Topband: strange propagation

[kolson at rcn.com]

I keep hearing folks say that "stations are no longer licensed", but I can only find this in the FCC rules on the ARRL website: 

§97.5   Station license required. 
(a) The station apparatus must be under the physical control of a person named in an amateur station license grant on the ULS consolidated license database or a person authorized for alien reciprocal operation by §97.107 of this part, before the station may transmit on any amateur service frequency from any place that is: 
(1) Within 50 km of the Earth's surface and at a place where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC; 
(2) Within 50 km of the Earth's surface and aboard any vessel or craft that is documented or registered in the United States; or 
(3) More than 50 km above the Earth's surface aboard any craft that is documented or registered in the United States. 
(b) The types of station license grants are: 
(1) An operator/primary station license grant. One, but only one, operator/primary station license grant may be held by any one person. The primary station license is granted together with the amateur operator license. Except for a representative of a foreign government, any person who qualifies by examination is eligible to apply for an operator/primary station license grant. 
(2) A club station license grant. A club station license grant may be held only by the person who is the license trustee designated by an officer of the club. The trustee must be a person who holds an operator/primary station license grant. The club must be composed of at least four persons and must have a name, a document of organization, management, and a primary purpose devoted to amateur service activities consistent with this part. 
(3) A military recreation station license grant. A military recreation station license grant may be held only by the person who is the license custodian designated by the official in charge of the United States military recreational premises where the station is situated. The person must not be a representative of a foreign government. The person need not hold an amateur operator license grant. 

§97.103   Station licensee responsibilities. 
(a) The station licensee is responsible for the proper operation of the station in accordance with the FCC Rules. When the control operator is a different amateur operator than the station licensee, both persons are equally responsible for proper operation of the station. 
(b) The station licensee must designate the station control operator. The FCC will presume that the station licensee is also the control operator, unless documentation to the contrary is in the station records. 
(c) The station licensee must make the station and the station records available for inspection upon request by an FCC representative. 

The eCFR text is the same and is noted as being "...current as of January 13, 2016." 

I can find no reference to stations licenses no longer being required, can anyone illuminate this for me? 

As far as responsibility for transmissions from outside the US, from W3BE (ex-head of the old Amateur and Citizens (Radio) Division of the FCC in the day, FWIW): 

Q. I have a remotely controlled station in suburban Chicago. My friend has a ham license in the United Kingdom. Can he legitimately be the control operator of my station from England via the Internet?  
   A. Yes, as long as you are in agreement with him doing so. The U.S. and the U.K. have a reciprocal operating agreement. Section 97.5 and Section 97.107 authorize your U.K. friend to be either or both the station licensee and the station control operator of an amateur station in places where the FCC regulates our amateur service. Here are your choices: 
   Choice One: The station transmits your primary station call sign in the station identification announcement. This establishes you as the station licensee, responsible for the proper operation of the station. Read Section 97.103 (a). You and your friend are both accountable for the duties of its control operator being performed properly. Note that Section 97.103 (b) says that the FCC will presume that you, the station licensee, are also the control operator unless there is documentation to the contrary. So, keep a record.  
   Choice Two: Relinquish physical control of station apparatus to your U.K. friend. Read Section 97.5(a) . The station transmits your friend’s U.K.-assigned station call sign in the identification announcement. This establishes your friend alone as being responsible for performing properly the duties of both the station licensee and its control operator. You are not accountable. He should append the identifier /W9 to his U.K. call sign in the station identification announcements. 

73, Kevin K3OX 


----- Original Message -----

From: "Louis Parascondola via Topband" <topband at contesting.com> 
To: herbs at vitelcom.net, topband at contesting.com 
Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 3:20:32 AM 
Subject: Re: Topband: strange propagation 

As I said earlier, stations are no longer licensed iirc.  That said, the control operator is fully responsible.  I will check on this with the RHR group. 

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