Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

In the old days, a foreign amateur operating in the US, or a US amateur
operating in a foreign country, would use his own call sign, a slant bar,
and the prefix of the country or location in which he is operating, e.g.
"G5ABC/W1".

Somewhere along the way that got changed so that the prefix is now
inserted ahead of the call sign instead of after, e.g. "W1/G5ABC".

When did that rule change go into effect? It must have been sometime
during the 1990's when I was inactive on ham radio ... one of the many
rule changes that surprised me when I got back into it in 2001, such as
the 5 WPM code requirement for Extras for whom it used to be 20 WPM...

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

"Rick" wrote ...
In the old days, a foreign amateur operating in the US, or a US
amateur
operating in a foreign country, would use his own call sign, a slant
bar,
and the prefix of the country or location in which he is operating,
e.g.
"G5ABC/W1".

Somewhere along the way that got changed so that the prefix is now
inserted ahead of the call sign instead of after, e.g. "W1/G5ABC".

When did that rule change go into effect? It must have been sometime
during the 1990's when I was inactive on ham radio ... one of the many
rule changes that surprised me when I got back into it in 2001, such
as
the 5 WPM code requirement for Extras for whom it used to be 20 WPM...

Don't look now, but it is zero WPM. For everyone. :-)

When I sat for my written test, I took the one for General
also. I hadn't studied for it at all, but it didn't cost anything
extra. I missed it by two points, else I would be a General
today. I guess I'll have to break down and study this time.

Richard Crowley KE7GKP

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

"Rick" wrote in message

In the old days, a foreign amateur operating in the US,
or a US amateur operating in a foreign country, would use
his own call sign, a slant bar, and the prefix of the
country or location in which he is operating, e.g.
"G5ABC/W1".

Somewhere along the way that got changed so that the
prefix is now inserted ahead of the call sign instead of
after, e.g. "W1/G5ABC".

When did that rule change go into effect? It must have
been sometime during the 1990's when I was inactive on
ham radio ... one of the many rule changes that surprised
me when I got back into it in 2001, such as the 5 WPM
code requirement for Extras for whom it used to be 20
WPM...

Hmm, interesting. The last time I operated in the US was 2004 and I
definitely used G6URP/W6 (in California) then.

Having said that, I just read my licence conditions which came into effect
when the new "lifetime" licence was issued in January of this year and you
would appear to be correct.

Ivor

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

"Richard Crowley" wrote
..................
When I sat for my written test, I took the one for General
also. I hadn't studied for it at all, but it didn't cost anything
extra. I missed it by two points, else I would be a General
today. I guess I'll have to break down and study this time.

Richard Crowley KE7GKP

You shouldn't need to study this time? Remember you are
an experienced candidate by now as it will be your second
try! 8-)

73 LA7SG - Sven

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:38:07 CST, Rick wrote:

Somewhere along the way that got changed so that the prefix is now
inserted ahead of the call sign instead of after, e.g. "W1/G5ABC".

When did that rule change go into effect?

That change went into effect with the Commission's Order FCC 98-204
released October 1, 1988 in WT Docket 98-20, setting up the ULS and
authorized CEPT and CITEL foreign licensed amateurs to operate in the
US without formal US reciprocal licensing.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
ARRL Volunteer Counsel

email: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

"Phil Kane" wrote in message

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:38:07 CST, Rick
wrote:

Somewhere along the way that got changed so that the
prefix is now inserted ahead of the call sign instead
of after, e.g. "W1/G5ABC".

When did that rule change go into effect?

That change went into effect with the Commission's Order
FCC 98-204 released October 1, 1988 in WT Docket 98-20,
setting up the ULS and authorized CEPT and CITEL foreign
licensed amateurs to operate in the US without formal US
reciprocal licensing.

Are you certain of the date..? I certainly had to apply for reciprocal
"Alien Permits" the first 2 times I operated in the US, in 1993 & 1995.
From 2000 on I never had to apply for one, but I'm sure I still put the
local prefix after my own call rather than before.

73 Ivor G6URP

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 19:46:44 CST, "Ivor Jones"
wrote:

That change went into effect with the Commission's Order
FCC 98-204 released October 1, 1988 in WT Docket 98-20,
setting up the ULS and authorized CEPT and CITEL foreign
licensed amateurs to operate in the US without formal US
reciprocal licensing.

Are you certain of the date..?

You are right. It should have been October 21, 1998. My typo error.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

"Sven Pran" wrote...
You shouldn't need to study this time? Remember you are
an experienced candidate by now as it will be your second
try! 8-)

I have a hard time memorizing the band limits.
I can program my equipment to stay within the
allotted bands. I usually don't make my brain
remember stuff like that. :-(

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

It was a little different for me because I am a dual citizen
(Australia and the US). When I inquired they said I couldn't use my
Australian license in the US, even though I hadn't set foot in the US
in decades, because I maintained US citizenship, so I had to take US
tests and have a US callsign when visiting.

On Mar 19, 2:07 am, "Richard Crowley" wrote:
"Sven Pran" wrote...
You shouldn't need to study this time? Remember you are
an experienced candidate by now as it will be your second
try! 8-)

I have a hard time memorizing the band limits.
I can program my equipment to stay within the
allotted bands. I usually don't make my brain
remember stuff like that. :-(

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

It was a little different for me because I am a dual citizen
(Australia and the US). When I inquired they said I couldn't use my
Australian license in the US, even though I hadn't set foot in the US
in decades, because I maintained US citizenship, so I had to take US
tests and have a US callsign when visiting.

That's cos Australia and the US don't have a reciprocal agreement.

I'm dual citizen of Australia and the UK, and I can use my VK call in the UK
for up to 3 months if visiting. Not that I'd want to cos I still got my UK
license :)

I am surprised that the US don't issue temporary visitors licenses though.
Aus and UK do that.
--
Jack VK2CJC / MM0AXL
FISTS# 9666
Mid North Coast Amateur Radio Group
http://www.qsl.net/mm0axl/mncarg/index.html

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

"Jack VK2CJC" wrote in
message
It was a little different for me because I am a dual
citizen (Australia and the US). When I inquired they
said I couldn't use my Australian license in the US,
even though I hadn't set foot in the US in decades,
because I maintained US citizenship, so I had to take
US tests and have a US callsign when visiting.

That's cos Australia and the US don't have a reciprocal
agreement.
I'm dual citizen of Australia and the UK, and I can use
my VK call in the UK for up to 3 months if visiting. Not
that I'd want to cos I still got my UK license :)

I am surprised that the US don't issue temporary visitors
licenses though. Aus and UK do that.

They used to, I had to get them when I used to visit the US before they
implemented CEPT T/R 61-01. The FCC called them "Alien Permits" which
always made me feel I should have been landing in a flying saucer rather
than a 747..!

73 Ivor G6URP

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 17:35:33 EDT, "Jack VK2CJC"
wrote:

That's cos Australia and the US don't have a reciprocal agreement.

I'm dual citizen of Australia and the UK, and I can use my VK call in the UK
for up to 3 months if visiting. Not that I'd want to cos I still got my UK
license :)

I am surprised that the US don't issue temporary visitors licenses though.
Aus and UK do that.

The US does allow non-citizens to operate in the US, either through
treaties such as the CEPT and CINTEL arrangements or through specific
reciprocal agreements.

What he is referring to is that if one is a citizen of the US, one
must get a US license to operate where the US has jurisdiction
regardless of what multiple citizenship or other licenses one holds.

That closed a very big loophole where US citizens would somehow get a
foreign license in a country where the standards for licensing
depended on who you knew and who you could pay off, and then operate
in the US under a reciprocal agreement without ever taking an FCC
license exam.

This restriction is not unusual. Forty years ago when I lived in
Israel they issued me 4X4UQ because I met all the examination
requirements. This was before the reciprocal licensing agreement and
CEPT came into being and one had to have an Israeli license to operate
there. When I returned to the US I had to give up all claims of
Israeli citizenship in order to work for the U S Government (FCC).
Even returning for visits I cannot reactivate or use that call sign
unless I immigrate again and if I do so I cannot use my US call sign
under the CEPT agreement as I can when I am a short-term visitor.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

What he is referring to is that if one is a citizen of the US, one
must get a US license to operate where the US has jurisdiction
regardless of what multiple citizenship or other licenses one holds.

As a UK citizen, I can use my Australian license in the UK so long as I am
visiting for less than 3 months. After that time, the privilege expires and
I have to get a UK license. Much the same as driving licenses.

Doesn't the US do the same?

--
Jack VK2CJC / MM0AXL
FISTS# 9666
Mid North Coast Amateur Radio Group
http://www.qsl.net/mm0axl/mncarg/index.html

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

On Fri, 30 Mar 2007 05:07:40 EDT, "Jack VK2CJC"
wrote:

As a UK citizen, I can use my Australian license in the UK so long as I am
visiting for less than 3 months. After that time, the privilege expires and
I have to get a UK license. Much the same as driving licenses.

Doesn't the US do the same?

There is no requirement to get a US license if one is operating under
a CEPT/CITEL/reciprocity agreement as long as the person is not a US
citizen. If s/he is a US citizen, a US license is required from day
one regardless of any dual citizenship and licensing held.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
ARRL Volunteer Counsel

email: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

Call signs for foreign amateurs operating in US
 

It was more an inconvenience really, the US tests were (and probably
still are) easier than the ones in Oz. I supposed I could have
travelled to the US under my Aussie passport and nobody would have
been the wiser, but it would have involved committing perjury about my
dual citizenship, something that would have been hard to sleep with.

The US rules are unbending, if you are a US citizen you must apply for
a US license even if you are only visiting for a fortnight. When I
stayed for a long period they even tried to nick my Aussie drivers
license when I applied for a US one///

On Mar 30, 7:47 pm, Phil Kane wrote:
On Fri, 30 Mar 2007 05:07:40 EDT, "Jack VK2CJC"

wrote:
As a UK citizen, I can use my Australian license in the UK so long as I am
visiting for less than 3 months. After that time, the privilege expires and
I have to get a UK license. Much the same as driving licenses.

Doesn't the US do the same?

There is no requirement to get a US license if one is operating under
a CEPT/CITEL/reciprocity agreement as long as the person is not a US
citizen. If s/he is a US citizen, a US license is required from day
one regardless of any dual citizenship and licensing held.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
ARRL Volunteer Counsel

email: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net