[CQ-Contest] U.S. to Participate in CEPT Guest License Arrangement

[Dale L. Martin]

Excerpted from The ARRL Letter, Vol 17, No. 7

US TO PARTICIPATE IN CEPT GUEST LICENSE ARRANGEMENT

US amateurs soon will not need to apply for reciprocal licenses in
order to operate during short visits to most European countries. While
an official announcement still may be a few weeks away, it's been
learned the US request to participate in the European guest license
arrangement has been approved.  Similarly, most European hams visiting
the US no longer will have to submit FCC Form 610A.

Last September, the US State Department applied for US participation
in the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications
Administrations (CEPT) Amateur Radio licensing system. A holders of a
CEPT license can operate in CEPT-participating countries without
having to apply for a reciprocal license.

Approval of the US request came in late January at a meeting of the
CEPT Radio Regulatory Working Group (WGRR), in Groningen, The
Netherlands. The European Radiocommunications Office (ERO) has been
instructed to officially notify the FCC of the decision approving US
participation.

The State Department's action came at the urging of the ARRL that the
US take advantage of the CEPT Recommendation T/R 61-01 arrangements
and issue a license that would be recognized by CEPT-participating
administrations and would be valid for brief visits.

Also last fall, the FCC proposed amending the Amateur Radio rules to
make it easier for hams holding a CEPT license or an International
Amateur Radio Permit (IARP) to operate during short visits to the US.

Under the soon-to-be-implemented arrangement, a US Technician license
would be recognized as a CEPT Class 2 (VHF-only) license, with full
privileges above 30 MHz. Holders of Tech Plus through Extra tickets
would be given a CEPT Class 1 license, with full privileges on HF and
VHF. Novice licensees would not be eligible for a CEPT equivalent
license since most CEPT countries don't offer a license of this type.

Once the ERO formally advises the FCC of the decision, the FCC must
complete the steps to implement the participation before CEPT
licensing can become effective.

"We've been urging the Commission to do this since 1991," said ARRL
Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ. "Now that CEPT has given
the green light, we hope the FCC will step on the gas."



===================
Should make Guest-Op contesting overseas (at least in Europe) and
here (for Euro's)easier to do.

Dale Martin, KG5U
kg5u at hal-pc.org
http://www.hal-pc.org/~kg5u



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