ARRL Technician Practice Exam

What must you do if you are operating on the 23 cm band and learn that you are interfering with a radiolocation station outside the United States?

1. Ignore the interference

2. Stop operating or take steps to eliminate the harmful interference

3. Switch to a different frequency without notifying anyone

4. Keep operating but reduce the power

The correct answer is: Stop operating or take steps to eliminate the harmful interference

When operating on the 23 cm band, or any amateur radio band for that matter, it is crucial to be aware of your responsibility to avoid causing harmful interference, particularly to services that have priority, such as radiolocation stations. If you learn that your transmissions are interfering with a radiolocation station outside the United States, the appropriate action to take is to stop operating or find a way to eliminate the harmful interference. This action reflects the principle that amateur radio operators must act in a way that respects other users of the radio spectrum, especially in shared or adjacent bands. Radiolocation systems are essential for navigation and safety, and any interference with them could have significant consequences. Therefore, ensuring that your operation does not cause any harmful interference is not only a good practice but a requirement under the rules governing amateur radio operations. Switching frequencies without notifying anyone may not address the interference issue properly and could lead to further problems. Similarly, reducing the power while still transmitting does not guarantee that interference is eliminated. Ignoring the interference entirely can result in continued disruptions to critical services. Thus, the proactive approach of stopping operations or mitigating the interference aligns with the ethical and regulatory responsibilities of amateur radio operators.