Village ham radio in the Solomon Islands

UK 12 hour ham course qualifies 6,000 people to the new UK all bands except 28MHz ham license. Solomon Island 6 month full time 8am to 4pm course sees 21 qualify for that ham license.This documentation of the 6-months ham training course I conducted in Solomon Islands in 2002 will provide  material for use in the isolated villages where the first ham radio schools outside the Capital will start in 2003.I am asking for ideas on any revision needed so that it can be delivered by the next volunteer who can go and help the school.


Everything to TOPIC 1 follows. I will be preparing topic 2 to 12 for later posting and feedback assistance from fellow hams.




Village amateur radio



There are countries where not one native born amateur radio operator is on air and where millions of unused amateur radio frequencies are silent.

One such country is Solomon Islands and for 6 months I have witnessed an amateur radio training course succeeded to attract village people and fire their imagination.

80% of the population live in the rural areas.

The people will depend on donated Solar panels, batteries and radios from the outside world as their only way on air once they get a license.  For over 5 months they attend day after day.  Sometimes, late to class because they don’t have $2 for the bus and had to walk a long way. Others never leave class at lunch but keep studying because they can only afford one or two meals a day.

80% of our students want to go back to their life style of subsistence village agriculture and animal raising making the need for money less a concern than in the city. There are not many such villages left in the world but they do exist elsewhere and would like wise benefit from amateur radio communications.

Our students want to set up Amateur radio in their villages and some want to start up similar Amateur Radio training schools on their home islands and provinces.

The 20th century brought ham radio to the space shuttle and the International space station, could it be that the 21st century will bring signals from amateur stations on Mars, the Moon and the village people living on Earth?

Amateur or HAM (Helping All Mankind and Womankind) Radio can uniquely connect the peoples of the money societies (cities) to the non-money traditional villages. Many villages and traditions have disappeared over the last century all over the world.  More cities and industries are covering the planet.
   
I have tried to present village amateur radio as a zero cost technology based on a free training course and donated equipment.
It’s a technology to support the village lifestyle not change it.

The amateur radio schools planned through out the provinces together with the Solomon Islands Radio Society (SIRS) can assist maintain village radios.

A major development in the world of ham radio in 2002, introduced by the United Kingdom Radio Communications Agency (RCA) gave the desired explosion in the number of radio amateurs in the United Kingdom.

6,000 people, of whom the youngest was 11 years old, successfully completed the new U.K. amateur radio license qualifying course, which requires one weekend (10 to 12 hours) of study. This qualifies students to receive a UK amateur radio license and to use all amateur bands except 28MHz.

The United Kingdom Radio Communications Agency (RCA) charges no amateur radio license fee to anyone under 21 or 75 years or older.

A significant event in the 21st century is the expanding horizons for people with the funds to access the Internet; this encouraged RCA to open ham radio to all.

The challenge for those in Government where both a money and non-money society exist is-
 To consider the populations who trade in goods and do not use or have money.
 To be relevant to people on the land who are self sufficient because of the nature of the village life style.
 To consider service to people who do not have income because they have no jobs in Government or business and live in the traditional non-money society.
 to bring solutions to students, the unemployed and elderly people who have no income and to
 Open communications to all especially those without money.

Ham Radio is the zero cost communication service that can provide the radio communication training, friendship, peace building and emergency capability useful in traditional non money society villages.
I would encourage any one who can help the peoples living in the forest, bush, mountains and coastlines of this 350-island nation and other village nations to do so. Thank you to everyone who has already helped.
                                                                                            Sam Voron H44A, VK2BVS
                                                                             1  January 2003.





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS                                    
   

 The Solomon Islands National Disaster Council (NDC) for making this course possible by supplying the school rooms.

 Both previous and current Chairman of NDC, who made this project a reality.

 The Rural Development Volunteer Association of the Solomon for helping to photocopy the first set of study notes which launched the course.                                                                                                                                    

 Ausaid Community Peace and Restoration Fund Solomon Islands–who have allowed use of their computer to prepare this material and gave support to improve the school building and its training facilities.

 Oxfam in Solomon Islands who have helped produce this final set of study material.

 Spectrum Management Division in Solomon Islands for approval to conduct the Amateur radio License course.

 Nikki Searant (“NES’), Karen, Allan Warren (“NDA959’), Peter Waters (“Peter Rabbit”) and Don Rogers (“189”) for their efforts in collecting donated CB and Amateur radios in Australia and Greg Dober for freighting USA donated CB and Ham radios to get our students on the air.

 Bill Lawless K1UQ in the USA for initiating and maintaining the school Internet site   http://www.H44A.com

 All the CB and Amateur Radio operators who have provided “on air” support to the school from around the world.

 Material circulating around Australia from many sources aimed at the unrestricted Australian Amateur Radio License which has been collected, adapted, modified and new material added.

 Our students and all their voluntary works and assistance thought out the course.

 Loti Yates of the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) Solomon Islands for his vision of the benefits to both those attending the course and to the nation.




                 THE COURSE
     
Amateur Radio Qualifying Course for the Operation of Unrestricted Amateur Radio Stations in the Solomon Islands.



OBJECTIVES

At the end of this course, the students will be able to:
 set up local, national and international amateur radio communications from inside a village.


 take the opportunity to teach radio communication skills to people who have little opportunity to learn else where especially in the rural villages.


 Increase the knowledge and education of people through technical know how in worldwide radio communication.


 develop the instructional capability of students through an easy to use course for students.


 form a pool of trained radio operators available throughout the country that can assist their community, province and the country during time of emergency.


 provide a way in which every village can make friends all over the world for the Solomon Islands on the airwaves.


 Open emergency communication capability in areas where none currently exists.


 Reactivate and operate the Solomon Islands Radio Society.


 Improve communication between villages and urban or city centres.





INTRODUCTION



THE UNRESTRICTED AMATEUR RADIO LICENCE QUALIFYING CERTIFICATE COURSE is open to any person free of charge.

The Theory is based on the Australian Unrestricted amateur radio license exam adapted to be of relevance to our students (of whom 50% never made or received a telephone call and 75% never sent or received a letter). The Morse code is based on the USA exam model and adapted to Solomon Islands conditions.

The course is designed to bring benefits direct to villages in the mountains and coastline of this 350-island nation where 80% of the people live.

The certificate issued by the Amateur Radio Training School of the Solomon Islands (ARTSSI) will allow its presentation at the Department of Works, Spectrum Management Division to result in the issue of the Solomon Islands Government unrestricted Amateur Radio License. The ARTSSI certificates are signed by Sam Voron, the temporary examinations officer for the Solomon Islands Radio Society (SIRS).

Specially selected persons, based on outstanding efforts have been invited and attend a second certificate course call the AMATEUR RADIO EXAMINERS QUALIFYING CERTIFICATE COURSE, conducting Amateur Radio unrestricted examinations under supervision and instruction.

Anyone with an Amateur Radio License may form an amateur radio training school. It is planned that the Solomon Islands Radio Society would co-ordinate the travel of evaluators or examiners to these amateur radio training schools.

Its possible that 3 examiners or evaluators (unrelated and of different provinces) would attend each exam to assure the Spectrum Management Division (SMD) that safeguards are in place to maintain the standard of the examinations or evaluations and integrity of the issued ARTSSI certificates.





INDEX showing the 12 topic amateur radio training course.


TOPIC NAME and time of EXAM
1 Introduction to CB RADIO AND AMATEUR RADIO.
At the end of unit.

2 International Voice Code.
At the end of unit.

3 International Morse Code Abbreviations.
At the end of unit.

4 International Q Code.
At the end of unit.

5 International Morse Code.
At the end of unit.

6 Name of each amateur radio band and frequency range from 1.8 to 430 MHz.
At the end of unit.

7 On air operating procedure on CB Radio – use radio under supervision.
At the end of unit.

8 On air operating procedure on Amateur Radio – Ask licensed ham.
At the end of unit.

9 Theory and regulations for the operation of Unrestricted amateur radio stations in the Solomon Islands.
At the end of unit.

10 Practical village amateur radio.
At the end of unit.

11 Emergency Amateur Radio communications.
At the end of unit

12 Evaluation.
At the end of Course





                                                   TOPIC 1                                          
      INTRODUCTION TO CB RADIO AND AMATEUR RADIO

OBJECTIVE

To understand what is Citizens Band Radio (“CB Radio”) and what is Amateur Radio also called “HAM RADIO” or Helping All Mankind and Womankind Radio.

INTRODUCTION

Amateur Radio is also called Ham (Helping All Mankind and Womankind) radio.

Amateur radio transmitters and receivers (called transceivers) can operate on millions of ham radio frequencies. These frequencies are capable of local, national and worldwide communications. The purpose of the amateur radio service is to-
          1. Enjoy learning and experimenting with radio communications
          2. Build friendships worldwide through “on air” radio conversations and
          3. Be ready to connect the village to the nation and the world when
              emergency help is needed.

Another radio service is called Citizens Band or CB radio.

A CB radio transmitter and receiver (called a transceiver) operates on 40 frequencies (called 40 channels) in the 27MHz frequency band and is normally used for local radio communication however currently radio conditions are allowing some long-range contacts. No License, exams or qualifying course is required to operate CB radios in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. This has resulted in many people using CB for business, hobby and safety communications.

In the Solomon Islands currently CB radios must be licensed.

A business may decide to leave CB and get a business VHF or UHF two-way radio.  The Spectrum Management Division (SMD) of the Department of Works in Honiara must license such a radio (called a transceiver).

If there is need for country wide safety communications then users may leave CB and get a HF marine, aeronautical or HF land two-way radio (called a transceiver), which must also be licensed by SMD.

In Australia, New Zealand, UK and USA, CB hobby users looking to expand their interest in radio communications may study to qualify to operate Amateur Radio Equipment on the international Amateur Radio frequency bands. The Amateur radio frequency bands are capable of local, national and worldwide communications. Those who either pass an examination or have successfully completed an approved Amateur Radio Course are able to obtain the required SMD Amateur License.  There is no age limit to obtain this license.

In most countries radio amateurs don’t use CB often however in the Solomon Islands currently 9 frequencies in the 27 MHz band allows the use of zero cost donated CB transceivers which makes amateur radio possible for the people. Radio amateurs are licensed to use 9 CB channels as well as millions of other frequencies in the international amateur radio frequency bands.


As the ham radio training school receives more overseas donated amateur radio transceivers, amateurs who only had a donated CB to start with can expand their capabilities with the new equipment and give their CB to a new ham who has no                                                                                                        
radio.

With more village people being trained to operate amateur radio, it is the use of 27MHz as an amateur radio frequency band shared with CB radio, which opens the hobby to people who would otherwise have no transceiver with which to get on air.

What is being developed is a communications capability at no cost to the Government where individuals interested in the hobby of radio communications will build up a capability to connect the entire country and the world. All at a time when most people in the Solomon Islands don’t have and cannot afford telephones.
 
Radio operators can help the people, the Solomon Islands Red Cross, the National Disaster Council and all humanitarian, Government and non Government agencies as part of a “zero cost internet” using the service of HAM radio operators during emergency times.

One of the benefits of a large number of radio amateurs is the interest it will generate and friendships, which will form between Solomon Islanders and peoples in every country of the world.

The visitors who come to meet their village “friends of the radio air waves” will create more interest in learning about the Solomon Islands. Visitors will return to their overseas home and tell everyone about the great time they had.

Business Radio and Amateur Radio – What is the difference and Social Impact?

Amateur Radio is being introduced to the traditional, non money, barter, self sufficient village life style in the Solomon Islands.

A “no fee” course, donated transceivers and infrastructure for backup repair is operating through the amateur radio school and the radio society being put in place. This gives respect and service to people living outside the money economy. Ham Radio is able to do this without upsetting peoples existing life style with demands for money.

In the money economy, the National Disaster Council and the Solomon Island Red Cross are encouraging anyone interested to do the courses, in preparation to assisting the country with emergency communication during times of cyclone and other disasters.

Amateur Radio training can also assist those trying to enter the money economy by encouraging social skills development, which every employer seeks and which village people may not be aware.

While the goal of business radio is to build up money by facilitating the operation of an organization. Amateur ham (helping all mankind) radio operators build up something else. It builds respect, friendship and skills.

Students learn the ham spirit by being faced with the question; “ In what you do, are you a real ham– a helping all mankind and womankind person”?

All students including those who join the school on their very first day are encouraged to develop their skills in teaching and helping others. Part of the enjoyment of ham radio is that anyone can pass their skills to those who wish to become radio amateurs.

Every time a student helps another student in their ham radio school studies, they show their respect, friendship and skills to that person and everyone watching.

Opportunities come to some students at the amateur radio school because they are seen as honest, reliable and good workers with people.



Amateur radio is a hobby that can lead to jobs.

Hams can become sought after by-                                                                                                          

 Radio and TV broadcast stations needing staff.

 Opening your own ham radio training school in a village.

 Computer companies and Internet cafes looking for trainees.

 Opening your own electronics repair service in a village.

 Starting to do some electronic sales in a village.

 Joining Government or independent schools and collages that may be looking for electronics or English conversation teachers.

 Let Taxi companies and Government departments needing radio operators know that you are available.

 Contact foreign Governments and Non Government Organisations (NGO’s) such as local and foreign aid and development agencies who may be looking for local Solomon Island staff.

 Any job asking to see training certificates which shows you have above average motivation. The ham radio school now issues 4 training certificates. 3 are available to anyone wishing to study the additional courses.

 Any job looking for people who can be trusted to be honest and reliable to do shop sales, food sales or security work.

 Any job needing someone with good people to people communicating skills. For example child minding, councilor, supervisor, problem solver or organiser.

 Any job which needs the applicant to have experience talking to and helping foreigners. This covers tourism, the services industry and all Government jobs.

 Any job needing a good ability to speak in the English language. This includes teaching positions, translators for foreign organisations, sales person in any shop and in all Government jobs.

Amateur radio can open the village to the world.

Hams can make friends and peace for Solomon Islands by:

 Welcoming foreign radio friends and hams from all provinces to visit their village.

 Solomon Islands is one of the easiest and friendliest countries to visit because a visitors Visa can be issued on arrival at the airport to anyone with a return ticket and who holds a USA, Canadian, Japanese, Australian, New Zealand, European Union country and passport holders of many other countries. Visitors from some countries need to make prior arrangements before they arrive. See page 27.

 Meet visitors at the airport in Honiara. If your village is far away you can have the visitor met by someone from the Solomon Island Radio Society (SIRS).

 Help the visitors carry any amateur radio equipment they have which they may want to use and may later take back overseas. Visitors pay no Solomon Island tax on personal equipment that they intend to take back overseas.

 Take visitors to the Spectrum Management Division (SMD) so they can apply and receive a Solomon Islands amateur radio license. Foreign radio hams should be reminded to bring their home amateur radio license and a passport size photo which they give to the SMD and pay any fee to the cashier. A Ham license is then issued.

 If you are not in Honiara have SIRS see that the visitor departs Honiara airport and flies to your nearest provincial airport.

 Meet the provincial aircraft and transport the visitor and his/her equipment to your village.

 The visitor is now in your village. You can learn more about each other and communications by helping set up the visitors ham station and showing your station.

 The village can meet the person whose voice they have heard from your radio. The village can have a room and food for visitors as well as boat trips and walks to other villages. A life long friendship has now started to the benefit of the village, the visitor and Solomon Islands.
RADIO ORGANISATIONS                                                                      

The Spectrum Management Division (SMD) is the Solomon Islands Government authority responsible for issuing Amateur Radio licenses in the country.

Amateur radio operators meet at the Solomon Island Radio Society (SIRS), which is the National body formed by the radio hams in this country.

SIRS meet regularly with SMA to discuss improvements to Solomon Island rules, regulations and procedures.

The SIRS is a member of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).

IARU is made up of all the National amateur radio societies around the world.

REGION 1 EUROPE & AFRICA
REGION 2 AMERICA
REGION 3 ASIA & PACIFIC

IARU region 3 (Pacific and Asia) includes Solomon Islands. All amateur radio societies who are members of the IARU can attend the annual IARU conference to discuss issues they feel will benefit amateur radio.

IARU is an observer at the World Administrative Radio (4 YEARLY) Conference  (WARC) held by the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

ITU decide on rules and frequency usage around the world as well as International Regulations.

Each country can make its own rules or frequency usage as long as it does not cause interference to other countries. This is why there are differences from one country to the next.

When a country makes a change it then notifies ITU that a change has already taken place or will take effect as of a certain date. That also includes notification that it has what is called added a footnote to the ITU regional regulations. That is how Australia and Japan are able to allow non-Morse tested Amateurs use of frequencies below 30MHz although ITU regulations restrict non-Morse tested Amateurs to the frequencies above 30MHz. It is also what allows countries to have some unique amateur radio bands, which are additional to the worldwide          
ITU allocated ones or have amateur bands that exist in other regions assigned outside that region on a non-interference basis like 7.1 to 7.3MHz in Australia.

AMATEUR RADIO IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS

THE STATE OF THE AMATEUR BANDS for the 6 months May to Oct. 2002.

SOLOMON ISLANDS AMATEURS HEARD ON AIR (1.8 to 30 MHz)

---Only one Solomon Island amateur station (call sign- H44A) was heard on the air from May to Oct. 2002. It was the station of the Amateur Radio Training School of the Solomon Islands (ARTSSI) in Honiara. It was heard on all HF bands except 1.8MHz day or night, 3.5MHz, 7MHz and 10MHz in the day.

NUMBER OF INTRUDERS HEARD ON EXCLUSIVE AMATEUR ALLOCATIONS

Any non-amateur station operating on an exclusive worldwide-allocated amateur band is called an Intruder.

Some frequency bands used by amateurs may be shared with other radio services such as broadcasting, CB, military, business etc. On shared bands some services have primary status meaning you should give such stations right of frequency use if you are secondary status on that band.
 
On 7MHz radio amateurs have an exclusive worldwide frequency allocation between 7.0 to7.1MHz.

In the day one non-English language, non-amateur SSB voice station was heard.
All amateur radio stations identify themselves at least every 10 minutes using internationally recognised call signs.

No daytime licensed amateur stations were heard on 7MHz over the 6-month period. The 7Mhz amateur band is the most valuable daytime radio spectrum for Solomon Islands because it is capable of linking by radio, this 350-island nation.

It was sad therefore, in the daylight hours to hear nothing except the one intruder using the exclusive 7MHz ham band.

Conclusion

The need to support students at the amateur radio training school of the Solomon Islands with transceivers so more can come on the air is the obvious conclusion from this 6 month state of the amateur bands report.
REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE SOLOMON ISLAND AMATEUR RADIO FREQUENCY BAND ALLOCATIONS.

         To encourage worldwide research to be done in the Solomon Islands it needs the best range of frequency bands and radio regulations.
         To bring help for our new hams who need donated radios and more experience we need to make Solomon Islands the best radio holiday destination in the world. We can do this by offering the widest range of frequency allocation, maximum power output and other regulation enhancements that will make this the best country for foreign hams to visit.
          Each donated radio is another village on the air.
        Each foreign visitor makes a new friend for the country, especially for those in the non-money society who with radio can for the first time reach out to the world. This then is a positive nation building and community development project, which can be put into the hands of people who don’t need money to live. The purpose is to bring help and friendship through radio to the village people at no cost to them.

Existing Amateur bands plus those proposed to make Solomon Islands attractive to foreign visitors.

NOTE-You do not need to memorize the following frequency information.

LOW FREQUENCY (LF) BANDS

2205metre band(m)–Nil Needed is the band 135.7 KHz to 137.8 KHz as used in the UK.

1700m – Nil                    Needed is the band 165 KHz to 190 KHz as
used in New Zealand.                  
Much amateur radio research is being conducted on both LF bands so there is potential to attract visitors.

MEDIUM FREQUENCY (MF) BANDS

930m – Nil                       There is a desire to use 495KHz to 505KHz, no
                                         longer used for CW emergency maritime service.
160m – 1.800 to 2.000 MHz.

HIGH FREQUENCY (HF) BANDS

80m – 3.500 to 3.900 MHz.

80m -  upper-  Nil There is a need to include 3.900 to 4.000MHz on a non- interference basis. This covers  the USA voice transmitting part of 80m. It will allow voice communication with amateurs in the USA.
                                                                                                     
60m – Nil There is a need for the band between 5.250Mhz and 5.410MHz on a non interference basis as is used in the USA or any available frequencies especially 5.260MHz, 5.280MHz, 5.290MHz, 5.400MHz and 5.405MHz popular in the UK, and Canadian popular frequencies 5.269MHz, 5.319MHz and 5.329MHz.
                                     The latest amateur radio High Frequency (HF) research is being conducted here. It’s expected that any frequencies busy in the day would be avoided and only used late at night or early morning when no local activity exists.



40m –7.000 to 7.100MHz.

40m upper - Nil there is a need to include 7.100 to 7.300Mhz on a non-interference basis as used by amateurs in Australia, USA and New Zealand. During the day the entire frequency band is empty. This is a most important band that can allow people from remote areas of the 350 Solomon Islands to talk to each other. Night Communications with the USA is possible. Australian amateurs share this band successfully with Radio Australia.  



30 m - 10.100 to 10.150 MHz.

20m - 14.000 to 14.350 MHz.

17m - 18.068 to 18.186 MHz.

15m - 21.000 to 21.450 MHz.

12m - 24.890 to 24.990 MHz.

                                                                                                     
11m - 9 frequencies in the 27MHz band
          27.065 MHz, 27.115MHz, 27.155MHz,
          27.245MHz, 27.255MHz, 27.295MHz,
          27.325MHz, 27.335MHz, 27.355MHz.
          All on a non-interference basis.
                                      Needed are all 40 channels (26.957 to 27.405MHz) on a non-interference basis.  
                                     This would assist hams using donated CB radios.

                                      New Zealand radio amateurs are allocated 26.957 to 27.283MHz.                                                                                                    

Solomon Island ham school training is on Channel 29, LSB, 27.295 MHz; this is shared with a taxi service using AM. Radio operators stop “on air” operation in accordance with the non-interference rule when needed. Channel 13, AM, 27.115MHz is used locally by hams.

The Police are allocated 27.125 MHz so this will develop an important amateur radio community policing capability in future.


The CB frequency allocation has been very important because donated CB radios are going to be the only way many new HAMS will be able to get on air. Some radio amateurs in the USA, Australia and New Zealand once used this band when it was popular. Those unused CB radios can be donated to get Solomon Island hams onto the airwaves.

10m - 28.000 to 29.700 MHz.

VERY HIGH FREQUENCY (VHF) BANDS

6m - 50.000 to 54.000 MHz.





                                                                                                         
4m – Nil Needed is the band or some frequencies from 70.000MHz to 70.500 MHz on a non-interference basis. South Africa’s allocation is 70.000 to 70.300MHz. A potential would then exist for receiving donated Low band VHF transceivers and attracting overseas research to the Solomon Islands.

2m – 144.000 to 146.000MHz.

2m - upper - Nil Needed is to include the band 146.000 to 148.000MHz on a non-interference basis.  Amateur Radio Repeaters in Australia, New Zealand and the USA are on this frequency range. Potential for donated repeaters will then exist.
                                                                                                   
1.25m- Nil Needed is the band or some frequencies between 222.000MHz to 225.000MHz on a non- interference basis. This would allow the use of US Amateur equipment and research on this band. It could be used in parts of the country where no use is made of this radio spectrum.      

ULTRA HIGH FREQUENCY (UHF) BANDS  

70cm - 430.000 to 440.000MHz.

70cm – upper/lower-Nil     Needed is 420.000MHz to 450.000MHz on a
                                            non-interference basis. This would allow the
                                           use of Australian and USA amateur radios that
                                         cover this band.


50cm - 576.000 to 585.000MHz.
50cm- lower- Nil              It is needed to extend this band down by 1MHz
                                         to cover 575MHz to 585MHz as was done in
                                         Australia so that UHF broadcast Television Channel
                                      35 is covered to allow the use of Ordinary TV
                                      receivers. Television equipment no longer used in
                                      Australia could be donated. 575 MHz to 582MHz is
                                      the Amateur Television repeater band in Australia. It
                                      could be used in parts of the country where no use is
                                      made of this radio spectrum.
49cm-Nil                           Needed is 614 to 622MHz as used in New
                                        Zealand on the same ATV basis as 50cm.
33cm-Nil Needed is the band or some frequencies
                                        between 902MHz to 928MHz as used in the USA
                                        or 922 to 927MHz as used in New Zealand. It could be used in parts of the country where no use is made of this radio spectrum.

23cm -  1.240 to 1.300GHz.

13cm -  2.300 to 2.450GHz.


SUPER HIGH FREQUENCY (SHF) BANDS

 9cm -    3.300 to 3.500GHz.

 6cm -    5.650 to 5.850GHz.

 3cm -  10.000 to 10.500GHz.

12mm - 24.000 to 24.250GHz.


EXTREMELY HIGH FREQUENCY (EHF) BANDS

6mm -  47.000 to 47.200GHz.

4mm -  75.500 to 81.000GHz.

2mm -144.000 to 144.900GHz.

1mm -248.000 to 250.000GHz.

MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT

Although a high power permit is available in the Solomon Islands, the normal
maximum level is 400Watts pep. The USA allows 1.5kW (1,500Watts-pep) power
output without the need for a special permit. For Solomon Islands a
maximum power output of 3 kW pep (3000watts pep) is proposed.
This will attract overseas visitors who would normally go to the USA and
help make Solomon Islands the best country in the world to conduct
amateur radio research. The USA novice power level is 200 watts pep. That is
not far from our 400 Watts Unrestricted Solomon license. 400Watts is the
minimum level on most amateur HF Linear Amplifiers, so currently visitors can’t
use their ham equipment to its full capability as can be done in the USA.
RE-ACTIVITATING THE SOLOMON ISLANDS RADIO SOCIETY (SIRS)


THE RE-ACTIVITATED SOLOMON ISLANDS RADIO SOCIETY (SIRS), like all national societies, will need to regularly meet with Spectrum Management Division and update the Amateur Radio rules and regulations so we can keep up and sometimes if we have a fantastic idea, lead developments around the world.

The ham students in the Solomon Islands and those hams looking for overseas countries in which to do their research depend on an active society.

The importance of skills needed to form and run a National Society is such that it has been included in a new course. It is called the Advanced Radio and Electronics certificate course.

The course is for those who have successfully completed the unrestricted amateur radio license qualifying course and includes a study on National Amateur Societies and the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).
     
The students will be the leaders of Amateur Radio in the Solomon Islands and this new course looks at preparing them for that task.


AMATEUR RADIO LICENSE FEE

When our Society was inactive we saw last years $12 Amateur Radio License fee jump to $100 in mid- 2002.

NOT ONE, OF OUR FIRST 9 GRADUATING STUDENTS, WHO HAD SPENT 3 MONTHS AT THE FREE OF CHARGE AMATEUR RADIO TRAINING SCHOOL, HAD THE $100 AMATEUR RADIO LICENSE FEE.

AFTER 6 MONTHS 21 STUDENTS RECEIVED THEIR SCHOOL HAM GRADUATION CERTIFICATE. THE LICENSE FEE WAS DROPPED BACK TO $12 in late 2002.

I asked several students why only 2 out of 21 graduates had gone to get their license. The answer-they did not have $12.
                                                                                                         
Most countries which charge amateur fees do so at a level, which most people can pay in one day. If your people can not pay a nominal fee you need to remove that fee to open opportunities that otherwise people will never have.
                                                                             
ISSUING OF AMATEUR RADIO CALLSIGNS TO VISITING AMATEURS.

It is proposed that any foreign VISITOR holding any class of amateur license be issued a VISITOR unrestricted amateur radio license valid only within Solomon Islands as a way to promote the country as the best holiday and radio research destination.

The Radio Society when reactivated should talk with the Spectrum Management Division (SMD) about the Society issuing on Spectrum Management Division’s behalf- amateur call signs, amateur licenses and collection of any SMD fees. This will mean foreign visitors arriving in Honiara at any time (e.g. weekends, public holidays and when SMD offices are unattended) can get a license at the 24 hour 7 day Solomon Islands Radio Society HQ. This will allow foreign visitors to immediately travel to villages and provinces with out delays waiting for the SMD office to open.

Here are examples of how New Zealand and the USA are attracting ham visitors-

Any Foreign Amateur Visitor holding any amateur license from overseas who arrives in New Zealand, or,  in the USA any Foreign Amateur Visitor holding a foreign amateur license from a country with a reciprocal license agreement with the USA who arrives in the USA, need make no application, need pay no fee, need not tell the license authority they are coming or have arrived and need no call sign issued. These foreign visitors arrive and can operate amateur radio immediately.


For visitors to the USA, the visitor makes up their call sign by using their foreign call sign / w (w means USA). Example, you arrive in the USA as a visitor. You do not tell the USA license authority Federal Communication Commission (FCC), you do not fill any application, you pay no fee and you use your home country allocated call sign /w  (Example H44A/w).
 
For visitors to New Zealand, the visitor makes up their call sign in a reverse way. First use the letters ZL/ your home country allocated amateur radio call sign. ZL means New Zealand. You do not visit, send or give any fees or send any application to the New Zealand licensing authority. You make up your call sign like this (Example ZL/H44A).

The above example shows how two countries have their own way visitors home call signs identify that they are in a foreign country and how they allow visiting radio amateurs to make up such amateur radio visitor call sign.
Factors affecting the Development of communications in the non money, rural, traditional villages of Solomon Islands-
-Village people can develop national and worldwide communications at no cost to the Government if they are not excluded by a Government license fee.

Governments should consider that-

 USA and New Zealand have free amateur radio licenses.
 Australia exempts amateurs involved in life saving organisations.
 United Kingdom exempts amateurs under 21 and 75 years old or over.

To open communications to THE 80% WHO LIVE IN THE VILLAGES OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDS who do not have money we need to say that                                                                                                    
Solomon Islanders long with no communications should now RECEIVE THE SAME (NO FEE) AMATEUR RADIO LICENSE AS THE New Zealand, USA and UK PEOPLE. Many villages are not in the money economy, we now have free courses, and free radios and we need the Government to do its important bit in opening the world of ham radio communications to the poorest of the people who are the ones who can best benefit.

USA’s FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC) renewable every 10 years free amateur radio license AND THE New Zealand RADIO SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT  (RSM) free amateur radio license, Australia and UK exempt of fee licenses shows how licensing authorities are opening amateur radio to the people.

In Solomon Islands people have joined the only free of charge school in the country that welcomes anyone walking off the street. It’s the students, training to be Solomon Island Amateur Radio Operator who are “ on the air” daily inviting visitors from around the world to come to our country and help our people.

It is proposed that the Amateur Radio hobby station license should be free because unlike all other licenses issued by SMD the Amateur license is not issued to a company or a business. It is a hobby license not a money making license. Businesses and Companies use radio to make money and can recoup the license fee from their income in ONE day of operating. An individual may have no income.
-Amateur radio licenses are issued to any individual of any age who has successfully completed an Amateur Radio License qualifying course.
-Amateur radio licenses can also be issued to radio clubs. Such clubs might be located at a school, work place, Girl Guide, Boy Scout or any other location. Such stations can only be used when a licensed radio amateur is in attendance.
It is called an Amateur license because it is not a money making license. It cannot be used for business.

The United Nations has provided millions of amateur radio frequencies for hobby radio users. These Amateur radio frequencies cannot be used for-

 Business messages. See topics 10-2 and 11-5.

 Business money making activities.

 Broadcasting to the public. (Information broadcasts of amateur radio news directed to amateurs, followed by listeners calling back at the end of the bulletin is permitted. If a disaster has disabled all Government and Public broadcast facilities you may be requested by the licensing authorities to setup a temporary emergency broadcast for public reception if you are capable).

 Government or military use. (Unless they are intending to contact amateur radio stations in an emergency, in a Simulated Emergency Test or through a ham radio club at the facility).

 Advertising (mention of personal ham radio equipment for sale which is not part of a business activity is allowed in some countries usually on ham nets or on amateur information broadcasts).

 Entertainment.

 Music (Amateur Television broadcasts of educational videos are allowed to include music which might be incidental to the videos main material).


Without licensed radio operators in Solomon Islands we have millions of unused frequencies. These are an unused resource that could be used for the benefit of the whole nation.

Countries use Amateur Radio to attract visitors, build emergency communications capability, interest and train students with exciting skills for their future.

Governments should not overlook the potential of this resource and this opportunity by putting it out of reach of the ordinary person. Ham radio is a means of bringing people together.

Many people do not have money but they have time. They spend 5 months studying to qualify for this license at a time when they have no job and no income not even $2 a day to catch a bus to the radio school.
                                                                                                         
The people with telephones, TV and money are not the ones who are studying and qualifying for this license. Those qualifying are the people who never had communications. If the school charged any fee we would not have these students. The course has captured the imagination of the people because it’s free and it’s within any ones reach.

Its important that the government keep this communication resource within the reach of every person in the country especially the most disadvantaged and those who have missed out on every other opportunity to go forward.

Amateur Radio is one of the few hobbies to require a license. USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand examples of free and exempt amateur radio license fees are on page 15. Other countries keep fees very low. That is, an amount, if any, which every person in the country can EASILY afford. This radio resource is open to any person (men, women and children) of all levels from mainly the non-money society who undertake studies to qualify for the license.

In the Solomon Islands we have people who are not in the money economy. More attention needs to be given so that the most disadvantaged do not get excluded from things like ham radio.  Ham radio is designed to bring all people together, provide worldwide friendship and understanding and to have large numbers of people available to give volunteer help to the community in times of disaster.
       
The United Nations has opened this radio to all people. Access must not depend on how much money your citizen has.

The Amateur Radio license is for individuals to further their education and self- training, to promote worldwide friendship and understanding.

Businesses are not allowed to use amateur frequencies.
                                                                                                             
Only Solomon Island licensed hams, supervised radio students and visiting foreign licensed amateur radio operators can legally qualify to use amateur radio frequencies
SOLOMON ISLANDERS NEED HELP TO GET STARTED IN AMATEUR
         RADIO.
- THAT IS WHY THE RADIO SCHOOL IS FREE,
- WHY DONATED TRANSCEIVERS ARE GIVEN,
- WHY TEACHERS FROM OVERSEAS HAVE COME.
                                                                                                     
 THE GOVERNMENT LICENSE FEE IS THE LAST BARRIER.
    The radio amateur license is an educational, training and hobby
    license and not a money making license. Unlike, other SMD licenses it is
    not a business or organization that requests an amateur radio license.

 Radio Amateurs are individual citizens.
   They are known as “HAM” Helping All Mankind Radio Operators.
   They make friends all over the world for our country using short wave radio.

 That is why this license is free in countries who want lots of HAM radio stations “on the air” to promote visits from foreign friends.

 These are the people who have studied for 6 months at the free of charge Amateur Radio Training School of the Solomon Islands-
(1) Those who come from villages and live outside the money economy by growing their food each day.
(2) School students who were at home all day with nothing to do, unable to attend any other school because their parents cannot pay school fees.
(3) The unemployed that is looking for new and motivating skills that can give them a future.
(4) Anyone with no current opportunity to go forward.    

UPDATING AMATEUR RADIO REGULATIONS

(1) There is no age requirements enforced for the holding of an amateur radio license in the Solomon Islands. Any mention of age in the regulations should be removed. There is no age limit in Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada or the USA.

(2) All Morse code requirements should be at 5 words per minute in line with New Zealand, Australia, the UK and the USA. Mention of higher speeds should be removed.



           
                         
                         THE WORLDWIDE TIME SYSTEM
 
WALL CHART OF UNIVERSAL TIME COORDINATED (UTC)



Solomon Time Universal Time Coordinated UTC
8 2100
9 2200
10 2300
11 0000
12 Noon 0100
1 0200
2 0300
3 0400
4 0500
5 0600
6 0700
7 0800
8 0900
9 1000
10 1100
11 1200
12 Midnight 1300
1 am 1400
2 1500
3 1600
4 1700
5 1800
6 1900
7 2000


How to use this chart
Example
    At 12 noon Solomon Island time, it is 0100UTC in every country in the world.
    Radio amateur’s talk all over the world and this table is used to change Solomon Island local time into the Worldwide Time and vice versa.

    World time is called UTC time (Universal Time Coordinated) or Zulu (z) time and is known as GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) in the United Kingdom.

                                                                     
                   THE WORLDWIDE LOCATION SYSTEM


Latitude and Longitude – Is the international system used to give an exact location anywhere on land or sea.

When a plane or ship needs help they can send a Mayday call in voice or SOS call in Morse code. They will give details about what the emergency is, how many people they have and their exact location using longitude and latitude.

The world is divided on all maps by many vertical lines called LONGTITUDE.
A vertical line near London, England is called ZERO degrees.
Vertical lines EAST of London on maps are called Longitude  degrees WEST

The world is also divided on all maps by many horizontal lines called LATITUDE.
A horizontal line along the Equator is called ZERO degrees.
Horizontal lines SOUTH of the Equator on maps are called Latitude  degrees NORTH.

ONE DEGREE EQUALS 60 MINUTES

Positions are given stating Longitude and Latitude in both degrees and minutes to give an exact position anywhere on the earth’s surface.

Example- MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY this is the ship “Cyprus”, call sign November Alfa Charlie Mike, we have hit something and we are sinking rapidly. 10 people on board getting into one life raft. Our position is Longitude 161 degrees 15 minute’s EAST, Latitude 8 degrees 30 minutes SOUTH.

On a map you would see that that position is 30 kilometres (km) east of Ngongorefou off the Malaita Island’s East Coast in water.


WHEN YOU HEAR AN EMERGENCY CALL. LISTEN AND CAREFULLY WRITE DOWN ALL THE INFORMATION. PASS THAT INFORMATION TO THE POLICE OR NEAREST RESCUE AUTHORITIES.

       AMATEUR RADIO RECEPTION REPORTING SYSTEM


VOICE Readability® and Signal Strength (S)
– RS System

During voice radio contacts 2 numbers are given to tell another station about your reception of their transmission.

READABILITY ® is ALWAYS the first number.
How well is every word spoken, heard?
It is a 5 number code.
You listen and decide which number is correct.
1= Can just hear something but cant hear any words.
2= Can hear occasional word but cant hear most words.
3= Can hear many words but lots of words cant be heard.
4= Can hear, only occasional word not heard.
5= Can hear every word.

SIGNAL STRENGTH (S) is ALWAYS the second number.
How strong is the radio signal.
It is a 9 number code.
You can give the number by looking at the radio’s signal strength meter number indicator or you can decide which number is correct yourself if the radio does not have a strength metre.
1, 2 or 3= weak signal strength
4 or 5    = fair signal strength
6 or 7    = good signal strength
8           = very good signal strength
9           = excellent signal strength

When the strength of a radio signal being received is over S9 a radio’s signal strength meter will give numbers said to be “DECIBEL OVER STRENGTH 9”.
For example – Your report is 5, plus 10 decibel over strength 9.
5 is the readability, it means every word spoken can be heard.
Plus 10 decibel over strength 9 is the signal strength.

If you have no meter then estimate, say-Your report is “5,9” or “5 and 9”

After giving the RS report you can include details such as –
AUDIO QUALITY- you have hum on your signal or a radio frequency or audio frequency feedback. Your signal is distorted or audio is breaking up due to a loose connection in your microphone lead. Your audio quality is excellent and a pleasure to listen to.
                       
Morse code Readability®, Signal Strength (S) and Tone (T) – RST System.

During Morse code radio contacts 3 numbers are given to tell another station about your reception of their transmission.

The first 2 numbers are the same as used in the voice RS system.
The third number is the TONE.

TONE (T) is ALWAYS the third number.
How nice is the tone of the Morse code signal.
It is a 9 number code.
You give the number by looking up a list, which describe different ways Morse might sound
1, 2 or 3= very bad
4 or 5    = bad
6 or 7    = poor
8           = almost perfect
9           = perfect. No hum, sounds like a clear sine wave signal

Example- On Morse code one could say “your report is 599”.
That means Readability is 5, Signal strength is 9 and Tone is 9.




AMATEUR RADIO CALL SIGN PREFIX -  3B8-A9
                                SHOWING THE HAM’S COUNTRY-PART 1.

All amateur radio call signs start with 2 or3 letters or numbers called the PREFIX. This shows the hams country. The last part of the call sign is called the SUFFIX. It is 1,2 or 2 letters that are unique to the user.
NOTE-You do not need to memorize the following tables. See the bottom of this page for details about using these tables.

Call sign    
Prefix        Country              3B8-8R Call sign    
Prefix       Country               5W-A9
3B8       Mauritius
3C         Equatorial Guinea
3D2      Fiji
3DA      Swaziland
3V        Tunisia
XV        Vietnam
3X        Guinea
4K        Azerbaijan
4L        Georgia
4P-4S   Sri Lanka
4U        ITU ham Headquarters station
4U        United Nations HQ ham station
4W       East Timor
4X, 4Z  Israel
5A         Libya
5B        Cyprus
5H,5I    Tanzania  
5N,5O   Nigeria
5R,5S    Madagascar
5T         Mauritania  
5U        Niger
5V        Togo
7P        Lesotho  
7Q        Malawi
7T-7Y   Algeria  
8P        Barbados
8Q       Maldives  
8R       Guyana 5W       Samoa
5X        Uganda
5Y,5Z    Kenya
60,T5    Somalia
6V,6W   Senegal
6Y        Jamaica
7O        Yemen
9A        Croatia
9G        Ghana
9H        Malta
9I-9J     Zambia
9K        Kuwait
9L         Sierra Leone  
9M2     West Malaysia
9M6     East Malaysia  
9N        Nepal  
9Q-9T   Dem. Rep. of Congo
9U        Burundi
9V        Singapore
9X        Rwanda
9Y,9Z   Trinidad & Tobago  
A2        Botswana
A3        Tonga  
A4        Oman  
A5        Bhutan
A6        United Arab Emirates  
A7        Qatar  
A9        Bahrain
How to use this table- When an amateur radio operator goes “on air”, the first information sent is her or his licensed call sign. For example, if 3D2AC is heard calling. Use the table above and find 3D2. This is a ham in the Fiji Islands.
CB radio call signs are different; most users invent their own using geographic names or some letters or numbers for identification because most countries no longer require licenses or call signs for CB operation.
AMATEUR RADIO CALL SIGN PREFIX-  AA-J8
                                SHOWING THE HAM’S COUNTRY-PART2.

Call sign  
Prefix             Country                 AA-ET Call sign    
Prefix           Country                  EV-J8
AA-AK, K,N,W   United States of
                         America
AP-AS       Pakistan
AX,VI,VK Australia
BV            Taiwan
BY,BT      China
C2            Nauru  
C3            Andorra
C5            The Gambia  
C6            Bahamas
C8-9         Mozambique  
CA-CE      Chile
CE0          Easter Is.  
CE9/KC4   Antarctica  
CM, CO    Cuba
CN           Morocco
CP           Bolivia  
CT           Portugal
CT3         Madeira Is.
CU          Azores Is.
CV-CX     Uruguay  
D2-3       Angola  
D4          Cape Verde Is.
D6          Comoros
DA-DL     Germany  
DU-DZ    Philippines  
E3           Eritrea
E4           Palestine  
EA-EH     Spain
EA8-EH8  Canary Is.
EI-EJ       Ireland  
EK           Armenia  
EL           Liberia
EM-EO,UR-UZ Ukraine
EP,EQ      Iran
ER           Moldovia
ES           Estonia
ET           Ethiopia EV, EW   Belarus
EX          Kyrgyzstan
EY          Tajikistan
EZ          Turkmenistan  
F            France
FK          New Caledonia
FO          Tahiti
FR          Reunion Is.
FW         Wallis & Futuna Is.
FY          French Guiana
G, GX           England
GD, GI, GN   Northern Ireland
GJ, GM, GS   Scotland
GW, GC        Wales  
H4          Solomon Is.
H40        Temotu Is.
HG          Hungary
HB           Switzerland
HC,HD      Ecuador
HC8,HD8  Galapagos Is.  
HH          Haiti
HI           Dominican Republic
HJ,HK      Colombia
HL          South Korea
HO,HP     Panama
HQ,HR    Honduras
HS, E2    Thailand
HV         Vatican
HZ         Saudi Arabia
I            Italy
IM0        Sardinia Is.
J2          Djibouti
J3          Grenada
J5          Guinea-Bissau
J6          St. Lucia Is.
J7          Dominica Is.
J8          St. Vincent Is.

AMATEUR RADIO CALL SIGN PREFIX-   JA-TZ
                                  SHOWING THE HAM’S COUNTRY-PART3.

Call sign  
Prefix        Country                   JA-P4 Call sign  
Prefix          Country                  P5-TZ
JA-JS          Japan
JT-JV           Mongolia  
JY               Jordan  
K,N,W, AA-AK United States of America,  
KG4             Guantanamo Bay, US base.
KH0             Mariana Is.
KH1             Baker & Howland Is.
KH2             Guam Is.
KH3             Johnston Is.
KH4             Midway Is.
KH5             Palmyra & Jarvis Is.
KH5K           Kingman Reef
KH6             Hawaii Is.
KH7K           Kure Is.
KH8             American Samoa
KH9             Wake Is.
KL7             Alaska
KP1             Navassa Is.
KP2             Virgin Is.
KP3,4          Puerto Rico
LA-LN          Norway
LO-LW         Argentina  
LX               Luxembourg
LY               Lithuania
LZ               Bulgaria
N,W,K, AA-AK United States of America,    
OA-OC         Peru  
OD              Lebanon
OE              Austria  
OF-OI         Finland
OK-OL        Czech Republic
OM             Slovak Republic
ON-OT        Belgium OX
OX             Greenland
OY             Faroe Is.
OZ             Denmark
P2              Papua New Guinea
P4              Aruba
P5           North Korea
PA-PI       Netherlands
PJ2 4, 9    Bonaire
PP-PY       Brazil  
PP0-PY0T Trindade & Martim Vaz Is.
PZ           Suriname
S0           Western Sahara  
S2           Bangladesh
S5           Slovenia
S7           Seychelles Is.
SA-SM      Sweden
SN-SR      Poland
ST           Sudan
SU           Egypt
SV-SZ      Greece
T2           Tuvalu Is.
T30         Kiribati Is.
T31         Phoenix Is.
T32         Line Is.
T33         Banaba Is.  
T5, 60     Somalia  
T7          San Marino
T8, KC6   Palau Is.
T9          Bosnia-Herzegovina
TA-TC     Turkey
TF          Iceland
TG, TD    Guatemala
TI, TE     Costa Rica
TI9         Cocos Is.
TJ           Cameroon
TK          Corsica
TL           Central Africa
TN          Congo Republic
TR          Gabon
TT          Chad
TU          Cote d'Ivoire
TY          Benin
TZ          Mali  

AMATEUR RADIO CALL SIGN PREFIX-  TZ-ZU
                                         SHOWING THE HAM’S COUNTRY-PART4.
Call sign  
Prefix        Country                   TZ-VR Call sign  
Prefix          Country                 VU-ZU
TZ               Mali  
UA-UI1,3,4,6 European Russia
RA-RZ UA2   Russia
UA-UI8,9,0   Asiatic Russia
UJ-UM         Uzbekistan
UN-UQ        Kazakhstan
UR-UZ, EM-EO Ukraine
V2              Antigua & Barbuda Is.
V3              Belize
V4              St. Kitts & Nevis Is.
V5              Namibia
V6              Micronesia
V7              Marshall Is.
V8              Brunei  
VE,VO, VY  Canada
VK,VI,AX   Australia
VK0            Heard Is. Antarctica
VK0            Macquarie Is. Antarctica
VK9C          Cocos-Keeling Is.
VK9L          Lord Howe Is.
VK9M         Mellish Reef
VK9N         Norfolk Is.
VK9W         Willis Is.
VK9X          Christmas Is.
VP2E          Anguilla Is.
VP2M         Montserrat Is.
VP2V          British Virgin Is.
VP5            Turks & Caicos Is.
VP6            Pitcairn Is.
VP6            Ducie Is.
VP8            Falkland Is.
VP8, LU      South Georgia Is.
VP8, LU      South Orkney Is.
VP8, LU      South Sandwich Is.
VP9           Bermuda
VR             Hong Kong VU               India
W,K,N, AA-AK United States of America,
XA-XI         Mexico
XT              Burkina Faso
XU              Cambodia
XW             Laos
XX9             Macao
XY-XZ          Myanmar
YA              Afghanistan
YB,YC-YH   Indonesia
YI               Iraq
YJ               Vanuatu
YK              Syria
YL               Latvia
YN              Nicaragua
YO-YR         Romania  
YS              El Salvador
YT,YU, YZ   Yugoslavia
YV- YY        Venezuela
Z2              Zimbabwe
Z3              Macedonia
ZA              Albania
ZB2            Gibraltar
ZC4            Cyprus, UK base.  
ZD7            St. Helena Is.
ZD8           Ascension Is.
ZF             Cayman Is.
ZK1           Cook Is.
ZK2           Niue Is.
ZK3           Tokelau Is.
ZL,ZM        New Zealand
ZL7            Chatham Is.
ZL8            Kermadec Is.
ZL9            Auckland & Campbell Is.
ZP              Paraguay
ZR,ZS-ZU    South Africa
Australian prefix; VK0-Antarctica, VK1-Canberra VK2-New South Wales VK3-Victoria
             VK4- Queensland VK5-South Australia VK6-Western Australia VK7-Tasmania
            VK8-Northern Territory VK9-Islands.

VISITORS TO SOLOMON ISLANDS

NO VISA IS NEEDED- YOU WILL BE GIVEN ONE AT THE AIRPORT if you have a BRITISH, AUSTRALIAN, NEW ZEALAND, CANADIAN, USA, EUROPEAN UNION country, JAPANESE and passports from many other countries-

PASSPORTS: Passport must be valid for at least six months.                    

VISAS: A Visitor’s Permit will be issued to most nationals on arrival at the airport (including countries listed above). The permit is free of charge and allows stays of up to three months in any 1-year visit. Extensions are possible through the Director of Immigration.

IMPORTANT NOTE-
Visitors from the following countries need clearance from the Immigration Department and are required to give prior notice in order to obtain a visitor’s permit:
1.  African countries;
2.  CIS countries;
1. Bangladesh, Somalia and some other countries

You can enquire at the nearest British embassy or British High Commission.

Application to: Nearest Solomon Islands Consulate, High Commission or Embassy; or Principal Immigration Officer, Ministry of Commerce, Employment and Tourism, PO Box G26, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Tel: 22243; fax: 22964  

Application requirements-
All visitors need 1. Valid passport. 2. Onward or return

 

Very ambitious and very well thought out and presented. I am sure everyone involved in this effort can be assured that this is an impressive indeavor that will surely benefit the island communications.
I would like to offer two ideas that could possibly contribute in some small way. Here in the USA there are millions and millions of CB radios, and I would guess that most of them are just gathering dust. A way must be found to get people who are not using them to find a way to donate them. It would be interesting if several of the major newspapers would run a 'human-services' type article to involve local churches as designated collection centers, etc. This could bring in many thousands of radios.
Also, there are newsgroups located in the usenet newsgroup service of the internet which are dedicated to cb issues ie., rec.radio.cb
This would also be a good place to make a request for donations.
And finally, since your post mentions the 40 meter band as being the band most valuable for its properties in iter-island communication, I suggust you make a proposal to the International Boy Scouts to include in their program a Amateur Radio Merit Badge which is obtained by building a simple tx-rx transverter that will convert one of the cb channels ie channel 29 to an appropriate 40 meter band frequency. This can be easily done at the 4 watt power levels of the cb radio. The final act for obtaining the merit badge would be to successfully send the transverter to a licensed operator in the Solomon Islands. I am sure there is a kind soul out there in radio land that would be happy to provide a schematic and assembly plan for such a transverter. There seem to be so many extra class operators here in the states that think so very highly of themselves that this should not be a problem.
Again, this is really fine work being done here.
I hope many can become a part of it.
73
William F. Hagen
kc6ufe

 

Hi William,
             Thank you for those ideas.
             
....Sam VK2BVS/H44A              

My Webpage

 

Thank you ham operator in Germany for the IARU info. Have made that correction.
Keep the feedback comming.
73...SamMy Webpage

 

Good luck to you - this looks like a great program.

Have you contacted any of the large national amateur radio associations like ARRL here in the USA, JARL in Japan, or RSGB in Britain? A mention in their national amateur radio magazines or websites would probably yield a lage number of radios.

Years ago, ARRL had a big program for providing very low cost amateur radio transceivers to those in developing countries that could not afford them. These were simple low-power CW transceivers, but would probably be superior to a converted CB radio if your new licensees can do Morse code. I have not heard anything about this program for years - perhaps it could be resurrected.

It might also be a good idea to establish an easy way for people to contribute cash. This is usually much easier to obtain than old radio gear, which can be difficult and expensive to ship. Then, this money can be used to buy older used amateur gear. Lots of suitable equipment is advertised daily on websites like this one.

 

Hello K0RGR,
                Yes, have been keeping the overseas societies up to date. The current RSGB site is running a story about how the students and graduates are helping the small staff of 3 at the National Disaster Management Organisation in the aftermath of the 300km plus cyclone winds.
                 Yes, they can use cw on 27MHz but at present the graduates only have microphones.
The Amateur Radio Training School of the Solomon Islands itself only has a couple of CW keys.
                 CW training is by mouth and a singing voice. They get a brief instruction on holding a key. Using mirrors and flash lights are covered for zero cost emergency communications between villages.
                  For details on sending CW keys, audio oscillators, CW transceivers, any transceivers. Check this site-
http://www.H44A.com
73...Sam
My Webpage

 

Bob WD4AWO,
Please check the main qrz site .
Artical with all answers has been posted


My Webpage

 

Bob, WD4AWO has found it.
Anyone still looking go to the story-

Iraq- weeks to go-what are hams doing?

It also has the latest report about the Solomon Islands ham graduates using 28.490MHz and calling for relay stations to communicate with a releif ship which is visiting the cyclone hit Solomon Islands.
That ship is in the skip zone or radio dead zone in relation to the Capital Honiara.

73...Sam Voron VK2BVS, Sydney, Australia

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS ASKS HAMS TO HELP

I just got a call from the Director of the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Organisation (NDMO) Mr Loti Yates.

Loti Yates requests that any ham who makes contact with H44SAT on the ship Ramos 3 pass the following message to Martin Karani (NDMO disaster relief officer) and ask him to advise the ships Captain not to go to Lata.

A threat to the ship may exist in Lata and Loti Yates wants the ship NOT to go to Lata but return to the Capital Honiara.

Today the ship was in Tikopia Island unloading timber for home construction and distributing seed and cuttings for food gardens destroyed by the cyclone.

The ship will be going to Anuta Island to unload more relief supplies and then to Lata.

The ship is expected in Lata on Wednesday 19 Feb or Thursday 20 Feb 2003.

Look for the ship on 28.490MHz USB.

On board are these volunteers of the Amateur Radio Training School of the Solomon Islands- 15year old Rockson H44EE, 20 year old Alfred H44SAT, 2 of the schools students, Martin the NDMO official and the ships Captain.

They can come on at any time so please monitor 28.490MHz USB when your radio is not busy.

2100 to 0700 UTC is day time for them.
Conditions all day and to 1400UTC (1am their time) has been observed from Australia.

Last contact with them was a few days ago at 0300UTC.

USA signals are good from 2100UTC.

They may still be travelling up till Monday before arriving in Honiara so keep listening on 28.490MHz USB for updates.

Anyone able to pass this message to the ship please advise me on Sydney, Australia telephone 61-2-94171066 so I can let Loti know.

Hello Greg N3MVF, Loti gave Alfred H44SAT your FT840 in case you were wondering which of your 3 donated radios is being used on that ship.

Loti asked me to thank you very much for what you did in donating those 3 HF ham radios and as you can see they are really being put to great use.

Updates on http://www.H44A.com

My Webpage

 

Dave from the USA-
writes in regards to paying for the amateur radio license fee for the graduating Solomon Islands hams:
"Would it be helpful if this money were paid for them?  If so, would they be willing each to make one QSL on a handmade card if the DXer paid the postage?"


Hi Dave,
     The best solution for the local traditional village people unable to pay the Solomon Islands ham license fee will be to remove the fee.

     When Spectrum saw no one was coming to pay that fee and collect their ham licence they dropped the $100 fee to $20.

     The school director told Spectrum " but it was only $12 last year". So spectrum said OK $12.

     The next step will be to go back to Spectrum and say here we have students studying for 6 months at the free of charge Amateur Radio Training School and they dont have $12 for the ham licence. The students will be presenting Spectrum info on the USA free license and saying you know most of our students dont have $2 to catch the bus to the ham school. They walk to school from all around the Capital. Please follow the USA and New Zealand free ham licence system so our native people can get on air using the donated gear the world is sending us. The world is helping us. We need our own authorities to help also.

     To be self dependant its important for a society which has a traditional none money economy to have a zero dollar ham license fee otherwise only the visiting tourist hams benefit while the local hams remain reliant year after year on money hand outs.

     Now we are focusing on getting equipment for them because without that a licence is of little use and they have noway to get gear except from overseas ham donors.

     It's been busy the last 24 hours on 28.490MHz with 2 Solomon Island stations on air.

     One is Moffet H44MD, he is using the TS430 which was sent to the ham radio school by Greg N3MVF.

     Good to have your interest in helping the people of the Solomon Islands get into ham radio.

Please keep in touch with updates on http://www.H44A.com
My Webpage

 

19Feb2003
Dave from the USA replies
Sam, thanks for all the info. What if we go one step further and try to help the Solomon Islanders get a bit of foreign exchange so they can make their own decisions about what they want to bring in from the outside. What can they export for money? Handicrafts? QSL cards? Agricultural products? There must be something they wouldn't miss and that others would want. What about ham licenses? Maybe everyone would want a Solomon Islands vanity call of their own???? I am sure we can think of something that can be a long term source of revenue for the program, and earned, not just given.....


Hi Dave,
The ham radio school operates as the only none money generating school in the country for some specific reasons I will outline.

I am sending your kind offer to help the people of Solomon Islands to Loti Yates who has supported this school from its start. Loti knows many people and some of the areas you touch on might be ones he knows people need help with.

The Amateur Radio Training School of the Solomon Islands is set up so that it fits into the existing none money part of that society.

There are not many countries in the world where the native peoples can live as they always have by making their own food and taking care of each other in the remote villages scattered on 350 islands across 900Km of the South Pacific Ocean.

Before last years formation of the Amateur Radio Training School there were no native born hams on the air in the Solomon Islands.

We have aimed at a zero cost ham radio to make it an activity relevant to the local village people. The majority of the population lives in villages.

Things that cost money can be beyond the reach of the people who live in traditional village lifestyles.

Ham radio is being set up to be within the reach of all these people.

The ham radio students and graduates live with relatives in the Capital, Honiara on the Island of Guadalcanal. Most don’t go to government or private schools because they cannot pay the school fees. They have joined the ham radio training school because it is the only free of charge school in the country.

There is no foreign Ham radio teacher currently available to be at the school which is now operating 6 days a week Monday to Saturday from 8am to 4pm.The School is operated by last years Solomon Island born graduates. They are helping the 170 students who are continuing their studies from last year.

When those people go back to their village they will be able to set up ham radio training schools because they have seen over their 6 months of training how to run a zero cost school.

As ham schools expand outside the Capital, Honiara these new teachers will be able to make a living by accepting money from those who have it and by accepting food or work from those who do not have money.

A ham radio teacher, instead of attending their village food gardens each day, will be able to devote all their time to teaching while those students without money might put a few hours a week to cultivate a food garden for their ham radio teacher.

This years 2003 cyclone which hit the islands saw concerned officials and relatives wait weeks until anyone could get to those places to find out what happened.

Radio communications is a technology the school is bringing direct to the people of the village at no cost to them.

Graduate hams are currently on their forth deployment as volunteers of the countries National Disaster Management Organisation delivering relief supplies by ship for reconstructing those cyclone hit Islands.

Emergency help and worldwide friendship is something that amateur radio can provide while leaving the traditional lifestyle in the village in tact.

The technical nohow and experiences gained at the school will lead some into the money society. This is where the Government and business operates to provide services to the nation. Villages are also able to sell, barter or exchange food they grow or catch.

Many people are isolated from those services. One Member of Parliament said there are areas in the country, which have not received any services for 16 years. Those people completely fend for themselves.

There are some villages where people do not wear cloths living happily in their traditional centuries old lifestyle. There are not many countries like this left in the world.

In the Capital there is no home mail delivery service. You go to one of the 2 Post offices to see if you have anything in the box. Last year the Post Office wanted $5 everytime there was something to be collected from the National Disaster Councils PO BOX. It costed to both send and receive mail.
Only a few people can pay to have a post box, mainly businesses and government departments.

Outside the Capital the nearest post office might be 100km away.
Most village people don’t use the post office.
Some 75% of the ham radio students have never sent or received a letter.

Letters take time and money. Ham radio in the village is designed to minimise the need for time and money so minimising the impact on traditional village activities. Time and Money is used for other purposes in the typical busy village life style.

Time is needed everyday in the village food garden. This gives your breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many hours are spent by most of the village each day on this task.

Money in traditional lifestyles can have positive effects.

In a health emergency money can help isolated village people pay for transport.
Money obtained is spent on the most needed of things. Everything else they can do themselves. Those with no money use traditional medicine.

$5 is the maximum charge at the hospital in the Capital for anyone able to get there. This is why what little money village people have they share to get people to emergency help. This might involve a motor boat to get to the nearest airfield. The people must cover the cost of that boat and plane transport. That cost could use up every dollar raised by the people of that village.

That is why if you get $2 you are not likely to spend it on a letter. That little money you have in the village must be kept and saved for that once in a lifetime emergency. The nearest Bank might be 100Km away. Few villagers use it.


I think small-scale ham radio tourism could provide a small income to help the people and not disrupt their village lifestyle. Amateur Radio will open these villages to the world in a way controlled by the villagers.

Money in traditional lifestyles can have negative effects.

Once money is spent it’s gone.

Giving money can stop people from learning how to do things without money. The ham radio school shows people with no money how to become a radio ham. I have concentrated on calling for donated CB radios, Ham radios and Solar panels.

By placing the emphasis on how to do things with no money the students learn a skill that can be used in their traditional none-money village community.

If we show money as necessary we are telling people don’t go back to your traditional village life, stay here in the Capital and make money with this knowledge.

This Ham radio project is giving the biggest respect to support the village life of the people. I can see ham tourists coming to stay at the villages of the ham’s they meet on the airwaves. I can also see that some people will join the money society through the job opportunities their new radio communications skill will bring.

Initially money is the reason not one native born person got on air. Only foreign-born people previously had operated in the Solomon Islands.

The ham fee has dropped from $100 to $20 to $12 so just a bit more effort here and that’s another barrier removed for those in the none money part of this countries society.

The school has opened ham radio to all the people who do not have money though the donated radios sent by overseas radio hams.

Rather than money and apart from donated CB and Ham radios, SWR, multimeters, basic tools, power supplies, batteries and solar panels they could use any foreigner who would like to help at the ham radio training school.

Amateur radio will make friends for the village and might generate a ham tourism that builds a special friendship between foreigners and the local village people.

There are so many countries producing so much they don’t need that can be given to help others. That’s what radio hams are doing in supporting the first every native born Solomon Islander hams.
Ham radio in Solomon Islands is designed to support a traditional life style that has disappeared from most of the world.

We don’t want to say; “ we will get you interested in ham radio and now that we have you must change your lifestyle and become part of our money economy or else we will not give you a license or equipment.”

The Amateur Radio Training School of the Solomon Islands has opened up a ham radio that is designed to blend with and not change the traditional lifestyle of the people.

This makes amateur radio a unique tool in supporting the few traditional village lifestyles that still exist in the 21-century. A time is possible where hams living in traditional none money village societies will be able to talk to hams living in the money city societies.

In Solomon Islands Ham radio is a meeting place that can be used and enjoyed by people in both the “traditional” and “modern” society.

More on http://www.H44A.com
My Webpage

 

The ship “Ramos 3” which has been delivering home construction material and food crops for planting on the islands hit by cyclone arrived safely back in the Capital Honiara 15minutes ago.

Moffet H44MD operating at the Amateur Radio Training School of the Solomon Islands advises that Alfred H44SAT and Rockson H44EE who operated on 28.490MHz USB on that ship are now making their way to the school.

Get on that frequency now to get their first hand report.

The school will be using this frequency daily to train the countries new hams.

Loti Yates, Director of the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Organisation thanks all the hams for keeping contact with the schools ham volunteers who manned that ship.

Well done everyone.

Keep monitoring that frequency daily when you don’t need your radio and join the ham radio school’s adventures through 2003.
My Webpage