ok so i just passed my tech exam like two weeks ago and im still trying to figure out what exactly im allowed to do. i know i have HF privileges on 10 meters but beyond that its kind of fuzzy. like i was reading part 97 last night and honestly it reads like legal jargon and i kept getting lost trying to figure out if im allowed to do stuff like talk to international stations or if thats only a general/extra thing. also someone at the club meeting said something about 15 meters being off limits for techs entirely but then someone else said there was an exception for something? i dont even know what to search for at this point. is there a plain english version of part 97 somewhere that actually makes sense

yeah part 97 is rough to read if you're not used to it, dont feel bad. the ARRL has a summary chart on their website that breaks down privileges by license class and its way easier to follow than the actual FCC document. short version for you: as a tech you've got all the VHF and up stuff plus some limited HF. on 10 meters you can do phone above 28.3 MHz and CW/data on the lower part of the band. 15 meters you technically have CW privileges in a tiny slice but most people dont even bother with it, its not very practical. for talking to international stations thats really just about whether the other country allows it and whether you're using a band and mode you're licensed for, the FCC doesnt have a specific rule blocking techs from working DX as long as you stay in your privileges. your friend at the club was half right i guess, 15m phone is definitely off limits but its not completely off limits if that makes sense

i was in the same boat when i got my tech a couple years ago. honestly just get the ARRL band plan and tape it to your wall, thats what i did. the actual part 97 text is more useful once you have a general idea of whats going on and you're looking up something specific. also dont stress too much about memorizing every little exception right away, you'll pick it up as you actually get on the air and run into situations