Prepared for members of RAST by John Gagen, W2YR
(updated July 15, 2007)

Several Thai amateurs have asked me how do they go about operating Amateur Radio when visiting the USA. I contacted the ARRL headquarters for the current information and I am pleased to advise everyone that the process is now very simple.

You may operate amateur radio in the USA and territories under the Thai-USA treaty without prior notification to the FCC. The USA government offices do not want additional paper work.

You must be a Thai citizen and carry your radio license and proof of citizenship (Thai passport), when you are operating amateur radio in the USA.

You will use the call sign of the operating district of which you are in with a portable designator and then your call sign. For example, in California your call would be: W6/HS#XXX or in New York you would be W2/HS#XXX

Thai amateurs in the USA are still governed by the operating privileges of their Thai license. If they have a VHF-only license from Thailand, they have only VHF privileges in the US. If they have HF privileges, they still may operate HF in the US but they must abide by the US phone/CW/Digital band segments which are very different from in Thailand.

Thai amateurs visiting the USA may freely bring transmitting equipment into and out of the USA. No special permits are required. This means that they could bring their two meter handie talkie with them and communicate with hams immediately upon arrival in the USA.

The ARRL maintains a web site on the Internet with current information at the following URL:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/io/#foreign

The author holds the Thai callsign HS0ZDJ and may be contacted at John(AT)w2yr.com

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