In studying for my Extra, using the ARRL Extra Class License Manual
(2001), I came across an interesting note...

"There is a general rule that you may not be paid to operate your Amateur
Radio station. In most cases this also means that you cannot operate an
Amateur Radio station during the time that you are being paid by your
employer."

Does this mean that if I'm sitting at my desk at work, doing a job that
doesn't have anything to do with radio, and during break time I pick up my
HT and call someone on the local repeater, that I'm violating FCC rules?

That would be a bizarre interpretation, and not anything I've ever seen
before in 42 years as a ham...

"Rick" wrote...
In studying for my Extra, using the ARRL Extra Class License Manual
(2001), I came across an interesting note...

"There is a general rule that you may not be paid to operate your
Amateur
Radio station. In most cases this also means that you cannot operate
an
Amateur Radio station during the time that you are being paid by your
employer."

Does this mean that if I'm sitting at my desk at work, doing a job
that
doesn't have anything to do with radio, and during break time I pick
up my
HT and call someone on the local repeater, that I'm violating FCC
rules?

That would be a bizarre interpretation, and not anything I've ever
seen
before in 42 years as a ham...

And I participate during lunch-hour in a weekly net of our
employer-sanctioned (and supported) emergency amateur
radio services organization. Virtually all of us are sallaried
(not hourly) employees, and technically "on the clock".

I always assumed it was a prohibition on using amateur radio
for transport of commercial traffic.

On Mar 18, 4:17?pm, Rick wrote:

Does this mean that if I'm sitting at my desk at work, doing a job that
doesn't have anything to do with radio, and during break time I pick up my
HT and call someone on the local repeater, that I'm violating FCC rules?

IMHO, no.

The key elements a

1) The job doesn't have anything to do with radio

2) You're on break time, not work time

The fact that you are being paid during break time
isn't the determining factor. If you get a paid
vacation, you can still operate while on vacation
even though your employer is paying you then.

73 de Jim, N2EY

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:17:10 CST, Rick wrote:

Does this mean that if I'm sitting at my desk at work, doing a job that
doesn't have anything to do with radio, and during break time I pick up my
HT and call someone on the local repeater, that I'm violating FCC rules?

That would be a bizarre interpretation, and not anything I've ever seen
before in 42 years as a ham...

If you are doing this "on your own time" (which includes break time)
and does not have anything to do with the business of the employer or
the job that you are hired for or work that you are assigned to do,
then there's no violation involved. This is no different from reading
a book or balancing your checkbook on break time.

Of course if your employer objects, you may find yourself with lots of
time to work ham radio!!
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
ARRL Volunteer Counsel

email: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

Phil Kane wrote in
:

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
ARRL Volunteer Counsel


What about ARRL employees who are paid for amateur related work?

Case in point - An ARRL tech is being paid to test, in the ARRL Lab, a new
2 meter radio for publication in the magazine companies August issue. He's
being paid to write the article and operate the radio, right?

Of course, how does a magazine company with paid subscribers get a ham
license in the first place (W1AW)??

Larry
--
Message for Comcrap Internet Customers:
http://tinyurl.com/3ayl9c
Unlimited Service my ass.....(d^
..

"Richard Crowley" wrote in news:12vr4sjscil3u40
@corp.supernews.com:

And I participate during lunch-hour in a weekly net of our
employer-sanctioned (and supported) emergency amateur
radio services organization. Virtually all of us are sallaried
(not hourly) employees, and technically "on the clock".

I always assumed it was a prohibition on using amateur radio
for transport of commercial traffic.



Hospital workers and emergency service personnel are all being "paid" to
operate ham radio after they get their licenses, as are NOAA Weather Bureau
bureaucrats at WX4CHS, at the Charleston Weather Bureau Office.

None that I know of have been busted.

Larry W4CSC
--
Message for Comcrap Internet Customers:
http://tinyurl.com/3ayl9c
Unlimited Service my ass.....(d^
..

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:37:25 CST, Larry wrote:

What about ARRL employees who are paid for amateur related work?

There is a specific exemption in the Rules for operators at W1AW.

Case in point - An ARRL tech is being paid to test, in the ARRL Lab, a new
2 meter radio for publication in the magazine companies August issue. He's
being paid to write the article and operate the radio, right?

How do you know that s/he is not operating into a dummy load? g

The answer is in the content of the communication. If the content is
on the business of the employer, it is improper. If it's just general
hamming, especially if it's under the W1AW "umbrella" then it's not
improper.

It's no different from me borrowing a specific piece of equipment to
evaluate and then writing a magazine article on it for which I am
being paid

Of course, how does a magazine company with paid subscribers get a ham
license in the first place (W1AW)??

The ARRL is a membership organization. The licensee of W1AW is the
ARRL Headquarters Operators Club, a bona fide amateur radio club. They
do not operate the station to further the publishing arm of the ARRL.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

From the AE Question pool:

E1B05 (C) [97.113(c)]
When may an amateur operator accept compensation for serving as the
control
operator of an amateur station used in a classroom?
A. Only when the amateur operator does not accept pay during periods
of time
when the amateur station is used
B. Only when the classroom is in a correctional institution
C. Only when the amateur operator is paid as an incident of a
teaching position
during periods of time when the station is used by that teacher as a
part of
classroom instruction at an educational institution
D. Only when the station is restricted to making contacts with
similar stations
at other educational institutions

Answer is "C"


0n Mar 18, 10:19 pm, Phil Kane wrote:
On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:37:25 CST, Larry wrote:
What about ARRL employees who are paid for amateur related work?

There is a specific exemption in the Rules for operators at W1AW.

Case in point - An ARRL tech is being paid to test, in the ARRL Lab, a new
2 meter radio for publication in the magazine companies August issue. He's
being paid to write the article and operate the radio, right?

How do you know that s/he is not operating into a dummy load? g

The answer is in the content of the communication. If the content is
on the business of the employer, it is improper. If it's just general
hamming, especially if it's under the W1AW "umbrella" then it's not
improper.

It's no different from me borrowing a specific piece of equipment to
evaluate and then writing a magazine article on it for which I am
being paid



Of course, how does a magazine company with paid subscribers get a ham
license in the first place (W1AW)??

The ARRL is a membership organization. The licensee of W1AW is the
ARRL Headquarters Operators Club, a bona fide amateur radio club. They
do not operate the station to further the publishing arm of the ARRL.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest

Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

On Mar 19, 12:21�pm, wrote:
From the AE Question pool:

E1B05 (C) [97.113(c)]
When may an amateur operator accept compensation for serving as the
control
operator of an amateur station used in a classroom?
A. *Only when the amateur operator does not accept pay during periods
of time
when the amateur station is used
B. *Only when the classroom is in a correctional institution
C. *Only when the amateur operator is paid as an incident of a
teaching position
during periods of time when the station is used by that teacher as a
part of
classroom instruction at an educational institution
D. *Only when the station is restricted to making contacts with
similar stations
at other educational institutions

Answer is "C"

The key part of that is in the question.

It asks about accepting "compensation for serving as the control
operator of an amateur station"

In other words, acting as the control operator has to be
part of the job itself, not an incidental activity.

If a ham gets a paid lunch or break period and operates
an amateur station during that time, s/he isn't being paid to
do so. It's not part of the job.

Being paid *while* operating is not the same as
being paid *for* operating.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Being a Taxi driver and being dispatched by amateur radio = No - No!
Being a Taxi driver and visiting with friends on the local 2-meter while
waiting for a fa No Problem.

Being an engineer for BNSF and talking to the conductor about the condition
of the train with 2-meter ham radio's = NO-NO!

Being a engineer/conductor and talking to the automobile driving down the
highway about the train on 2 meter simplex: No problem.

Space Shuttle (ISS) astronauts use Sarex to talk to school children all the
time, no problem, but if NASA used the amateur radio equipment to control
the flight then there would be a problem.

If you use the ham equipment IN/FOR your job is the problem.
If you use the ham equipment while at your job is only a problem if it
interfeers with your job performance.



Simple logic rules.
Russ

"Rick" wrote in message
news

In studying for my Extra, using the ARRL Extra Class License Manual
(2001), I came across an interesting note...

"There is a general rule that you may not be paid to operate your Amateur
Radio station. In most cases this also means that you cannot operate an
Amateur Radio station during the time that you are being paid by your
employer."

Does this mean that if I'm sitting at my desk at work, doing a job that
doesn't have anything to do with radio, and during break time I pick up my
HT and call someone on the local repeater, that I'm violating FCC rules?

That would be a bizarre interpretation, and not anything I've ever seen
before in 42 years as a ham...