G1B08: When is it permissible to communicate with amateur stations in countr…

G1B08§ 97.111(a)(1)G1B →

When is it permissible to communicate with amateur stations in countries outside the areas administered by the Federal Communications Commission?

AOnly when the foreign country has a formal third-party agreement filed with the FCC
BWhen the contact is with amateurs in any country except those whose administrations have notified the ITU that they object to such communications
COnly when the contact is with amateurs licensed by a country which is a member of the United Nations, or by a territory possessed by such a country
DOnly when the contact is with amateurs licensed by a country which is a member of the International Amateur Radio Union, or by a territory possessed by such a country

Why Under 97.111(a)(1), amateur-to-amateur international contacts are permitted by default. The only exception is when a country's telecommunications administration has notified the ITU that it objects to such communications, which is a very short list. So you may work DX anywhere unless that country has formally opted out.

Watch out The third-party agreement idea is a different rule: those agreements only matter when you pass messages or let a non-licensed third party talk through your station, not for ordinary ham-to-ham contacts. UN or IARU membership has nothing to do with amateur operating privileges.

Work the world unless they told the ITU 'no'. Third-party agreements are about messages, not contacts.

HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.

47 CFR 97.111(a)(1) Authorized transmissions.

(a) An amateur station may transmit the following types of two-way communications:

(1) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with other stations in the amateur service, except those in any country whose administration has notified the ITU that it objects to such communications. The FCC will issue public notices of current arrangements for international communications.

(2) Transmissions necessary to meet essential communication needs and to facilitate relief actions.

(3) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a station in another FCC-regulated service while providing emergency communications;

(4) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a United States government station, necessary to providing communications in RACES; and

(5) Transmissions necessary to exchange messages with a station in a service not regulated by the FCC, but authorized by the FCC to communicate with amateur stations. An amateur station may exchange messages with a participating United States military station during an Armed Forces Day Communications Test.

(b) In addition to one-way transmissions specifically authorized elsewhere in this part, an amateur station may transmit the following types of one-way communications:

(1) Brief transmissions necessary to make adjustments to the station;

(2) Brief transmissions necessary to establishing two-way communications with other stations;

(3) Telecommand;

(4) Transmissions necessary to providing emergency communications;

(5) Transmissions necessary to assisting persons learning, or improving proficiency in, the international Morse code; and

(6) Transmissions necessary to disseminate information bulletins.

(7) Transmissions of telemetry.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov

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