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I am traveling to El Salvador later this fall, and was wonder if there is any reciprocal agreement that would let me use a US callsign while there? If so, what privileges would I have there based on an Amateur Extra class license here? Would a Technician class licensee have any reciprocal privileges?

I have already tried to contact the national "Club de Radio Aficionados de El Salvador" via their YS1YS web contact form but I get a "mailbox full" response. I also tried to contact some of their club officers via their QRZ email addresses but got no response.

That club website does host a "MRS-GAJ-99" document titled Normas Para La Operación De Radioaficionados En El Salvador does mention I can apply via CRAS "u otra Organización de radioaficionados reconocida por la IARU (Unión Internacional de Radioaficionados) previamente autorizada por la SIGET" [emphasis mine] but I'm not sure how to find out if either the FCC or ARRL VEC is authorized by SIGET, or really what that would mean for the rest of the licensing rules that follow.

AI7OW
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natevw - AF7TB
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    Also I find that https://www.qsl.net/oh2mcn/ys.htm (linked from ARRL website) implies that I may be able to *get* a YS license because of my US license, but maybe not use my US callsign directly? – natevw - AF7TB Aug 05 '19 at 18:59

2 Answers2

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The information on ARRL's IARP page and the CITEL page indicates that El Salvador allows operation on an International Amateur Radio Permit, without you getting a license from El Salvador. Similar to CEPT, it would allow you to operate using your home callsign together with an El Salvador prefix (YS/AF7TB).

By the 1995 Convention, an IARP Class 1 permit (which allows the use of HF) is issued to "amateurs who have proved their competence with Morse code to their own Administration in accordance with the requirements of the ITU Radio Regulations", while a Class 2 permit only allows bands above 30MHz. However, in a 2018 amendment (which doesn't seem to have been ratified yet by El Salvador), the text "amateurs who have proved their competence with Morse code to their own Administration in accordance with the requirements of the ITU Radio Regulations" is replaced with "amateurs who have proved their advanced competence to their own Administration, where guidance for standards of competence may be found in the most recent version of Recommendation ITU-R M.1544." That would clearly open things up to an Extra. Regardless of the technicalities, ARRL will issue a Class 1 permit to anyone holding a General, Advanced, or Extra license, without requiring proof of Morse proficiency, since there hasn't been an avenue for US amateurs to get a Morse code endorsement on their license since 2006.

The application form for an IARP is found on the ARRL website, and is filed by mail along with an application fee. The permit is mailed to you, and there is an additional fee for international or express delivery. All this means: don't wait until the last minute to apply!

hobbs - KC2G
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You may be able to obtain an International Amateur Radio Permit (IARP) from the ARRL. According to their web site, the IARP:

... allows US amateurs to operate without seeking a special license or permit to enter and operate from that country...

According to the Organization of American States (OAS), El Salvador is a signatory to treaty A62. The IARP application is available from the ARRL web site.

Brian K1LI
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