We, in Australia should be very thankful for the wide-open spaces that we take for granted. The majority of us have a reasonable amount of space available in the backyard to throw up a decent beam for 50MHz. Not so in Singapore, where most of the population reside in large high rise apartments, similar to that in Hong Kong. However, there’s some townhouse style developments on the island too, though the backyards tend to be very tiny.

Singapore from Faber Mountain

Before I left Singapore for Indonesia I managed to catch up with one of the local 50MHz operators on the island and we had a rather lengthy discussion on the six-metre scene in Singapore. As 50MHz operation is a sensitive issue for radio amateurs in Singapore I will refrain from mentioning the source of this information.

Who’s on 50MHz?

There are five resident radio amateurs in Singapore holding 50MHz operating permits: 9V1BG, 9V1DJ, 9V1JA, 9V1KJ, and 9V1UV. The permit is valid for a period of three months only and can be renewed pending approval of a fresh application to the authorities.

50MHz Restrictions

Power is restricted to 50 watts and only SSB or CW is permitted. The 50MHz transmitting allocation is 50.085 to 50.150MHz, the authorities also state you can only listen from 50.000 to 50.500MHz, tuning outside of this is not permitted. In other words, one is not allowed by law to tune out of the band (30-49MHz) to check for propagation indicators or track the rising MUF. Mobile operation is prohibited too, as is any portable operation; you are not allowed to operate from anywhere else other than the licensed address. So going on a mini DXpedition out of the urban environment, to say Woodlands, Bukit Timah Park, Sentosa Island or Faber Mountain are out of the question.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve A good peak for a DXpedition ... if the wild monkeys let you!

Interference problems

The locals say that DX opportunities are limited out of Singapore, mainly due to the island being crowded with high rise apartment blocks and office towers. Also RF interference is common on the band with bleed over from a possible 48 or 49MHz TV transmitter either in Singapore itself or from neighbouring Malaysia or even Indonesia noted.

DX worked from 9V1

Some overseas DX worked during cycle 23 from Singapore includes; 4W, 5H3, 8Q7, A52, BG, BV, HL, JA, VR2 and VQ9. The Papua New Guinea beacon P29BPL has been heard on a number of occasions also. Locals report no real sporadic-E activity on six with many interested in working across the border into 9M2, 9M6 or YB.

Future Prospects

Currently there are no moves pending by local amateurs to lobby the authorities for a better deal on 50MHz operating requirements. It’s best left as it is as possible agitation could result in the existing arrangements being withdrawn altogether. A similar situation also exists within regard to two metre band operating on the island.

Equipment availability

Amateur radio equipment is readily available on the island although some shops clearly state it is not for sale to local residents, but for export only. The main amateur radio shopping area is the Sim Lim Tower complex at 10 Jalan Besar, not far from the popular tourist precinct of Orchard Road. There are around four shops in this complex handling all facets of communications (marine/commercial/CB etc) including amateur radio.

Sim Lim Tower Home to Singapore's electronics stores	A typical components shop

I took the opportunity to call into a number of these vendors and found their stock to be quite comprehensive covering HF through to VHF/UHF and CB radio. The transceivers were very cheap compared to Australian prices, providing you export them of course! All the popular brand names are there. I shopped around asking for their ‘best price’ on an ICOM IC-756 PRO and the best deal I managed to negotiate was SGD$2,450 (you have to convert to AUD).

The price included the 3% Singapore GST which is refundable to me at the Changi Airport tax counter when I leave the country. Another vendor quoted me SGD$2,530 for the IC-756 PRO. These prices are very good when converted into Aussie dollars.

	Home brew fanatics would be quite at home in the Sim Lim Tower complex as there are many stores who just sell components and other odds and ends. I spoke with one prominent storeowner, Mr Jimmy Ng, of Y.H Radio, Electrical Trader who exports around the world. Jimmy said although things in Singapore are not on a grand scale like Akihabara (electronics suburb in Tokyo) his business was doing well. Many clients are Japanese who take advantage of the current exchange rates. Jimmy exports transistors, IC’s, and other spare part components to suit VCR’s, video, audio, TV, computers and office machines.
Jimmy Ng and Anne Maree Haden

Jimmy’s motto was: “If we don’t have it you cannot get it!” I could see why, I have never seen so many racks of components in my life, literally thousands upon thousands of them. What really took me was that Jimmy doesn’t use a computer to keep track of his stock, “My brain is my computer Jack, ask me for something and I will tell you straight away if it’s in stock!” So there we are, a brief look at Singapore and amateur radio, well 50MHz anyway…73 de Jack.

Text and photographs © Jack Haden  2001