[aprssig] APRS callsigning for internationally travelling hams?

[Bruce Coates]

Hi Andrew

This topic surfaces every couple of years.  Here's a response that I 
posted in 2009:

The intent of appending the regional prefix is to let other stations 
know that what they are receiving is local rather than DX.  This is very 
common on HF and less common on higher frequencies.  Many references say 
the same for Canadian hams operating in the US.  It's intended as a 
courtesy but not a strict legal requirement.  When it comes to APRS, 
everyone already knows exactly where you're transmitting from because of 
your position beacon so trying to appending a regional prefix is 
redundant. If you want to keep everyone perfectly happy you can always 
throw a "Fishing in Ontario" in your status.

In short, you don't have to change anything.  You can concentrate on 
enjoying the country rather than fiddling with your radio settings.  In 
case you're wondering you would still run on 144.390 and most of the 
digipeaters support WIDEn-n.

73, Bruce
VE5BNC

On 15/02/2012 1:47 PM, Andrew P. wrote:
> Just came up with a question. Say that I'm travelling internationally with my ham gear under a suitable reciprocal licensing agreement. How can I wedge my extended callsign into APRS?
>
> The only reciprocal deal I'm familiar with is between the United States and Canada (and I hope my understanding isn't out of date; please correct me if I am). As a US amateur visiting in Canada, I'm supposed to use my US callsign with a Canadian suffix to indicate my province of operation (for example, KA2DDO/VE3 when I'm fishing in Ontario).
>
> How do I fit this into an APRS packet? The "/VE3" doesn't fit into the AX.25 frame header. Is putting it into the APRS comment field legally sufficient?
>
> Are there any other reciprocal jurisdictions that don't just require the foreign ham to get a domestic callsign, but do something like this?
>
> Just curious (now that I have APRS gear to drag along on next year's fishing trip).
>
> Andrew Pavlin, KA2DDO
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>
>
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