Any Hams In Chiang Mai? (Radio Guys)

[highonthai]

Looking for any ham's in Chiang Mai or the Hang Dong area.

Just got a renewed interest and thought I'd dust off and start messing about with my old radios.

[lopburi3]

Be sure you are legal before operating - military tightly controls radios (even receivers here) so do get involved with local group first. I never bothered to ham so do not know the specific requirements.

[cloudhopper]

Hi this is the best place to connect with the ham community here - http://rastforum.com/index.php#5

[highonthai]

Thanks for the info guys, Thailand has a recipical agreement with the US. Where my licence is issued. Just have to pay a few baht to get a Thai licence. no testing involved, as I have forgot morse code many years ago.

[cloudhopper]

Thanks for the info guys, Thailand has a recipical agreement with the US. Where my licence is issued. Just have to pay a few baht to get a Thai licence. no testing involved, as I have forgot morse code many years ago.

Yes you're lucky to be from one of the few countries that Thailand even has such an agreement with. Once you jump through all the hoops to get your operator license you will then need to get an import permit, inspection and license for a radio that is on the NBTCs list of approved radios, none of which are modern, in order to apply for the 3rd required permit - a station license. As Lopburi3 alluded to, Thailand is still extremely paranoid when it comes to radio operations of all types - so much so that there was a time when they would not even allow the few amateurs here (limited to Bangkok residents) to contact anyone outside the country. Even antennas require a permit, building one's own radio is still against the law here, and permitted power levels and available frequencies are about the most restrictive in the world. Just letting you know what to look forward to if you want to set up a station in LOS...

73

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Out of curiosity: what's the point of Ham radio, these days?

Edited October 5, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Tywais]

as I have forgot morse code many years ago.

That requirement has been dropped for some time now, 2007 to be exact. Followed the International Telecommunication Union ratification in 2003.

[cloudhopper]

Out of curiosity: what's the point of Ham radio, these days?

Mastery of esoteric antiquated technological arts I suppose. I get the same thrill bouncing morse code signals around the world as I do piloting a hot air balloon, an open cockpit biplane upside down or a sailboat offshore.

[cloudhopper]

as I have forgot morse code many years ago.

That requirement has been dropped for some time now, 2007 to be exact. Followed the International Telecommunication Union ratification in 2003.

However (to their great credit IMO) the NBTC requires Thai nationals to pass an 8 WPM Morse sending and receiving test along with a written test for an intermediate class license.

[Dellboy218]

Still have my Uk amateur and maritime license the latter totally redundant these days tho.

[mesquite]

Are there different levels of Thai licenses that correspond to the different levels of US licenses (Technician, General, Extra)?

Edited October 5, 2012 by mesquite

[cloudhopper]

Are there different levels of Thai licenses that correspond to the different levels of US licenses (Technician, General, Extra)?

Yes.

Novice class = US technician and there are tens of thousands of Thai nationals licensed

Intermediate class = US general and there are a few hundred Thai nationals and expats licensed

Advanced class = US extra class and only HM the King has it.

[mesquite]

Thanks CloudH.

So if one has a US Extra class and does the Thai license reciprocity thing, he gets a Thai intermediate class?

[cloudhopper]

Thanks CloudH.

So if one has a US Extra class and does the Thai license reciprocity thing, he gets a Thai intermediate class?

Yes and that is a common route for Thai nationals as well since it is actually easier for a Thai national to get a US radio license from Thailand than a Thai license here, believe it or not.....

[mesquite]

I believe it

[elektrified]

Are there different levels of Thai licenses that correspond to the different levels of US licenses (Technician, General, Extra)?

Yes.

Novice class = US technician and there are tens of thousands of Thai nationals licensed

Intermediate class = US general and there are a few hundred Thai nationals and expats licensed

Advanced class = US extra class and only HM the King has it.

Anyone see the BBC film where HM the King let a BBC reporter follow him around and come with him into his study, etc.? HM had a large bank of 1950's-1970's telecommunication equipment in his study where he communicated with Generals in the Southern Provinces and so forth. It was really quite interesting.

[MadMac]

Stumbled over this thread. I just got a new Thai license, HS0ZLJ, still working on the import license to get my FT1000 in from Singapore and then the station license. Anyone in the same boat still? I mean this thread is not soooo old . Could help with some contacts too, if someone is interested.

[cloudhopper]

Good luck dealing with the dysfunctional bureaucracy MM. If/when you finally get your rig imported you can take everything to the NBTC office near the airport to submit all the paperwork for a station license. They are supposed to modernize the regs 'soon' but LOS has a long long way to catch up with the rest of the world in this regard - even the neighboring countries. 73 HS0ZIA

[ARISTIDE]

I think it's the laws hasn't changed since the 60s when Thailand surrounded by Communists countries..

Thailand is still extremely paranoid when it comes to radio operations of all types -

[Dellboy218]

Thanks for the info guys, Thailand has a recipical agreement with the US. Where my licence is issued. Just have to pay a few baht to get a Thai licence. no testing involved, as I have forgot morse code many years ago.

Shame on you!

73

G4BMR

[Jose]

Relevant:

Internet Ham Radio

QsoNet

HamSphere

Edited October 31, 2013 by Jose

[PostmanPat]

Theres a keen Radio Ham living in the Hang Dong area who authorised me to let the Original Poster know he would be happy to meet up or talk. His name is Tony and his wife runs the quite well known Garden Restaurant called 9 Moo 9. Tony is usually around from Thursday to Sunday, daytime.

If the OP wants to PM me would be happy to pass on a phone number.

[sustento]

Thanks for the info guys, Thailand has a recipical agreement with the US. Where my licence is issued. Just have to pay a few baht to get a Thai licence. no testing involved, as I have forgot morse code many years ago.

Shame on you!

73

G4BMR

I thought that too. How can you forget morse code? It's like riding a bike. All you need is a bit of practice.

Who'd you sail with? I did BP Tanker/ Sea Containers/ Fyffes/ P&O Bulk Division.

[Dellboy218]

Thanks for the info guys, Thailand has a recipical agreement with the US. Where my licence is issued. Just have to pay a few baht to get a Thai licence. no testing involved, as I have forgot morse code many years ago.

Shame on you!

73

G4BMR

I thought that too. How can you forget morse code? It's like riding a bike. All you need is a bit of practice.

Who'd you sail with? I did BP Tanker/ Sea Containers/ Fyffes/ P&O Bulk Division.

PM'd you with the list

[sustento]

Thanks for the info guys, Thailand has a recipical agreement with the US. Where my licence is issued. Just have to pay a few baht to get a Thai licence. no testing involved, as I have forgot morse code many years ago.

There you go. Anything from 13s to 50s

http://cw.dimebank.com:8080/

[Mapguy]

Be sure you are legal before operating - military tightly controls radios (even receivers here) so do get involved with local group first. I never bothered to ham so do not know the specific requirements.

Yes, this is definitely worth a check. Indeed, in some countries, even any sort of radio-controlled device is prohibited. There is probably even a law--- currently unenforced --- in Thailand to this effect.