Update September 30, 2023: To make FT8 QSOs more easy (with my 100 watts and simple wire antennas), I will operate on DXpedition frequencies. But unlike a DXpedition, since I have to teach online, sleep and occasionally get too drunk to play radio, I won’t be calling CQ all the time! To make it easier to know if I’m listening on a particular band just check my website. If I am QRV and listening, then my web page will tell you which frequency I am listening on right now. (I’ve tested out this simple system and it works very well, with my signal ‘in the clear’ and many QSOs achieved).

Update May 27, 2023: 425DXN publishes the following information from Simon: "I will return again to live in Luang Prabang from about the end of May 2023. I'm just  sorting out  a         suitable house to rent with a garden for my HF antennas.  I hope to be operational  soon on  160, 40, 20, 15, 12 and 10 metres  (80, 30 and 6m are now not authorised for use in Laos)".

QSL via EA5GL.

Update October 22: "More rules  have been imposed  on my licence renewal", Simon XW0LP says, "which make it hard to justify to stay in Laos. Together with the crash in the local economy due to no foreign tourists, it's not difficult to make the decision to move again to a new location. I'm leaving Laos around the end of November".  His new destination will be disclosed in due course. [TNX DX World]

"My XW0LP licence comes up for renewal  on 1 October", Simon posted to eham.net on 23 September, "and I applied to renew for all existing HF bands, but also 472 KHz, 60m (denied last time), and 6 metre band. However, it seems that the police/military have been in touch with the licencing department, and instructed that  I should not be allowed to operate on any bands where ham radio is not  the primary user.

What does this mean? Well, I am denied to operate on  472 KHz,  60m and 6 metre bands. But additionally, I will no longer be allowed to operate on the 80 metre  and  30 metre bands,  since ham radio is a secondary user on those bands in Region 3". Simon can still operate on 160, 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 metres, but he will have to cease activity on 80m and 30m at local midnight (17 UTC) on 30 September.

"Therefore, in order to provide as many QSOs as possible,  from now until that  cut-off time/date,  I will ONLY operate on 80  and  30, using  FT8  on the  normal frequencies.  I will monitor  80m during local night-time hours,  and will monitor 30m  during the local day and evening hours, i.e. from about one hour after local sunrise  to about 15 UTC (or later if I can 'jump' between 30 and 80!).  I will especially respond  to calls  from stations  that I have not worked previously".

QSL via LoTW, or via EA5GL.