Hi all,

Going to Mexico in October and would like to know the definitive
answer on what licenses are needed.
I read somewhere that I need a VHF license for the boat. Is that true?
I know I need something for the Ham radio too. Where do I get it? Can
I do it by mail now or wait till I get to San Diego and cross to
Tijuana?

Thanks,


Jeannette Bristol 32, San Francisco
http://www.eblw.com/contepartiro/contepartiro.html
aa6jh

Yes, you read correctly.. You can apply online if you want..
http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/

However, before you apply, you should deterimine all the other stuff, like
EPIRB, SSB, etc. You can get it all on one license.

Most people that have a Ham license on their boat will also go ahead and get
the Marine SSB license as well.. I think the Ship Station license and the
Marine Operators license cost about $140 total and took about 2 weeks to be
issued.. The FCC site is not very user friendly and may frustrate you as it
did me, however I managed to do the whole thing in about two attempts.

Also you might as well request a Ship Station ID (SSID) as well just in case
you upgrade your VHF now or later..

Since a Ham license requires an exam, you will have to get that seperately.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

"Steve" wrote in message

EPIRB, SSB, etc. You can get it all on one license.


I should clearify that the EPIRB will only be listed on your license
(because it is a radio transmitter), however it is still necassary to
register it and your vessel with SARSAT NOAA so that system would know what
vessel is sending the distress signal, along with emergency contact
information. (the SARSAT re-registration is required every two years now.
They send you a request for confirmation.)

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 01:10:51 GMT, jeannette
wrote:

Hi all,

Going to Mexico in October and would like to know the definitive
answer on what licenses are needed.
I read somewhere that I need a VHF license for the boat. Is that true?
I know I need something for the Ham radio too. Where do I get it? Can
I do it by mail now or wait till I get to San Diego and cross to
Tijuana?

Thanks,


Jeannette Bristol 32, San Francisco
http://www.eblw.com/contepartiro/contepartiro.html

I have a partial answer for Jeanette and a question for everyone.

Jeanette, I just got the "ship's license" for the VHF, Radar, EPIRB,
and SSB (which I guess technically is a ham radio also although I
won't use it as that). I did it on line on the FCC website. It takes
about 10 minutes and costs $200 for 10 years. Let me know if you can't
find the web page and I'll dig for it again. I got the ship's license
in about a week.

Now, the question: I don't plan to get a ham license because (AFAIK)
they aren't needed for SSB. I will be taking the boat to Mexico and
points south and east. Last time I needed a ship's license was back in
the 80's and at that time it was required for domestic use of VHF. An
operator's license was also required.

I couldn't see anything on the FCC website that said operator licenses
were or were not required for SSB/VHF radio use in a pleasure boat.
Are they?
aa6jh

You will need a Restricted Radiotelephone Operators Permit to use your radio,
now that you have the license. Required for SSB and out of country VHF. It is
also available from the FCC website-I think it is $75 for a lifetime permit.
And the hamnets are great for weather, local conditions, etc. and well worth
getting a ham license for.
Dick Locke wrote:

On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 01:10:51 GMT, jeannette
wrote:

Hi all,

Going to Mexico in October and would like to know the definitive
answer on what licenses are needed.
I read somewhere that I need a VHF license for the boat. Is that true?
I know I need something for the Ham radio too. Where do I get it? Can
I do it by mail now or wait till I get to San Diego and cross to
Tijuana?

Thanks,


Jeannette Bristol 32, San Francisco
http://www.eblw.com/contepartiro/contepartiro.html

I have a partial answer for Jeanette and a question for everyone.

Jeanette, I just got the "ship's license" for the VHF, Radar, EPIRB,
and SSB (which I guess technically is a ham radio also although I
won't use it as that). I did it on line on the FCC website. It takes
about 10 minutes and costs $200 for 10 years. Let me know if you can't
find the web page and I'll dig for it again. I got the ship's license
in about a week.

Now, the question: I don't plan to get a ham license because (AFAIK)
they aren't needed for SSB. I will be taking the boat to Mexico and
points south and east. Last time I needed a ship's license was back in
the 80's and at that time it was required for domestic use of VHF. An
operator's license was also required.

I couldn't see anything on the FCC website that said operator licenses
were or were not required for SSB/VHF radio use in a pleasure boat.
Are they?
aa6jh

On Tue, 17 Feb 2004 20:07:08 -0800, sded wrote:

You will need a Restricted Radiotelephone Operators Permit to use your radio,
now that you have the license. Required for SSB and out of country VHF. It is
also available from the FCC website-I think it is $75 for a lifetime permit.
And the hamnets are great for weather, local conditions, etc. and well worth
getting a ham license for.

OK, thanks. That FCC site is pretty confusing...the only reference to
that Permit is under Commercial licensing. There seems to be a test
involved...is this correct? Does a ham license also require the RROP?

Thanks for the answer. The reward on Usenet is ....more questions.

No test for RRT; just a fee. An amateur radio license is completely separate
and requires a series of tests, along with a small fee, and a 5wpm Morse code
test. Dick Locke wrote:

On Tue, 17 Feb 2004 20:07:08 -0800, sded wrote:

You will need a Restricted Radiotelephone Operators Permit to use your radio,
now that you have the license. Required for SSB and out of country VHF. It is
also available from the FCC website-I think it is $75 for a lifetime permit.
And the hamnets are great for weather, local conditions, etc. and well worth
getting a ham license for.

OK, thanks. That FCC site is pretty confusing...the only reference to
that Permit is under Commercial licensing. There seems to be a test
involved...is this correct? Does a ham license also require the RROP?

Thanks for the answer. The reward on Usenet is ....more questions.

On Tue, 17 Feb 2004 17:39:59 -0800, "Steve" wrote:

Yes, you read correctly.. You can apply online if you want..
http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/

However, before you apply, you should deterimine all the other stuff, like
EPIRB, SSB, etc. You can get it all on one license.

Most people that have a Ham license on their boat will also go ahead and get
the Marine SSB license as well.. I think the Ship Station license and the
Marine Operators license cost about $140 total and took about 2 weeks to be
issued.. The FCC site is not very user friendly and may frustrate you as it
did me, however I managed to do the whole thing in about two attempts.

Also you might as well request a Ship Station ID (SSID) as well just in case
you upgrade your VHF now or later..

Since a Ham license requires an exam, you will have to get that seperately.



Thanks for the info. I already have the Ham license. I also have used
the FCC uls site and you are right. It's a pain to figure out but it
does work in a fashion. When I upgraded to extra, I didn't like the
assigned callsign so I applied for a vanity one. I made a mistake
during the process and ended up paying twice for the application. I
applied for a refund but haven't heard from them in 3 months. I will
probably give-up on it. It was only $12.00 I think.


Jeannette
aa6jh
Bristol 32, San Francisco
http://www.eblw.com/contepartiro/contepartiro.html

On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 05:20:37 -0800, sded wrote:

No test for RRT; just a fee. An amateur radio license is completely separate
and requires a series of tests, along with a small fee, and a 5wpm Morse code
test. Dick Locke

OK, found it...it's the "RR" license. Thanks, I wouldn't have figured
it out just by looking at the FCC site.