Key Points
- For FCC rules we read the rule itself, not someone’s summary of it.
- A page that states a rule links to it and gives the date we checked it.
- If we cannot check a fact against an official source, we leave it out.
- If the FCC’s own pages say something different from ours, the FCC wins.
The Official Source Comes First
For anything the FCC decides (license classes, privileges, fees, renewals, call signs) the source is the rule itself, in Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations. We read it in the eCFR, the government’s official online copy, and link to the exact section: §97.21 for renewals, for example, or §1.1102 for the $35 application fee.
A page that states a rule ends with the date we last checked it, such as “Checked against the official rules on September 23, 2026.”
What We Build From
- FCC rules (Part 97, and the fee rules in Part 1), read in the eCFR.
- FCC license data, which is public, for anything about license records.
- The NCVEC question pools, which are public, for every exam question.
- Natural Earth outlines, which are public domain, for our maps.
- The AD1C country file, with credit, for prefixes and countries.
Each one is credited on the page that uses it.
What We Leave Out
If a fee, date or procedure cannot be checked against its official source, it does not go on the site. We would rather say less than say something wrong.
Pictures and Drawings
Pictures are our own photos (“Photo: OneShack”), our own drawings (“Drawn for OneShack”), or used with written permission and a credit. Anything made with AI is labelled “Illustration”. We do not copy other publishers’ charts or maps.
Guest Writers
Articles by guest writers are in their own words and shared with their permission. We check their facts too, and any change to what an article says goes to its writer first.
Found a Mistake?
Write to info@oneshack.net with the page and what looks wrong. If an official source says something different from us, include the link and we will check it.