So, Why do I need a Ham License in Mexico?

[rebel heart]

Just curious about this, I looked around and couldn't quite figure it out. We're here in Mexico, and then taking it a step further on the high seas, why exactly do I need to have a license from the USA to transmit?

When I hear the ham nets, at least around here, it's clear that it's primarily English speaking Americans and it's frequent to hear "If you don't have a ham license you cannot transmit."

In Mexico?

1000 miles out to sea?

Seems kind of odd.

[svmariane]

No license and people won't talk with you.
And, probably, report you to the FCC or whatever passes for same in other countries.

You're in La Paz? Check with the local USA HAM guys there. They'll help you study and they also give the test right there in town.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by svmariane

No license and people won't talk with you.
And, probably, report you to the FCC or whatever passes for same in other countries.

You're in La Paz? Check with the local USA HAM guys there. They'll help you study and they also give the test right there in town.

I'm going to take the test, but I'm looking for the regulation that specifies why I need a license from the USA to operate outside of the USA. It's the equivalent of the USA requiring a Mexican lawn mower operator card when I'm mowing my lawn in Boise.

I mean seriously, report me to the Mexican radio authorities? Come on. That's five guys in Mexico City behind a desk playing lottery.

[svmariane]

BTW - Mexico has their own regs concerning use of the HAM freqs, just like the USA, Canada, etc. Many of those foreign flagged boats operating their HAM sets while in Mexican waters are technically required to get a Mexican HAM license.

EDIT: You don't need a USA license - you need "A" license. Rules and regs....

[deckofficer]

Eric,

When in Mexico you have to get recip license, show them your US license, pay a fee and they will issue you an XE2 call sign. Back when I got my XE2 call required 3 different Mexican state buildings in Tijuana and a copy place. What a PITA but I hear it is more streamlined now.

[Cruiser2B]

Try looking at ARRL.org for specifics. But it is code of ethics and internation law. Hams in general follow the rules and won't try to find reasons why they shouldn't.

These links should help

Operations FAQ
Maritime Mobile Operation in International Waters.

good luck with getting your license.

[CarinaPDX]

In order to operate on the ham bands you need a ham license. In order to transmit in any country you either need a license from that same country or at least permission from that country. Sometimes you will be implicitly granted permission if you hold a valid license from another country, and sometimes you will need to apply for a license with your original license. The last time I was there, Mexico required that a foreign ham come to their national communications office to apply and receive a temporary license. Sometimes hams operate without permission within a foreign country but it is strictly illegal.

Operation on the high seas still requires a license to operate. The boat's flag country would be the legal authority to enforce it. In practice as you have noticed the hams will enforce it by refusing to communicate with anyone without a license unless it is a bona fide emergency.

BTW you are completely wrong about this:

"I mean seriously, report me to the Mexican radio authorities? Come on. That's five guys in Mexico City behind a desk playing lottery."

They have an office in Tijuana with that many people in it (which is a good place to get the reciprocal license). It may be highly unlikely that anyone would ever be bothered to track down an illegal transmitter, but if it were to happen the response would be serious. And your attitude would do you no favors...

Greg

[roverhi]

You can talk all you want without a license but most hams won't talk back. Some will even go so far as to turn you into the FCC. Probably nothing will come of that till you try and get a license and/or return to an American Port. Maybe not even then as the Ham Frequencies are largely self policed unless you start interfering someone's TV reception or legitimate use of the frequency spectrum.

Back in the mideaval times, was a radio pirate in SoPac, TI8PO. It was in the early days of Maritime Mobile Ham radio. Most of the boats in SoPac were pirates though there weren't many of us. Didn't have any problems talking with Hams in the US, checking in with various cruising nets and getting phone patches. Had a couple of regular scheduled QSO's in the US to just chew the rag with them about what we and they were doing. Looked forward to our daily conversations. Unfortunately, ham radios became real popular, real quick. We suddenly had a bunch of yahoos breaking into the QSO's demanding phone patches and genenerally being rude. In less than a year, most of the US Hams quit talking to the pirates because of their jerky behavior, lack of professional radio decorum, and obvious lack of a legal license. Doubt that you'd have much luck today getting any non licensed ham to talk with you with a made up call sign.

I tried to get my General License when we got back to the States. Paseed the novice written test but barely passed the code. Plugged away at getting my code speed up to 13 wpm but it was hopeless. I just have a congenitally defective code gene. Finally got my General LIcense when they dropped the code requirement. Quite easy to do with the online test guides.

With the ease of passing the test, there is no longer a need to be a Ham Pirate. Get your license and join the world of ham radio.

Peter O.
WH7WO

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

In order to operate on the ham bands you need a ham license. In order to transmit in any country you either need a license from that same country or at least permission from that country. Sometimes you will be implicitly granted permission if you hold a valid license from another country, and sometimes you will need to apply for a license with your original license. The last time I was there, Mexico required that a foreign ham come to their national communications office to apply and receive a temporary license. Sometimes hams operate without permission within a foreign country but it is strictly illegal.

Operation on the high seas still requires a license to operate. The boat's flag country would be the legal authority to enforce it. In practice as you have noticed the hams will enforce it by refusing to communicate with anyone without a license unless it is a bona fide emergency.

BTW you are completely wrong about this:

"I mean seriously, report me to the Mexican radio authorities? Come on. That's five guys in Mexico City behind a desk playing lottery."

They have an office in Tijuana with that many people in it (which is a good place to get the reciprocal license). It may be highly unlikely that anyone would ever be bothered to track down an illegal transmitter, but if it were to happen the response would be serious. And your attitude would do you no favors...

Greg

+1

Penalties for using radio frequencies without proper authorization can be severe. Since ham radio is self-policed, I wouldn't count on not getting caught, either. I doubt that Mexican hams would be that easy going about some gringo flaunting their rules like, especially a gringo with such an attitude.

On the high seas, you must have a license from your own country. If your vessel is registered in the same country, then that's it. If the vessel is registered somewhere else, then on the high seas you are subject to the laws of somewhere else. Whether that means you need a reciprocal permit, I don't know.

In Mexican waters you must have either a Mexican license or a valid reciprocal permit. Here's how to get the latter: http://ham-blog.de/on-tour/xe-mexico...nce-xe-permit/. It's not that easy in Mexico, unfortunately. Surprisingly, it's simpler even in Russia for a U.S. ham to operate (as in other CEPT countries, you just need your US license and a copy of the FCC declaration).

[F51]

Don't know about other countries, but I believe the FCC rules forbid licensed radio amateurs from communicating with unlicensed ones. This may have changed--some one please set me straight if I am misinformed.

[goboatingnow]

as an aside , one thing that always confused me is the use of the /MM suffix. Most countries state yiu should get a temporary local call sign if your a foreign ham. So is that exclusively international waters. ?

I don't hear the MM used much on voice telephony , maybe its a CW thing

I should know this but in a very infrequent ham user , I even forget my call sign have to look it up , really must rig the gear up permanently

Dave EI2GMB

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

as an aside , one thing that always confused me is the use of the /MM suffix. Most countries state yiu should get a temporary local call sign if your a foreign ham. So is that exclusively international waters. ?

I don't hear the MM used much on voice telephony , maybe its a CW thing

I should know this but in a very infrequent ham user , I even forget my call sign have to look it up , really must rig the gear up permanently

Dave EI2GMB

A US ham operating maritime mobile in the UK uses the following call: M/AB1XY/MM, where AB1XY is his home call sign.

Maritime mobile is from any floating structure up to the high water line.

Those are the UK rules.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

A US ham operating maritime mobile in the UK uses the following call: M/AB1XY/MM, where AB1XY is his home call sign.

Maritime mobile is from any floating structure up to the high water line.

Those are the UK rules.

What's the M/ prefix.

Interesting UK rules for visiting amateurs say it should be local call sign followed by UK identifier. Which then I was told would. Have /M or /MM added or inland or coastal cruising
Dave

[Sailor_Hutch]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

A US ham operating maritime mobile in the UK uses the following call: M/AB1XY/MM, where AB1XY is his home call sign.

Maritime mobile is from any floating structure up to the high water line.

Those are the UK rules.

I would add that many operators add the ITU region to the call, when in international waters. I.E., "wb8lzr maritime mobile region two" for example.

[goboatingnow]

Sorry Dockhead , now I remember this the UK operates both CEPT T/R 61-01 , which is where your M/ cones from


Equally they also operate CEPT T/R 61-02 where you can be issued a local call sign.

Dave