Leo wrote:

On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 22:39:41 GMT, Dave Heil
wrote:

Leo wrote:

On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 18:57:45 GMT, Dave Heil
wrote:

Leo wrote:

snip

A question - was a similar arrangement for the recognition of
professional credentials in the Amateur service ever in place in the
US? With the reciprocity agreement between Canada and the US, someone
who has obtained their Amateur licence based on their Professional
qualifications automatically gains full Amateur operating privileges
when travelling in the US. One would think it logical for this
arrangement to be bidirectional, n'est pas?

There is no such mechanism available in the United States. A U.S.
citizen licensed in Canada may not use his Canadian license when
operating from the U.S.

That's not quite what I said, Dave. If a Canadian with a Commercial
licence obtains an Amateur licence vis this program, that Amateur
licence is covered under the existing reciprocity agreement - it is a
standard Amateur licence.

A Canadian with a valid Canadian amateur radio license may use the
license in the U.S. under reciprocal agreement, no matter if he receives
it by passing the exam or receives it by virtue of his professional
standing.
The only means by which someone may obtain a U.S. amateur license is by
passing the exam.

Your point is interesting, however - one need only be a resident of
Canada to qualify for an amateur license - not a citizen. If a US
citizen living in Canada obtains a Canadian amateur license, how would
that be illegal to use in the US?

...because that individual then falls under U.S., not Canadian law.

I think you're right, Dave - the text of the US reciprocal agreement
refers to the country of citizenship of the foreign amateur, not the
country of residence. Our reciprocal agreement simply requires a US
license, and makes no mention of the citizenship of the amateur.

Wonder why it's called a reciprocal agreement when it isn't quite
reciprocal?

That's an easy one: Canada's radio amateurs may operate in the United
States without passing a U.S. license exam. U.S. radio amateurs may
operate in Canada without passing a Canadian license exam.

During my second assignment to Helsinki (three years), the Finns wanted
me to pass a Finnish exam and use an OH2--- callsign because it was
their belief that reciprocal operation was intended only for short
duration.
They kindly backed off when I pointed out that no such thing was
outlined in their regs. I was OH2/K8MN for that entire period. ITU
recommendations changed between my first tour in Finland and my second.
For the first, I was K8MN/OH2. One eastern european amateur began
giving me hell over the air in the 1980's for not using "OH2/K8MN" after
those recommendations came out. I told him that I couldn't very well
use a call other than the one issued on my Finnish license.

Dave K8MN