From Malawi to Tokyo: Ham Radio Is Opening New Doors

Amateur radio took two operators from Malawi halfway around the world—and what they bring home from Tokyo may matter even more than the trip itself.

I'm joined by Urgent Jere 7Q6UJ and Elayi Banda 7Q7EB as they prepare to leave Tokyo after attending the Tokyo Ham Fair and events surrounding the Japan Amateur Radio League's 100th anniversary. For Urgent, the journey included his first-ever airplane flight. Both describe meeting operators and amateur-radio leaders they had previously known only through radio and the internet.

Their paths into amateur radio show just how different becoming a ham can be outside the United States. With no local examination available to them in Malawi, they studied for U.S. licenses, took exams remotely, and then used those credentials as part of the process of obtaining their Malawian licenses. That success helped show other young operators around them that getting licensed was possible.

The technical challenges don't end with licensing. They talk about acquiring equipment, repairing and reusing a Hexbeam, operating remotely, dealing with unreliable electricity, and finding ways to stay on the air while attending school. Elayi, now studying computer engineering, has also been developing his CW skills and plans to put a 10-meter station on the air from school.

And Tokyo isn't the end of the story. They're heading home with ideas to share with younger operators in Malawi, while preparations are also underway for the upcoming VK9XY Christmas Island DXpedition. It's a revealing look at what amateur radio can accomplish when knowledge, equipment, mentorship, and opportunity cross borders.

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