Who does the FCC presume to be the control operator of an amateur station, unless documentation to the contrary is in the station records?

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) presumes the station licensee to be the control operator of an amateur station unless there is evidence in the station records indicating otherwise. The control operator is the individual responsible for the proper operation of the station and ensuring compliance with FCC regulations. This includes being knowledgeable about the equipment and rules governing amateur radio.

The licensee is the person who holds the amateur radio license, and that license grants them the authority to operate the station and manage any operations carried out through it. This presumption emphasizes the importance of the licensee's responsibility for the station's activities and compliance with regulations. Documentation to the contrary would need to clearly detail any changes in control operator status or delegate responsibilities to another individual, but in its absence, the licensee holds that primary responsibility by default. This framework helps maintain accountability within the amateur radio community.