>Here's an update on the licensing situation in Japan and some comments on
>how it affects contesting.
>
>Japan grants HF privileges to all of its amateurs. There are four license
>classes. Morse code tests are required for three of the four licenses.
>
>The First Class license grants all privileges and has a power limit of
>1,000 watts out. The Second Class is the same with a power output limit of
>200 watts. The Fourth Class license, the one which does not require a
>Morse code test, grants SSB privileges on all Japanese amateur frequencies
>except for 14 Mhz but carries a power limit of 20 watts. This license has
>been the most popular and accounts for about 90% of all Japanese amateurs.
>The Third Class license adds a Morse test to the Fourth Class requirements
>and gives its holders CW privileges on the Fourth Class bands and 50 watts
>output. (The power limits previously were 500, 100, and 10 watts output
>but were recently increased.)
Wow, those guys with the 4th class will be 3DB louder. I remember the first
experience with running JA's was in 1967. We had just come thru a period of
low sun spots and I had put up a big quad (Rod W5HVV now N5HV) from QST.
4el on 15 and 10. I was on 15 and I got a couple of JA's..that was big for
me. I settled in on a freq and called CQ..spent the next few hours working
JA's...mostly the 10W guys. I was at K5MDX then. You could hear them
asking for Mississippi.
If activity is anywhere near the last few cycles than JA runs on 10, 15, and
20 will be great. Runs are hard on 40 SSB from SE USA as the LP gang are
still too weak..but maybe they will upgrade to 3rd class and run 50W (at
least on CW).
Dave K4JRB
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