Amateur Radio at the Start
of the new Millennium
Year 2000.
At the end of the History Section entitled - 'A Hundred Years of Amateur Radio', John stated: "If amateur radio is to survive, we need to encourage more people, particularly
youngsters into the hobby. With this in mind, there is a 'proposed future structure'
of Amateur Radio Licensing currently in discussion, as follows:
Full Class A, Full Class A/B and Full Class B becoming a new class 'ADVANCED'
The Novice Class A becoming an 'Intermediate' and the Novice Class B becoming
an 'Intermediate - Foundation' Licence".
Reference was also made to the abolition of the Morse Code in the near future.The notes written below give a brief outline
of the changes agreed so far.
On the 17th August 2000, the Radiocommunications Agency announced that the 14-year age
restriction (to obtain a Full Amateur Radio Licence) had been completely removed. To be eligible
previously, one had to be 14 years of age or over or have held a Novice licence for at least a year.
It was stated at the Conference: "After all, if you are good and keen enough, you are old enough!"A decision was taken at the World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva this year (2003),
which agreed that a Morse code test should no longer be an international requirement in order to
hold an HF amateur licence,
An official 'Gazette Notice' was published on the 25th July 2003 stating: From Saturday the 26th
July 2003, there is no longer a requirement to have passed a Morse code test in order to operate
on the HF bands in the UK. All Full and Intermediate Class B licensees are therefore automatically
granted their respective Class A operating privileges and may operate on the HF bands using their
existing callsigns from the 26th July 2003.
RAE NOTES:
The final City & Guilds of London Institute Radio Amateurs' Examination
(RAE), in the old format, took place on 1st December 2003.
Of interest, the first CGLI Radio Amateurs' Examination was conducted
in May 1946 - the Course Number was CGLI 55. The RAE after the change
to the 'Multiple Choice' format was CGLI 765 to be followed by CGLI 7650.
This is the end of an era. Of interest, ERA was the course code used for the Radio Amateurs'
Course where John ran the examination courses at a college in Greater
Manchester for over twenty-five years. (Electronics Radio Amateurs)The year 2004, will be the first full year of the new three-tier system run by the Radio Society of Great Britain. In order to become a Radio Amateur, one has now to PASS the Foundation
Assessment. If one wishes to upgrade to a 'Novice grade', then a PASS in
the Intermediate Exam will be required. (To take the Intermediate Examination,
one has to PASS the Foundation Assessment first).If one wishes to become a Full Class 'A' Radio Amateur, then he/she must
have a PASS in the Foundation Assessment and also in the Intermediate
Examination before being allowed to sit the new Radio Amateurs' Examination.The class 'A' and class 'B' licence is now rated as Full Licence. The Intermediate Licence allows operation on all Amateur Bands but with a
Maximum Power output of 50 Watts PEP. (17dBW).The Foundation Licence allows operation on all Amateur Bands to 440MHz
excluding 28MHz, but with a Maximum Power output of only 10 Watts PEP. (10dBW). The callsigns being issued at this time start with the prefix 'M3'.
| It should be remembered that those who have passed
the Radio Amateurs' Examination, and hold a Full
Class 'A' Licence, are able to build and operate their own equipment. (It is just a well, because John spends 90% of his time building and experimenting with new ideas). If one only wished to contact people around the world, it could be done using the internet! The new Foundation
Licence
only allows the Licence holder to purchase and operate Commercial Equipment
In the past, young people have been encouraged
to make 'Electronics' their career after being allowed to
It must be agreed however, that
more people must be recruited into the Amateur
Let us close with the Motto of the Radio Amateurs Old Timers' Association (RAOTA): |
| Latest Information for the Amateur Radio Licence
is that from mid 2006,
Radio Amateur's will be granted a LICENCE FOR LIFE. The £15 per year renewal fee will be abolished. |
To enquire about the latest Radio Amateurs' Courses
click your mouse here:- http://www.rsgb.org.uk
