BajaNomad

Mexican VHF license

skippermike - 11-11-2009 at 01:19 PM

Does anyone know the current status of VHF licenses in Baja?
Comments on Race-Dezert indicate that people going down for the Baja 1000 are getting "requested" to show a VHF license for their radios.
Thanks

Mexican VHF license

skippermike - 11-11-2009 at 01:23 PM

I guess I should add that these are not marine VHF radios, on marine freqs, but business band VHFs

roadhog - 11-11-2009 at 09:24 PM

right. The marine VHF requires an international license whereas Canada gives a no license grace period roughly from ice out to ice in - something like 45 days. Some read the marine rules finding loopholes but sorry there are no loopholes in the rules.
On paper the deal is, I'm new at this, the equipment is supposed to be declared in print, right ?
So, on a bad day...

roadhog - 11-12-2009 at 07:08 AM

For the marine VHF:

Counties sign the international VHF agreement. Your home country issues the international license. The foreign country you enter probably signed the agreement. The foreign country does not tell you the license is necessary but may as with Canada advertize the license is not necessary. Canada publishes a search and rescue magazine, finding published information from Mexico is difficult.

I found a general condition of interested parties as "we read no information so no license is necessary." When in fact right up front the reality sez INTERNATIONAL LICENSE.

The licensing information from FCC is legal information. I read it, understood it but asked FCC twice for further expplaination caws spending the extra $$$ over spending zero for US/Canada required expert opinion.

For example, kayakers will SUAD no license caws 'it' sez right there: emergency use is OK.

Naw. What is sez is, emergency use is ok IF your kayak did not enter Mexico by land, did not touch ground in Mexico until the emergency situation arose, and may limit the VHF's use for sea to land use even during the emergency.

So, if you drift into an emergency situation on Mexican water from home in San Diego, you're legal but maybe only if you came in from international water.

Si ?

bajalou - 11-12-2009 at 08:50 AM

None of which has much to do with the use of commercial frequency VHF radios such as the ones the racers and Score use.

VHF license

skippermike - 11-12-2009 at 11:02 AM

Thank you BAJALOU - You get the point.
Any answers?
Another radio site says you can get VHF license for $2-$3 at a Mexican consulate. I may drive by there today and ask.
I'll post results.

bajalou - 11-12-2009 at 12:12 PM

I'd be interested in knowing about that license, skippermike.

BajaWarrior - 11-12-2009 at 04:26 PM

Fellow Nomad BajaRob told me once they are available in our area at the Port Captain's office in San Felipe and that it cost $5.

[Edited on 11-12-2009 by BajaWarrior]

roadhog - 11-12-2009 at 05:07 PM

Of course, but if you are from Jersey, driving in MX, where would you license ? Rhode Island ?
Can't find terrestrial MX VHF licensing in brief search outside the MX government sites also the situation for MX Marine VHF licensing.
ASmateur radio gets a bye here with reciprocity. There's a good search word: reciprocity. Translations please ?

Hook - 11-12-2009 at 06:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by roadhog
Of course, but if you are from Jersey, driving in MX, where would you license ? Rhode Island ?
Can't find terrestrial MX VHF licensing in brief search outside the MX government sites also the situation for MX Marine VHF licensing.
ASmateur radio gets a bye here with reciprocity. There's a good search word: reciprocity. Translations please ?


If you are this anal about the letter of the law, then I might suggest that Mexico is NOT the place for you, roadhog.

I drive around with a modded 2m/440 radio in both of my vehicles down here. I have been inspected numerous times at military and police checkpoints. No one says a darn word about it.

We naturally have a large contingent communicating by VHF marine frequencies, too. Are they all licensed? I doubt it.

VHF license in Baja

skippermike - 11-13-2009 at 10:58 AM

Well .. My brief quest for an answer yielded nothing concrete - as often happens in Mexico.
I went by the Mexican Consulate in S.D. Reception person had no idea, but sent me to a lead person in the Visa area. She was vey pleasant but said "I've been here 11 years. We used to do amateur radio licenses, but haven't for years - but I know that's not what you want. Maybe ask officials at border."
So ... I asked one of our workers who lives in T.J. to stop at the border and ask around. He did, and says he talked with multiple customs, police and military-type folk. The consensus was - you don't need any license if you are on your own (race or Weatherman) frequencies, but stay off the police and military frequencies.
That's as far as I'm going with this!

meme - 11-13-2009 at 11:26 AM

We also would be interested in hearing more on these licences.
Thank U.