FCC rules governing the amateur radio service are documented in Part 97. Americans interested in becoming hams are faced with an important decision when studying for the exam, "should I read FCC Part 97 rules (or not)?". It is of course completely feasible to pass any of the FCC tests without having read the Party 97 rules. This is due to the fact that the exam question pool is freely available and one could simply memorize the answers.
However, we would argue that reading FCC Part 97 rules is a necessary step in the journey to becoming an American Ham. That is because we all have a responsibility to operate our stations within the legal boundaries and to teach and help others to do the same. Additionally, reading Part 97 will also help you pass the FCC amateur radio exams. Knowing the law of the land is part of being a good citizen of this great country.
FCC Part 97 rules are readily available from the FCC and ARRL. So regardless if you are studying to become a ham, have recently become a ham, or already a seasoned Amateur Extra, we hope you take the time to read and familialize yourself with the FCC Part 97 rules and encourage others to do the same.
