, but need not be reduced below the power of 10 µW. A transmitter built before April 15, 1977, or first marketed before January 1, 1978, is exempt from this requirement.

(f) The following standards and limitations apply to transmissions on the frequencies specified in § 97.305(c).

(1) No angle-modulated emission may have a modulation index greater than 1 at the highest modulation frequency.

(2) No non-phone emission shall exceed the bandwidth of a communications quality phone emission of the same modulation type. The total bandwidth of an independent sideband emission (having B as the first symbol), or a multiplexed image and phone emission, shall not exceed that of a communications quality A3E emission.

(3) Only a RTTY or data emission using a specified digital code listed in § 97.309(a) may be transmitted. The authorized bandwidth is 2.8 kHz except in the 2200 m band and 630 m band. In the 2200 m band and the 630 m band the symbol rate must not exceed 300 bauds, or for frequency-shift keying, the frequency shift between mark and space must not exceed 1 kHz.

(4) [Reserved]

(5) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified digital code listed in § 97.309(a) may be transmitted. The symbol rate must not exceed 19.6 kilobauds. A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in § 97.309(b) also may be transmitted. The authorized bandwidth is 20 kHz.

(6) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified digital code listed in § 97.309(a) may be transmitted. The symbol rate must not exceed 56 kilobauds. A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in § 97.309(b) also may be transmitted. The authorized bandwidth is 100 kHz.

(7) A RTTY, data or multiplexed emission using a specified digital code listed in § 97.309(a) or an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in § 97.309(b) may be transmitted.

(8) A RTTY or data emission having designators with A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1, 2, 7, 9 or X as the second symbol; and D or W as the third symbol is also authorized.

(9) A station having a control operator holding a Novice or Technician Class operator license may only transmit a CW emission using the international Morse code.

(10) A station having a control operator holding a Novice Class operator license or a Technician Class operator license may only transmit a CW emission using the international Morse code or phone emissions J3E and R3E.

(11) Phone and image emissions may be transmitted only by stations located in ITU Regions 1 and 3, and by stations located within ITU Region 2 that are west of 130° West longitude or south of 20° North latitude.

(12) Emission F8E may be transmitted.

(13) A data emission using an unspecified digital code under the limitations listed in § 97.309(b) also may be transmitted. The authorized bandwidth is 100 kHz.

(14) In the 60 m band:

(i) A station may transmit only phone, RTTY, data, and CW emissions. RTTY or data emissions must meet the digital code specifications listed in § 97.309. Emissions must not exceed a bandwidth of 2.8 kilohertz.

(ii) The control operator of a station transmitting data or RTTY emissions must exercise care to limit the length of transmissions so as not to cause harmful interference to United States Government stations.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
← E1A02 All of E1A E1A04 →

The rest of E1A

  1. E1A01 Why is it not legal to transmit a 3 kHz bandwidth USB signal with a carrier frequency of 14.348 MHz?
  2. E1A02 When using a transceiver that displays the carrier frequency of phone signals, which of the following display…
  3. E1A03 What is the highest legal carrier frequency on the 20-meter band for transmitting a 2.8 kHz wide USB data sig…
  4. E1A04 May an Extra class operator answer the CQ of a station on 3.601 MHz LSB phone?
  5. E1A05 Who must be in physical control of the station apparatus of an amateur station aboard any vessel or craft tha…
  6. E1A06 What is the required transmit frequency of a CW signal for channelized 60 meter operation?
  7. E1A07 What is the maximum power permitted on the 2200-meter band?
  8. E1A08 If a station in a message forwarding system inadvertently forwards a message that is in violation of FCC rule…
  9. E1A09 Except in some parts of Alaska, what is the maximum power permitted on the 630-meter band?
  10. E1A10 If an amateur station is installed aboard a ship or aircraft, what condition must be met before the station i…
  11. E1A11 What licensing is required when operating an amateur station aboard a US-registered vessel in international w…
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