The Struggle to Not Get a Philippine Ham Radio Call Sign

As an avid amateur radio operator and a first-time visitor to the Philippines, I was excited to explore the airwaves in a new country. To avoid the hassle of repeatedly applying for guest licenses on future trips, I decided to take the leap and apply for a local Philippine call sign during my 58-day stay.

The Plan: Seminar and Exam

To obtain a call sign in the Philippines, you must attend a seminar and pass an exam administered by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). Eager to get started, I joined the seminar, completed all the requirements, and gathered the necessary documents. Exams, as I was told, were held every Wednesday, so I was optimistic about making progress.

My Journey to Getting a Philippine Ham Radio Call Sign

Recently, I embarked on the process of obtaining a Philippine amateur radio call sign, and I’d like to share my experience to help others who might be interested.

The process begins with a mandatory seminar, which can now conveniently be taken online as a webinar. I was fortunate to meet a very helpful ham radio operator from the Philippines, 4F1KIK, who is authorized by the Philippine Amateur Radio Association (PARA). He not only facilitated the seminar but also provided invaluable guidance on how to handle the paperwork.

Note: Detailed instructions and additional information can be found at the official AllStarLink documentation site.

In this post, I’ll walk you through my process of setting up AllStarLink on Debian 12, creating a private node, integrating DVSwitch, and establishing a bridge to my YSF Reflector. This setup allows seamless communication between my AllStarLink nodes and YSF-compatible devices, like my Yaesu FTM-200.

Step 1: Initial Server Setup on Debian 12

1. Update Debian Packages: Start by ensuring that your system is up-to-date.

QRZ vs. Club Log for Logging Contacts

Both QRZ and Club Log are popular platforms for logging amateur radio contacts, but they offer different features, subscription models, and upload/download capabilities. Here’s a detailed comparison of the two.

QRZ.com

I personally use QRZ to log my QSOs. Besides QRZ, I also upload my QSOs to the SOTA (Summits on the Air) Database when activating summits.

Subscription Model

QRZ operates on a tiered subscription system:

Exploring HamsoverIP: My Experience So Far

Recently, I joined HamsoverIP, a VoIP service for ham radio operators, alongside my existing setup with Hamshack Hotline. The onboarding process with HamsoverIP was quite similar, but it does offer a few advantages that stand out.

For one, you don’t need to provide a MAC address to register a device, which streamlines the process. Another major benefit is that you’re allowed to use up to 10 devices, whether it’s a traditional VoIP phone or a softphone installed on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Personally, I’ve been using Ext2 on the phone, and it integrates perfectly into my VoIP setup. This flexibility makes it easy to stay connected, no matter where you are or what device you’re using.