Farang Radio Hams In Thailand

[Khun Bob]

Hi

I just wondered if Thailand allows qualified foreign radio hams to transmit in Thailand ? I'm a licenced Class B (I think its still called that) UK Ham - actually qualified for years but havent really done much, since I needed a cool radio data comms project for my final year degree project ! Did the trick and luckily my Mother kept paying the licence fees till a couple of years ago. I should really find out if there is some agreement between UK and Thailand for this or an agreement with some other organisation.

Might be an alternative way to get data comms in remote places ! Especially in microwave bands - plenty of bandwidth there !

Cheers

[phastmike]

Hi

I just wondered if Thailand allows qualified foreign radio hams to transmit in Thailand ?  I'm a licenced Class B (I think its still called that) UK Ham - actually qualified for years but havent really done much, since I needed a cool radio data comms project for my final year degree project !  Did the trick and luckily my Mother kept paying the licence fees till a couple of years ago.  I should really find out if there is some agreement between UK and Thailand for this or an agreement with some other organisation.

Might be an alternative way to get data comms in remote places !  Especially in microwave bands - plenty of bandwidth there !

Cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ggg... i just answer you and before i posted, my fingers went to my laptop mousepad and the webpage went back => lost all the text .

So i'll be short this time.

Check RAST - Radio Amateur Society of Thailand as they will have some information and some contacts.

I think that even with some kind of agreement you only can operate on certain portions of the spectrum but i think that it's not the case. Anyway i would adive you to get a HS call (not sure if they run out of calls on this prefix as E2 is being used too). I think HS0 was reserved for foreigners but not sure about it, other than that the number on the call should represent your location in thailand. I would advise you to check for the available portions of the spectrum allowed for amateur use which may differ from UK ones (for sure). Since you want to use microwave links then special requirements may exist (normally your class and the payment of a fee). RAST can help you and many foreigners are members, the station(club) is located at the Asian Institute of Technology - AIT.

If i'm not wrong, they have a regular meeting (monthly) somewhere near Victory Monument.

I read somewhere that radio transmitting devices (requiring license) are not allowed into Thailand but holding you license or some documentation may be enough, you should get a thai callsign though. I'm not sure if you need to become member of RAST, maybe it applies only if you want to operate their station.

CT1ENQ (somewhere in bangkok )

PS: Bandwidth is not the real problem, you can use the 2,54GHz ISM band for the well known wifi comms but the problem is power, when it comes to power or antennas with gain then you must have a license.

PS2: at this moment the QSL.net server is down. If you can't open, wait a few hours and try again.

[Khun Bob]

Hi phastmike and thanks for the great info - i just got through to the rast pages and there is a link that states :

1.4            RECIPROCAL LICENSES

Thailand has concluded Reciprocal Agreements with the following countries:

·          Austria

·          Germany

·          Sweden

·          Switzerland

·          UK

·          USA

1.4.1            Citizens of these countries

If you are a citizen of one of these countries, and you are planning to live and/or work in Thailand, or if your business takes you there regularly, you can apply for a reciprocal operating licence. You must be licensed in your home country. You may be able to obtain a Thai license and call sign providing equivalent privileges, depending on the particular agreement. A reciprocal licensee is normally issued with a call sign in the series HS0Zxx and lasts for five years.

So I think this is good news for me ! Just have to find my licence now.....

Actually I would love to do some serious data/packet stuff and, as you say, there is quite alot that can be done in the unlicenced ISM bands - I'm particularly interested in WiMax but havent been able to get hold of any kit yet - still too expensive. Also I just wonder if having some big aerials in remoter areas may get the wrong kind of attention. Its something I'd like to do in the UK but dont have the space and wouldnt get planning permission (doesnt stop me from having a big portable setup though !) Also, I would love to do some HF operation, but just havent got up to speed with morse yet so i can get an A licence. Still I know things have relaxed a bit and it has been over 15 years since I've used a rig !

[phastmike]

Glad i could help.

I've been away of ham bands too, only a few experiments with the APRS system in packet radio a year ago but just to take out the dust from the equipment ...

I would like to do some HF contacts here from Thailand but since my condition is not defined yet , I did not apply for a callsign.

The hams in RAST sure will be glad to help you and give you more in depth details about how it works here in Thailand.

Well i'm a radioamateur for only 12 years so i'm sure we never had a contact .

C U & GD DX (remember? )

[Khun Bob]

Hi Hi OM (I'm alot older than I use to be since I last said that )

It comes back easy and makes me smile - actually I got licenced in 88 and only spent a couple of years doing things. Before that I was a keen CB'er from '78 - '79 un the glory days in the UK - how things have changed now !

It is good to get involved in the clubs and it is good to see there are a few things happenning in Thailand.

I had a look through some of the rules and it looks a bit bleaker - seems like i can only work on 2 metres and I have to get a import permit for my rig - the one i want to bring is a dual band 2metre and 70 cms - from what i understand 70 cms transmit is no go in Thailand ?

I had a look at APRS too and it looks fantastic - even got a GPS and PDA to have play - and my dual bander has gps input and a packet terminal built in - but never hapenned.

73's QTX OM

[phastmike]

Well, when you got on CB i was on the early days of my life

My first contact with 2 way radio comms was around 89 and since i was young i had to wait for my 18 years to apply for a Ham license.

From RAST:

You may be able to obtain a Thai license and call sign providing equivalent privileges, depending on the particular agreement.

The best way is to ask the 'farang' guys at RAST. They have a list of approved models but let me tell you that near The Mall in Ramkhamhaeng Rd. i saw a hamradio shop and they seem to have 2band VHF/UHF radios. Also a little further down, from Baiyoke Tower, on Ratchapharop Rd, there's another shop that sell ham equipments. As you mentioned, some new handheld models have APRS/packet modem built-in and those must be sold here, so it's better to ask them (at RAST).

I had a look through some of the rules and it looks a bit bleaker - seems like i can only work on 2 metres and I have to get a import permit for my rig - the one i want to bring is a dual band 2metre and 70 cms - from what i understand 70 cms transmit is no go in Thailand ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, it seems so but as far as i know there must be some guys working sattelites here in thailand and they must use UHF TX on some birds.

I had a look at APRS too and it looks fantastic - even got a GPS and PDA to have play - and my dual bander has gps input and a packet terminal built in - but never hapenned.

73's QTX OM

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeap, and with the gateways you can even send emails from your handheld

73 & DX DE CT1ENQ

[Khun Bob]

Gee Whiz - and i thought i was licenced young at 20 !

Thanks for the info about rast and the ham radio shops in bkk.

I dont know what it is like to bring my rig along with me and have an import permit - it just sounds like hassle and a costly exercise !

I dont know what the prices of rigs are in BKK but it may be just as well to buy something there. Alternatively I could get in touch with RAST and ask for there advice. I dont really want to buy another rig as i havent really used the one i bought here !

Can you get packet terminals in BKK - i just remembered that mine is back at my mothers house and i dont want to go back there ! I know you can get soft TNC's and i could run that on my PDA/LAptop.

Actually i was going to ask you about getting into satellites over Thailand - i just wondered if there was any sats or mico sats passing over that do store and forward. Sorry I've got about 15 years in ham data comms to catch up on - last time i was there ip via packet was cutting edge and 1200 bps was the best you could get. But the best fun i has was using RTTY on my sinclair spectrum via CB - it took out 30 channels and the locals thought North East England was being taken over by aliens !

73's de g7ece

[phastmike]

Hi again Bob, i was out of Bkk for a couple of days...

Gee Whiz - and i thought i was licenced young at 20 !

On some countries you can have a license at 16 years of age.

Thanks for the info about rast and the ham radio shops in bkk.

I dont know what it is like to bring my rig along with me and have an import permit - it just sounds like hassle and a costly exercise !

I dont know what the prices of rigs are in BKK but it may be just as well to buy something there.  Alternatively I could get in touch with RAST and ask for there advice.  I dont really want to buy another rig as i havent really used the one i bought here !

Yes, seems like a saga to bring a radio into thailand but sure there must had been a few dxpeditions and i don't believe the teams to buy the rigs here. Since it's only a small handheld you can try buy one here but the prices are pretty much same as in the west. I believe it's not so expensive to bring it with you.

Can you get packet terminals in BKK - i just remembered that mine is back at my mothers house and i dont want to go back there !  I know you can get soft TNC's and i could run that on my PDA/LAptop.

I believe they must have but is possible that they only have a few models or brands. Ham modems still overpriced everywhere unless you build them

Actually i was going to ask you  about getting into satellites over Thailand - i just wondered if there was any sats or mico sats passing over that do store and forward.

Must have. The best way to know is using a Sattelite Tracking software, even on the internet there are java applets that can track satellites. Try this site (Jtrack @ Nasa) or "google it"

  Sorry I've got about 15 years in ham data comms to catch up on - last time i was there ip via packet was cutting edge and 1200 bps was the best you could get.  But the best fun i has was using RTTY on my sinclair spectrum via CB - it took out 30 channels and the locals thought North East England was being taken over by aliens !

73's de g7ece

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It did not change so much. 1k2 and 9k6 still the standard all around and that is the main reason why hamradio is not "recruiting" so much people nowadays, with so many cheap cellular phones already with GPRS modems and Hispeed internet. I also did ip with linux on VHF but 1200 or even 9600 were slow for so much overhead. i also did RTTY (RX) on my sinclair ZX Spectrum but not so much i copy a small program from a magazine. Good days... and i'm still young .

73 g7ece de ct1enq

Edited July 2, 2005 by phastmike

[astral]

Yes you can get a licence here.

You need your UK licence, a letter from the RAST intoducing you to the

gov department and then you should be able to get the licence, valid for 5 years.

You will be limited to operating a hand held, 5w max on 2 metres.

If you want a seperate station licence for a home station you will also need a map of your location,

and permission from the householder to operate from the property.

You can then run 100w.

Mobile is also possible. You need another licence for that.

Requires a copy of your car registration papers.

Please note that all rigs must be "approved" in Thailand.

Importing is not impossible, but difficult. Better to buy a new rig in the country.

2m is the only vhf band licenced in Thailand, and most operators speak Thai, so you need to be pretty fluent, but they are a friendly bunch.

There are a number of repeaters around the country as well.

Astral

HS0ZEM