There are a number of critical steps in the process of application for an Amateur Radio license in St Lucia.  And the process can take many months so begin your individual or group application process as early as possible.  Read the file St Lucia Ham Radio Licensing by Mike Greenwood, KC4VG, to get a very good overview of the process requirements.  Here is some additional suggestions:

 1)      If possible, find a local liaison to assist.  In person representation is always more effective than the impersonal international telephone, email, or letter.  In some cases, if you are renting, your local host may be willing to assist.  We had a very cooperative local host who hand-delivered our license applications/fees to the National Telecom bureau.  Local hams may also be willing to assist.

 2)      Establish one person to be your single-point-of contact for the application process. The goal is to minimize confusion with the St Lucia Telecom bureau.

 3)      Remember that you are on “island-time” and manage your expectations accordingly.

 4)      Expect “something” will go wrong.  Review receipts and acknowledgments carefully.  We initially got application receipts for the Family Radio Service license application but that was quickly resolved with the St Lucia Telecom bureau by our point person. 

 5)      Many commercial amateur transceivers DO NOT have a FCC ID number.  It is not a requirement of the FCC.  Any homebuilt transceivers (like a K2 or K3) or amplifiers are also exempt.  Any commercially built amplifier will have a FCC ID number.  We entered “Not Applicable” in the application fields of the license application forms.

 6)      List other miscellaneous equipment in your application.

The Customs form must include all radio transceivers that you are bring into the country.  The process is to pre-declare your equipment.  Upon entry into St Lucia, customs officials may inspect your luggage and you may have to show each piece of radio equipment.  Most likely they are looking for contraband CB or Land Mobile Radios coming into the country illegally, i.e. without paying import duty fees.