International Amateur Operations How to Operate in Other Countries By Bill Boyke – N8OZV Al Habbal – W8AMH

US Amateurs Operating Overseas There are three basic questions US citizens and amateurs should ask when traveling outside the US in order to decide which reciprocal operating authority is best: 1) Does the country you will be visiting participate in a multilateral reciprocal operating authority--CEPT or IARP? If so, operate under CEPT or IARP. 2) If it does not, can I obtain a Reciprocal Operating Permit even if the country does not share a Reciprocal Operating Agreement (bilateral) with the US? You can. 3) Are you traveling to Canada? The US and Canada share an automatic reciprocal operating agreement. How can I operate my station in Canada?  When a US amateur operates in Canada, simply bring your FCC license, proof of your US citizenship (a birth certificate or other proof) and identify as call / Canadian identifier, like N1KB/VE3. At least once during the communication, you must state your geographical location, like "30 km north of Toronto."

Canadian Licensing Basic Qualification: access all amateur bands above 30 MHz use a maximum of 250 watts DC transmitter input power build ("Build" in the context of the Basic Certificate is limited to the assembly of commercially available transmitter kits of professional design) and operate all station equipment, except for "home-made" transmitters Basic with honours (80% or above score)  access to all amateur bands below 30 MHz Advanced Qualification:  access all amateur bands below 30 MHz use maximum transmitter power of 1000 watts DC input build and operate transmitting equipment establish repeaters and club stations remotely control fixed stations, including the use of radio links Morse Code (with Basic or Basic and Advanced Certificate):  A fee is not required for the issuance of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate in accordance with the following: to issue an initial station call sign and Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification; to issue a replacement certificate due to loss or damage; to issue a replacement certificate with a new call sign, due to a change in address to a new province or territory; and to issue a replacement certificate as a result of obtaining an additional qualification such as 5 w.p.m., 12 w.p.m. or advanced. Canadian Amateur Radio Licenses are for life. RIC-3 - Information on the Amateur Radio Service http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf01636.html

European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) Allows US Amateurs to travel to and operate from most European countries without obtaining an additional licensee or permit. For a US citizens to operate an amateur station in a CEPT country, certain requirements of the CEPT European Radio Committee (ERC) must be met for participation by non-CEPT Administrations (the US is a Non-CEPT administration who has obtained permission to allow its licensees the privilege of operation from CEPT countries). Under the CEPT Agreement, to activate operating authority, a traveler would have to carry credentials in English, French and German that the person, if a US citizen, and if a Commission-authorized amateur operator, is entitled to certain amateur station operating privileges in the specific countries that have implemented the CEPT Agreement. Under the CEPT agreement, US Amateurs need to bring three things when traveling to a participating CEPT country: 1) Bring their original US license 2) Bring proof of US citizenship (generally in the form of a Passport) 3) Bring a copy of the FCC's Public Notice (this notice contains its information in three languages, English, French and German) which details what US Amateurs need to consider, and bring with them, when traveling to a CEPT country. [Note: While FCC does not state that your original hardcopy license is a document you must carry in CEPT areas, the actual CEPT agreement the US agreed to indicates that US Amateurs will possess such a document; so be sure to bring your FCC-issued original hardcopy license document when you travel and operate in CEPT areas]. Classes of license/operation. There are two levels of reciprocity with the European Community under what is known as CEPT. Full reciprocal operating privileges are accorded to US Amateur Extra and Advanced class licensees under T/R 61-01. Limited reciprocal operating privilileges are accorded to US General class licensees in European countries that have adopted ECC Recommendation (05)06.   There is no equivalent CEPT class for the US Technician or Novice license, therefore a US Technician or Novice licensee is not eligible to operate under CEPT reciprocity.

IARP International Amateur Radio Permit Classes of license/operation. For US Amateurs, there are two classes of IARPs. Class 1 requires knowledge of the international Morse code and carries all operating privileges (Technician Plus, General, Advanced or Extra class US licensees qualify for Class 1). For foreign amateurs, Class 1 is equivalent to our current Amateur Extra Class. Class 2 does not require knowledge of telegraphy and carries all operating privileges above 30 MHz. It is, therefore, equivalent to our current (codeless) Technician Class operator license. There is no equivalent Class description for the US Novice license, therefore the US Novice license is not eligible. Participating IARP Countries: Amateurs can find a list of the countries which accept an IARP at http://www.citel.oas.org/iarp.asp. They are: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Recipical Permits It is possible to obtain a permit a permit for almost every country in the world. Although ARRL maintains paper files at HQ, the most up-to-date information on obtaining permission to operate in a country can be found online at the ARRL Web site or on the Web site of Veikko Komppa, OH2MCN. ARRL HQ and Veke, OH2MCN, work together to make sure that up-to-date information appears. This can include information on the national Amateur Radio society, repeaters and local clubs. In those countries that have them, additional information can be obtained by Contacting their IARU Society. Foreign Embassies located in the U.S. are another source of information. Obtaining a reciprocal ham radio permit in Mexico http://ham-blog.de/on-tour/xe-mexico/reciprocal-licence-xe-permit/ http://xe-permit.wd9ewk.net/

Supporting Links Amateur Radio International Operation Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio_international_operation ARRL International Operating http://www.arrl.org/international-operating RAC – Radio Amateurs of Canada http://www.rac.ca Industry Canada – Amateur Radio Service http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/h_sf01709.html Worldwide Information on Licensing for Radio Amateurs by OH2MCN http://www.qsl.net/oh2mcn/license.htm AMATEUR SERVICE OPERATION IN CEPT COUNTRIES http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulatory/DA-11-221A1.pdf