HOW TO BECOME A RADIO AMATEUR OPERATOR IN MALAYSIA

Introduction

Amateur Radio Service exists in nearly every country and utilizes the same frequencies as in Malaysia. In Malaysia, the amateur radio is regulated by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM). To operate
an amateur radio station in Malaysia, the operator must have an Amateur Radio Operator’s Certificate and an Amateur Station Apparatus Assignment (ASAA) or a foreign amateur radio licensed from countries that have a
reciprocal arrangement with Malaysia. Please refer to Appendix 8 (GUIDELINE FOR AMATEUR RADIO SERVICES IN MALAYSIA document) to obtain the list of countries that have a reciprocal arrangement with Malaysia.

What is Amateur Radio?

Amateur radio service is defined in the Communications and Multimedia (Spectrum) Regulations 2000 as “a radio communications service (covering both terrestrial and satellite) in which a station is used for the purpose of self training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by authorized persons who are interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without any pecuniary interest”. Millions of amateurs’ radios communicate daily with each other directly or through relay systems and amateur satellites. Amateur service may provide alternative for emergency communication in time of natural disasters. Radio amateur communication able to provide support communication during a disaster where commercial communications system is unavailable, due to the uncomplicated deployment of an amateur radio station. Radio amateur has been recognized as an important part of the radio community. ITU has allocated common frequency bands for amateur radio service internationally on a sharing basis to all amateur radio stations around the globe.

Things That You Can Do With Amateur Radio

Amateur radio operators are often called “ham radio operators” or "hams". Activities that amateur radio operators can do with their radios are diverse. The following are examples of the activities carried out by hams :-

a) Communicate around the world. With HF radio, hams can talk to each other at any part of the globe.
b) Converse around town. With small portable VHF or UHF transceivers, hams can enjoy wireless communications within their local community.
c) Help in emergencies and natural disasters situations by providing immediate communications whenever normal communications service is failed or unavailable.
d) Build own radio, transmitter, receiver and antenna.
e) Communicate through amateur satellites. Ham can use amateur satellites operated by the amateur community without any cost.
f) Communicate with astronaut while they orbiting the earth.
g) Experimental with Amateur TV (ATV), Slow-Scan TV (SSTV), or send still-frame pictures.
h) Participate in “transmitter hunt games” or “Fox Hunt” or maybe build their own directional finding equipment.
i) Participate in the search and rescue activities by providing communication required.

Things That Are Not Allowed To Do With Amateur Radio

Specifically, there are few things that amateur radio operators are not allowed to do:

a) Amateur radio operators are not allowed to do anything with their radios that can generate financial income.
b) Amateur radio operators are prohibited from broadcasting to the public. The amateur radio transmission is meant to be received by other amateur radio operators/stations only.
c) Amateur radio services shall not be used for the expansion of business, religion and politics.

Getting Started

You can start you hobby in amateur radio by joining a local amateur radio club. Clubs can provide information about licensing in their respective area, local operating practices and technical advice.
(*NOTE: It is advisable to get in touch with MARTS and you will be directed to the affiliated clubs).

In Malaysia, amateurs are required to pass an examination to demonstrate technical knowledge, operating competence and awareness of legal and regulatory requirements in order to avoid interference with other amateurs and other radio services. There are two types of exams available. Passing in the examination entitled you to apply for the Amateur Station Apparatus Assignment (ASAA) or in general you can call it as Amateur Radio License (license).

If your ASAA application is approved, SKMM will issue a call sign with “9W” or “9M” prefix depending on your eligible operating class. This call sign is unique to amateur radio operator. You must use it on the air to legally identify your amateur station during any and all radio communication. The entry level to obtain the ASAA (or in general it’s call as the Amateur License) is ASAA Class B (“9W” prefix). You must operate on Class B for at least one year before eligible to upgrade your license to Class A (“9M” prefix).

Privileges of the Amateur

In contrast to most commercial and personal radio services, radio amateur operators are not restricted to use type approved equipment, and therefore some radio amateur equipment are home constructed or modified equipment in any way, so long as they meet all the technical requirement such as its operating frequency, power level, classes of emission and the national and international standards on spurious emissions.

[Source: SKMM GUIDELINE FOR AMATEUR RADIO SERVICES IN MALAYSIA/Second Edition]

UPDATE:

Starting 01/01/2023, MCMC has introduced a new class for starter. So, anyone who're interested in the hobby will start with Class C (9W3) first before upgrading to Class B, and a year later to Class A. The exams have been reorganised and new question banks have been released. There will be no longer CW (Morse Code) test for Class A, replaced with technical written test (objective test) instead.

Latest 3rd edition guidelines, new handbook, question banks for Class C, B, A can be found here:

https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/amateur-radio-op...r-certification

1. Guidelines for Amateur Radio Services - 3rd Edition
2. Amateur Radio Handbook - 1st Edition
3. MCMC Question Bank - Class A
4. MCMC Question Bank - Class B
5. MCMC Question Bank - Class C

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Old thread: Amateur Radio User V2 !

This post has been edited by wiraone: Dec 29 2022, 08:11 PM

LINKS to useful websites and documents:

1. To register for RAE, SKMM Examination Management System
2. RAE schedule, SKMM RAE Schedule 2021
3. Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters’ Society
4. MARTS's FM/VHF STANDARD OPERATING GUIDE
5. MARTS's Trial ORAE
6. Radio Amateur Malaysia FB group.

This post has been edited by wiraone: Jul 22 2021, 10:27 PM

None in Klang Valley at the moment. Still waiting and waiting

Do test it out, though we've identified one problem with it right now which causes a bit of inconvenience during a QSO. If you're taking an over after someone unkey the repeater, you might fell into a 'dead window' where your transmission will go into a black hole. So, either you need to key straight up, or wait for more than 4s between the over. We going to fix this later when we've decided on the internet connectivity at Bukit Lanjan.

I'm currently using Anytone D878UV, a dual band HT. It however could only receive one channel at a time ( you can monitor two bands but it will only decode one ). This model seems to be the best right now with a long battery life and could be programmed manually w/o a PC.

Seems to work with the same brand, no idea across brand of radio.

Wow, this is an all band all mode EXPENSIVE transceiver, please be careful handling it

To work on satellites, first thing first, you need to know which satellites are available. Most satellites are orbiting the earth and probably have few passes over our head in a day. Download software that could track those satellites. Example of satellites tracker, for PC, like Orbitron or gpredict. For Android, AmsatDroid. No idea about iOS though.

Satellites that are passing over our head usually ISS, LAPAN-A2 (IO-86), AO-92, etc. Using the apps mentioned above, it listed all the transponders used that you could monitor. If you want to make a contact on voice channels, you need to have a valid amateur radio license, some universities have their own radio club, so you may ask for permission to use their callsigns. Please, do not transmit if you don't have permission or a valid license.

On listening a commercial radio such as hitz, it is such a waste of to do so

Oh, please familiarise yourself with the transceiver, you tube will be the best source on how to learn by yourself. In any case, do not transmit, do not press the PTT button on the remote mic.

This post has been edited by wiraone: Dec 31 2019, 01:12 PM

By using ic9100 keyword, you can see few videos on satellite operations using the transceiver. Most transeivers made by the same company will operate in similar manner, the manual could be a help too. You probably could find it in pdf file on the net if one is not provided by your lecturer. Do search on videos on amateur satellite operations too to familiarise yourself.

Hi Bernard,

Yes, no changes to the procedure and you still need to have 2 class A or MARTS reps signatures.

May I know your location? I probably could advice you on who to get in touch with.

If you've FB account, do visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/224139084455762/.

Good luck for your ORAE!

You need to hold the Class B license/ticket for a year before you're eligible to sit for the Class A morse code test.

It is still there, page 10 of the guideline:

If your ASAA application is approved, SKMM will issue a call sign with “9W” or
“9M” prefix depending on your eligible operating class. This call sign is unique to
amateur radio operator. You must use it on the air to legally identify your amateur
station during any and all radio communication. The entry level to obtain the
ASAA (or in general it’s call as the Amateur License) is ASAA Class B (“9W”
prefix). You must operate on Class B for at least one year before eligible to
upgrade your license to Class A (“9M” prefix).

Hi there,

No, we ham radio can't operate at Marine channels. You need to apply for apparatus assignment (AA) from SKMM/MCMC before you're able to use marine channels. I'm not familiar with it though.

You don't need to be a MARTS member to become a ham operator. Just register for the computerised RAE near you, if you're in KV, you're lucky since they've it almost every month. Read all the online resources you could find, there are quite a number of sample questionnaires available online that you can take a look at. I think MARTS website has a link where you can test yourself and see if you're ready to sit for the real one. On 9M or MARTS office barriers signatures, anyone who're class A license can sign the form.

Yes for PMR446, please check the 5th schedule in this document. https://www.mcmc.gov.my/skmmgovmy/media/Gen...o-1-of-2017.pdf

I will suggest to join a Whatsapp group My10mg & 40m and ready to get racun-ed there.

Hj Sanusi doesn't sell HF radio.

Brew? Wow, gud luck. You can of course, buy a kit and solder yourself.

Yes, you still need to have the 2 9M or any MARTS exco members for the referral as before.

MARTS along with KLDX are hosting weekly online classes, do check for an announcement in either https://www.facebook.com/groups/radioamaturmalaysiaofficial or https://www.facebook.com/groups/189197434171 for any new announcement for the next RAE online class.

SKMM is now allowing candidates to sit the ORAE from home, provided that you have a good internet speed and webcam for them to invigilate you.

I believe you're the one asking about FT70DR in FB RAM group If yes, the answer still the same as what I've answered there. With just the "rubber ducky" stock antenna, you might not be able to work the repeater, but with external base antenna, probably you can. I've never been to your part of KL (Maluri), so no idea really.

This post has been edited by wiraone: Jul 22 2021, 04:41 PM

If you can see Genting from your balcony, you shouldn't have any problem working with any repeaters up there at Genting even with just your handy talkie with stock antenna and just 5W. Living in high rise added an advantage for you if you just want to work on VHF/UHF bands.

External antenna, depends really, since you're living at a high rise building, you might have difficulty to source a base antenna. Another option is to have a high gain mobile antenna and put it somewhere at the balcony. Don't worry to much for now with buying all those thing, they might be unnecessary. Best to do trial and error when you've your handy talkie and license.

Baofeng UV-5R? Should be less than RM100.

You could actually reach overseas with those cheap HT, but with the help of Internet. It requires a gateway though, something like EchoLink or IRLP. For those who've digital radio like DMR or C4FM, you could invest a little bit more buying a so called hotspot which becomes gateway to many other amateur radio networks world wide.

Our 9M2RKL-CF4M repeater is connected to worldwide network, you just need to invest more buying a digital C4FM radio. We had 9M2RKL-DMR repeater which has been dead for almost a year now, this also connected to worldwide network too.

Yes, the cheap sub-100 baofeng will not let you work with people all over the world, but with the correct setup, you'll be able to.

This post has been edited by wiraone: Oct 29 2021, 06:45 PM

If you have a voucher, they should contacted you. They've online session now, you need to have webcam open for the duration of the test.