Amateur radio in Indonesia

Fred, I was surprised to see you post this topic.

I am an American ham radio operator and the shippers have just left (yesterday) after boxing up all my household goods, including my ham gear. My wife and I will be flying to Jakarta on 1-Aug-2023. She is an ex-WNI and has a "repatriation" visa C318, I'm going on a "family" visa C317.

I have been exchanging WA messages with several Indonesian hams and have gotten a lot of suggestions about bringing my equipment. YB1TJ, Djoko sent me the application for reciprocal permit which I have filled out and returned, but isn't official until I get my KITAS after arrival. Benny YB1RET has really given me useful information. His english is limited (better than my Bahasa) but my wife enjoys speaking Indonesian with him. As you said ORARI has a lot of very friendly folks.

Hope to get my Indonesian call sign soon after arriving in country.

Until then 73 de WA4DYN

Bob

I will be honest and say I didn't expect any replies to this specialist topic.

Indonesians have a well deserved reputation for being  friendly, but  everyone I've met from ORARI seem to be in some sort of competition to push the limits of how nice people can be to each other.

The same goes for the officials HERE - Exceptionally helpful people.

I'm on the lookout for some new gear. I'm in desperate need of a far better 2 m rig and I want a low power HF transceiver. It would be lovely if it had 6 as well. I find QSO using QRP (I stretch to 10 W) satisfying.

Now it's time to brush up my Morse.

I was suprised you brought Ham radio up as well!

Most of my rigs are pretty dated, the most recent rig I have is a Yaesu FT857D which has the infamous missing columns in the display (still can make it out though). I spend a lot of time just working on antique radios National NC173, Johnson Viking Valiant, etc. Unfortunately I can't bring a lot of the old stuff I have, some that I  got back in the 1960's (I was first licensed in 1960 at the age of 12).

My 2 meter rig is a Yaesu FT7900 (no R) that works 2m and 70cm, but I have a feeling that repeater access will be pretty limited in the small village on the coast near Malingping where I'll be living (Pantai Talanca).

Look forward to meeting you once I get there. For a while I'll probably be living at the Margo Hotel in Depok. I haven't made reservations yet, so nothing is definite yet.

40  years ago I used to do mainly CW, but haven't done much for a long time. Maybe we can practice via HF sometime

73 Bob

I folloewed what was a very common path in the UK at the time. I started as a 'good buddy' on 11, then found out there was a better place to play with a lot more scope.

I found the local amateur guru, Eric, a now sadly silent key genius of radio and, most importantly, his lessons made complex topics seem easy. I passed the pair of city and guilds exams with a very nice mark, then hung around on VHF and UHF for a while as a G6.

Much of that was spent on home building modems and linking Dragon 32 computers to VHF rigs - We beat Google to the internet. . As with everything, I never know when to stop adding things so I bunged a frequency counter on the end of my modem so I could set up RTTY tones for Creed 444 users. That got popular as I was the only local able to do it.

I build a UHF TV unit with an old camera from a local uni, but I lost interest pretty quickly.

A lot of work, and many headaches later, I found myself at 15 WPM so I did the CW - G0 time.

That opened up a whole new world of messing around with aerials and, when I bought a terrific military HF rig (0.5 to 30), yet another world of going up big hills with loads of wire and the biggest battery I could carry.

One CW QSO was with Canada on 1 watt feeding a wire I tossed into a tree - I was a happy bunny.

I've been fancying a local call out here and I finally got to it after much time on Echolink - I took the test a few days ago, got a reasonable score considering my Indonesian is still a bit rubbish, and the license came later that afternoon - ORARI are very fast.

I am now a G0 and a YD so I can get stuck back in. I'm off to a shop this afternoon to buy a few yards of RG48, a bunch of adaptors, a couple of PL259s, and a bunch of wire.

I'll add a 2/70 mobile whip and gutter mount for my pathetic, non-chick magnet, mini bus.

I feel my latest wife may object if I buy too much at once and ignore her in favour of the local hams, so I'll buy slow and sneaky

Now, what's that about QRP SDR tranceivers? I wonder if I can find them out here.

I haven't done much QRP. Where I'm currently living in Texas, the ambient electrical noise is close to S9, so hearing low power stations is a challenge.

I've been watching several Youtube videos from YB1UUU and one where he is demonstrating a neat looking QRP Rig (SW3B) that is really appealing. Might be tempted to look into QRP, especially since I'll be sticking around the Depot/Jakarta area for some time before my HHGs arrive. Can you suggest some places where I might look at equipment?

Basic stuff like coax, plugs, and little Chinese made VHF/UHF stuff - there's a little place in BSD.

I know of a shop, maybe 2, in ITC, Mangga Dua for rigs.

Glodok seems to have a bunch but it's years since I've been so I'll ley you know as soon as I do.

I brought a small Icom 0.5 to 900 RX wih me from England - Noise levels are nothing to care about here accross the whole spectrum.

Small but handy place in BSD

https://maps.app.goo.gl/a2GUAJ8ggK8GPb267

There are a bunch of shops here

https://maps.app.goo.gl/3haSbfLcEqXcKypR9

Is there some place online that I can view a "simulated" Amatir Radio test? I found several references to such a thing, but the closest I've  come is a short video demonstrating how the "CAT" works, no actual tests like I can access for U.S. via QRZ.COM.

Right now I'm watching YB0AR working portable at YB0IBM's QTH on Youtube live streaming. Seems that DXing is pretty popular in Indonesia (it is here also, though).

73 Bob WA4DYN

This is the official site

https://seenow.postel.go.id/

Added. The test is held at the monitoring service closest to you, but it's online. You are in a room with a laptop in front of you and supervisors watching.

You log in and off you go.

Much as the test is in Indonesian, you won't need to speak the language for some of the questions as formulas and symbols are the same. You'll take one look and realise the answer without a second thought.

Others will need some level of Indonesian.

If you're applying as a foreigner, it has to be worth asking if there's an English version.

Thanks for the info. I've tried to access the postal.co.id sites, but it always timed out with "cannot find this website".

So I tried my VPN connection in Indonesia and it works.

The site always takes a long time to load pages - No idea why.

It's the same when you do the test. Questions take ages to load.

@fred Thanks for the info, I will deal with this issue after I move to Indonesia

TA2XE 73

The local ORARI sections are really quite active. They set up a whole bunch of activities from simple meets in car free days, to camping and JOTA - with everything else 'amateur' you can imagine in between.

Today sees a car free day meet in Jakarta but I'm unable to attend on this occasion.

One thing of note is Shopee, an online shopping market. You have to pick and choose who you use, but the idea works well.

I picked up a nice little Chinese made 2/70 hand held for less than Rp.500,000 - and it has USB charging.

I should note, 70 is popular out here and has a lot of strong repeaters as well as intercity links. That means dual band is a very good move.

The trick with Shopee is to use shops with a good history and lots of reviews, but make sure they are as near to you as possible so delivery times are minimised.

The Baofeng does pretty much as you would expect so I'm pretty pleased. The downside is it's a bit over-complex unless you're using its memories.

https://shopee.co.id/Baofeng-UV-16-HT-D … 2797468342

I'm on the hunt for QRP HF rig.

Shops here tend to have uncountable quantities of VHF/UHF hand helds, and a good selection of pretty standard HF stuff, but specialist is a lot harder.

It looks like I'm going to have to use mail order for this one.

I now own four radios:

The Baofeng UV3 is a very small unit. I got it sent from from the UK so it's about 14 years old. It still works perfectly but is mostly used for a test receiver or a small hand held if I need small.

The Baofeng UV16 is a cheap but surprisingly useful hand held. It works on 2 and 70 perfectly happily. It has USB charging/power so it's really useful as it will charge or run using my Samsung power brick. Accessories are really easy to get hold of.

My latest is a QYT KT 8900.

I wanted a cheap radio to leave in the car. The receiver could be better but the transmitted audio is reported as clear.

It's in a strong metal case and the build quality is better than the picture suggests.

The last for the moment is a simple, home brew, 40/80 rig.

The quality could be better in a lot of ways but QRP guys who like trying to make the impossile happen will love it.

You'll be amazed at what you can do with less power than it takes to run an LED bulb on 40.

Quality - Could be better, but the price makes it reasonable value for money

I also operate using Echolink on Android.

Certified amateurs can operate using that upon uploading proof you have a ticket in your home country.

I operate using my G0 call rather than my YD.

Next up with be a DMR hand held.

This mode is new to me so a little research is in order before I buy. However, there are plenty of sub-2 juta radios available.

I can see that happening in the very near future.

Fred,

I really like that Baofeng UV3. Unfortunately with my old eyes I might set it down and never be able to find it Baofeng is really popular in the States, so I've talked to several HAMS that use them and they sound great on the repeaters. I've got an old Yaesu VX170 I picked up at at hamfest in Florida many years ago. Don't know if I remember how to program it though, it been a while.

I finally got my household goods from Texas delivered to my house in Malingping. Lots of stuff broken (manly decorative plates, ceramics, vases, etc.) The HAM gear seems okay, but I haven't cleared enough room to set anything up. Soon I hope.

With the help of my HAM buddy YB1RET "Bennie" I have obtained my Indonesian Ham call. It is YE1WAD, not a bad call for working CW (which I need LOTS of practice on).

Now to get all my gear sorted out and put up some antennas. I'll probably start with my Alpha Delta DXCC wire antenna which covers 10 through 80 meters (not 17 though )

Hope to catch you on the air sometime in the future.

73 Bob

WA4DYN

YE1WAD

The UV3 is fine if you have the programming lead - it's a serious pain if you don't.

The lead for the UV16 is really handy as you can name channels rather than just use the frequency readout.

Where I live is a bit of a game to get aerials up but I'm working on it. I hoping to get a dual band vertical for 2 and 70 on the roof when I get a minute. It's on the balcony at the moment.

I'm unsure what I'll be able to do with 40 but it's very likely to be wires.

I've just come across an Icom 703 at a very reasonable price - I think that's going to be mine - if I can find a minute to fetch it.

I have been looking at DMR and alternatives.

Zello DMR for Android is available on Playstore and has its points.

Not really radio, but that and Echolink serve a purpose.

Lots hand helds dmr radios cheap as  availible  chinse brands work not to bad

I bought a Bruno 2/70 handheld. It's far better than the baofeng. That's not to know the Chinese brand as they still represent very good vale for money.

I also bought an Anytone for CB and 10. I have a vertical dipole for that.

10m is wide open as I type.

I have just worked into Israel with 70 watts into a vertical dipole

Hams - Get on and have fun

I decided I wanted a cheap and nasty radio to leave in my car _ The QYT mobile seemed perfect so it's going in.

I also wanted a VHF rig with a bit of poke for home - Hello Icom IC-2300H

The radio is well built and is working a treat - or at least it is now I have decoded what can only be described a totally crap instruction manual.

The piece of toilet paper (Used, going by the sh1t that Icom have written on it) is a mess at best.

Functions are badly explained, and they explain settings without saying what the letters you select actually mean or do.

I have built a spreadsheet with all main functions for memory and simplex/repeater settings.

This will be expanded to show all other menu settings, what they should be set to, and what they mean.

I did the same for the Baofeng and Bruno radios.