I have detailed the process of getting a license here in a previous post. When Tom brought it to me from Kampala, I saw that the mode of emission permitted was A1A according to ITU regulations. Well, A1A is Morse code telegraphy only. I am one of those new hams that came into the flock after the Morse code requirement was dropped. So, an A1A ticket is of little use to me. Local advisors, residents of Uganda who are very familiar with how things work in this part of the world told me to ignore it, that those who create the license have no idea what A1A is except it was first on a list somewhere, and that there is no regulatory body to ever make an inquiry.

Nonetheless, I want everything to be like it should be. So I showed the license to Tom, printed the ITU designations, and asked him to clarify. He called the numbers listed on the license and the one given us by the agent who processed the license initially.

None of the numbers worked.

So Tom called a friend in Kampala and asked him to go into the Communications Commission, find the 4th floor, find Alex, and call us from there. He called us back ok, but to tell us the Communications Commission had moved. So I had to wait until a trip could be made to the city. This past weekend he went. When he called me from the CC office, I discovered he was right. They had no idea what A1A meant and had no idea why it should be changed. At first they thought I wanted a different call sign. I was adamant. I want to keep the call sign I already had been assigned.

So they told Tom he would have to wait to see the Commissioner himself. I waited awhile here in Masaka, then when I did not hear back, sent Tom a text message. (Cell phones here are quite inexpensive and one just buys airtime as needed. Phone calls use up paid airtime, text messages do not.) I told him that if he had not been able to secure an amendment to the license to just collect the original license back from them and bring it back to Masaka suggesting that if they did not know the difference, they would be assuming I would be transmitting SSB phone, and they would therefore not care because they assumes that is what the license authorizes. (I hope you followed that run-on sentence.)

Tom phoned within 5 minutes to tell me he had received my text while he was in the Commissioner's office. The Commissioner had no idea of the difference either. Tom, because of the brief instruction I had given, was able to supply the answers to the Commissioners questions, and was told the license would be amended and he could pick it up today, Tuesday, December 8th.

We shall see what happens.