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I am currently thinking about joining the shortwave radio community, and know that if I was going to operate one in the U.S., I would need a license to operate in a certain range. But I am not living in the United States, I am living in the island nation of Haiti (located in the Caribbean, I hope this picture is not copyrighted):

I have tried to find any laws, but can't find anything on it. But all in all, I don't want the authorities showing up at my door, asking for a license.

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There is precious little information available online, but it seems highly probable that amateur radio is regulated in Haiti. The regulator is called CONATEL and has a website (http://www.conatel.gouv.ht) but I was unable to find any information on its website about amateur radio ("radio amateur" in French).

There are hams in Haiti with callsigns, though, which is strong evidence that there is some regulation. Some websites allege that there may only be a few licensed hams in Haiti, perhaps in the single digits.

I would suggest contacting CONATEL and asking them. Haiti could sure use some more radio amateurs, since it's so prone to natural disasters.

EDIT: Here is a blog post that has some postal contact information for an amateur radio club in Port-au-Prince: http://f4czv-richard.blogspot.ca/2017/12/haiti-le-radio-club-dhaiti-fetera-ses.html

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  • $\begingroup$ The funny part about all this is that, almost every FM-AM frequency is being broadcasted on, causes a lot of interference. But me, being a foreigner would be targeted, but if they caught me using a shortwave transceiver I would be fined(throughly, lol), while the government should be trying to shut down the broadcasters without licenses. $\endgroup$
    – Mr.Zeus
    Commented Feb 7, 2018 at 23:00
  • $\begingroup$ I'd say it's pretty likely that those unlicensed broadcasters are paying some bribes to the people who ought to be enforcing against them. Either that or broadcasting from the back of a van or bus and moving the transmitter frequently (as used to be done with "pirate" FM stations in the USA). $\endgroup$
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 11:15
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Because of ITU treaty, all amateurs that transmits on HF must have a license.

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    $\begingroup$ This doesn't really answer the question, which is specific to Haiti. $\endgroup$
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 11:16
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I had my General License in Haiti as HH2AR in 1959. During hurricane Flora in November 1963, as a teenager using my dad's radio (HH2GR) i provided the only communication link between the Capital Port-au-Prince and the North West City Port de Paix with a missionary radio situated there. We used the 40 meter band to relay critical casualty information and urgently needed rescue efforts. The US Navy then took over the rescue efforts. My AM transmissions relayed Red Cross and Haitian Military messages. At one point, I relayed a message from the infamous Papa Doc to his officials in Port de Paix. It was a sensitive position to be in since the regime's atrocities were well known. My amateur activities continued until the government suspended all Ham licenses and seized our radios: A Baker and Williamson 5100 running 100 watts push-pull with 2 5146 tubes. Our receiver was a Hallicrafter SX 100. After my family migrated to the US in 1964, I studied Electrical Engineering and passed my FCC General with required morse code speed. My QRA assigned is still WB2LIL. I am lately active as /DV7. I would like to find some of my QSO contacts made during those days. QST magazine did mention my dx activities. Since that period, the Radio Club d'Haiti - a private entity that was run by our friend Louis Decatrel HH2LD who also migrated to the US, changed hands and its management and regulations may have been significantly modified. I understand that my call sign was assigned HH2AR to another ham. I may be contacted via QRZ. 73's.

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    $\begingroup$ Good to hear about your emergency aid activities -- but this doesn't really answer the question about what's required in Haiti now. $\endgroup$
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 11:19
  • $\begingroup$ @ZeissIkon -- it may not directly answer the question but it does provide potentially very useful information to hellp find those answers. $\endgroup$
    – K7PEH
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 16:48

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