Tyler,

That is a good question, and one which I suggest you forward to the AREDN crew.

My off-hand response to your question.... is no... and this is my reasoning:

You serve as the control operator, of all nodes operating under your call letters.  You control each of your nodes, either locally, or by remote access through the network, using password access to each node. Only you (or other hams to whom you give the password) have that access, and retain that control.

A non-licensed person using a phone connected to any of your nodes, is equivalent to handing the station mic of a transmitter to a non-licensed person to speak, or of giving access to your station to someone using a phone patch; in both cases, you retain control of the station, while allowing others to communicate using your station's capabilities.  At all times, you retain the capability (and responsibility) to control the station, and to shut the station (node) down if it is being abused by non-licensed people.  

A similar line of thinking applies to repeaters being abused by squirrels, where the control operator would be expected to shut the repeater down until the abuse could be dealt with.   

Just my thoughts......

Bill WA8APB

On Mon, May 12, 2025, 7:14 AM Tyler Gardner <ki7odk@gmail.com> wrote:
I received this question via email after my Saturday presentation. I don’t think that I’ve heard an answer to this before and I really haven’t thought about it. I would like to hear input from the group.

Question: If I setup a VoIP station somewhere like at my house and another one someplace else, do both stations need to have ham radio operators at them for us to communicate?

I’m inclined to say no… but I haven’t thought through Part 97 rules thoroughly yet.

Tyler Gardner
KI7ODK

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