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"The Official Observer program has been sponsored by the League for more than 50 years to help amateurs help each other. Official Observer appointees have assisted thousands of amateurs to maintain their transmitting equipment and operating procedures in compliance with the regulations. The object of the OO program is to notify amateurs by mail of operating/technical irregularities before they come to the attention of the FCC.

The OO is also the backbone of the Amateur Auxiliary to the FCC. OOs are certified in the Auxiliary by passing a mandatory written examination.

The OO performs his function by listening rather than transmitting, keeping an ear out for such things as frequency instability, harmonics, hum, key clicks, broad signals, distorted audio, over deviation, out-of-band operation, etc. The OO completes his task once the notification card is sent. ..."