About Amateur Radio Licence's

In the UK there are three types of licences that can be obtained. Each one gives a different level of privileges and requires tests at a different level to be passed.

Foundation Licence
The entry Level is the Foundation licence. This is a new licence that was introduced in January 2002. The Foundation licence is designed to get you involved in amateur radio as quickly as possible. But before you are allowed to transmit 'live' it is important that you know a little bit about how your radio works, the dangers of interfering with other radio users, how not to upset your neighbours or your parents (if you are a young person) and the rules and regulations of holding a radio transmitting licence.

How do you learn these new skills? By taking the BDARS Foundation licence training course, which is an integral part of obtaining a Foundation licence. Most of the training is practical. There is a small amount of radio and electronics theory but only enough for your to appreciate things like using the correct fuses in your equipment and how to build an antenna to get the most out of your radio station.

Don't be afraid of the thought of having to undertake a training course. The BDARS courses are run in a friendly informal atmosphere by experienced radio amateurs. The course will take about 12 hours to complete at the end of which you will sit a twenty five multiple-choice question examination. Your exam paper will be marked on the spot so you will have your pass certificate that day if all goes well.
Courses are normally conducted on two Saturdays.
Once you have passed the exam you get your 'Pass' certificate and you are on your way!, Just send it off or log on to the Ofcom web based licensing system and you will be issued your own unique call sign.
When you have been issued with your own individual M6 series callsign you will be able to operate on all bands up to 440MHz but with a power restriction of 10 Watts (CB is only 4 watts so your already winning!). While this is a fairly low level of power compared to a Full Licensee with the experience you will quickly gain this will enable you to communicate around the world.
For further information On the Foundation Course Please contact Alan Click Here To Mail

Intermediate Licence
Once you have gained experience at the Foundation level we are sure you will want to take the next step up.

This is the Intermediate licence.

The Intermediate licence gives access to all the amateur bands with a power levels of 50 watts on most bands.

To obtain the Intermediate licence it is advisable to take a training course. This course is longer than the Foundation course and aims to teach many of the fundamentals of radio in a stimulating way by actually undertaking practical tasks such as soldering, building a small project and a variety of other exercises building on the experience you have gained as a Foundation licence holder.
BDARS intend to offer at least one Intermediate Course each year so for further information on the Intermediate course please contact Alan Click Here To Mail

After completing the course candidates sit the Intermediate Licence Examination. Again this examination is a multiple-choice test based on what was learnt on the course, covering the basic concepts of radio operating on the amateur bands and the licence conditions. With both of these successfully completed an Intermediate licence can be obtained. You must have passed the Foundation exam in order to take the Intermediate exam.

Advanced Licence
This is the highest level of licence that you can obtain.

To gain an Advanced licence it is necessary to pass the Advanced Radio Communications Examination. You must have passed both the Foundation and Intermediate exams. This examination is more advanced than the Intermediate, it again covers radio theory and licence conditions but because holding a full licence enables you to use 400 Watts power output to your transmitter such subjects as Electro Magnetic Compatability (EMC), antenna design and safety issues are covered in some depth. The licence allows access to all the amateur allocations with full power and allows you to operate in most European and some other countries. It also permits operation at sea.

When studying for the Advanced Radio Communications Examination there is currently no requirement to take a formal training course, this is because the examination is theory based, with no practical training element in the syllabus. It is possible to study at home on your own if you so wish. However, B&DARS runs courses specifically for the Advanced Radio Communications Examination. Alternatively there are some correspondence and Internet courses available.

But What does amateur radio offer me?
Amateur radio is a unique hobby in that it allows you to develop and experiment with radio equipment; for some amateurs, building equipment is the most satisfying part of the hobby. It also enables you to communicate with other radio amateurs throughout the world. Most countries allow amateur radio operation, so regardless of your language, circumstances, age or cultural background, there will always be the excitement of a possible chance contact (which may lead to a life-long friendship) with someone hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

The hobby also enables you to help others. Many amateurs offer their services to the first aid organisations, and even the police, at public events and during disaster relief operations at home and abroad.

For more than a hundred years radio amateurs have been at the forefront of developments in telecommunications. Today you can even use your PC, if you wish, as an additional component of your amateur radio equipment, thereby combining IT and radio technology. You can also experiment with antennas, television, RTTY (radio teletype), data (including computer controlled communications such as packet radio and the internet), satellite communications and, of course, short range voice or Morse code transmissions (Although Morse is no longer a requirement for a licence).

What is the difference between a radio amateur and a person who operates Citizens' Band (CB) radio?
A CB licensee does not have to pass any examinations or obtain any qualifications before being allowed to operate.
The CB service is short range, with a limited coverage area and may be used for some business purposes. Amateur radio, especially in the HF bands, can enable an amateur to make contact with people in other countries, but business use is not allowed.

How do radio amateurs communicate?
Speech: Most amateur operators communicate using speech. This works rather like a telephone conversation, except that only one person may speak at any one time. Operators must identify themselves by the use of a call sign during each transmission

Morse code: Morse is still an effective means of communication, which works with the very simplest equipment.
As well as its effectiveness, the narrow bandwidth uses the radio spectrum most efficiently, allowing parallel contacts to take place within a small spectrum space.
This is of great benefit in crowded band conditions.

Television: Many amateurs can transmit TV pictures to each other, often in colour. Normally the range of these transmissions is tens of miles. However, amateurs have pioneered a system called "slow scan" television (SSTV) which enables amateurs to transmit pictures around the world, albeit at a slow rate.

Packet radio: Radio amateurs can communicate with each other using computers, via radio links.

Data: Packet radio is only one way of sending text or data. Many other modulation techniques and protocols exist and amateurs are in the forefront of developing new methods such as PSK31.

But why do I need a licence?
It is a legal requirement under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006. You must first obtain a licence from OFCOM before you may legally send and receive messages by radio, unless you are operating under the direct supervision of a Full licensee.


Why must I pass an exam before I have a licence?
The amateur typically transmits from a domestic environment using comparatively high radio power. The terms of the licence oblige all radio amateurs to avoid causing interference to other wireless telegraphy services (which include television). A major reason for an examination is to ensure that a potential licensee is fully aware of the interference potential of radio equipment and knows how to remedy any problems that arise. In some circumstances the amateur may need to modify the way he or she transmits, to minimise any problem to neighbours.

Preparation for the examinations has benefits – it helps people acquire technical knowledge and skills that, for some, assist the development of their future careers and livelihood.
The Licence is accepted in many parts of the world as evidence of achieving a recognised standard in technical skills in radio and Electronics.

The Foundation exam is part of our Training Course. It consists of 25 multiple-choice questions and lasts 45 minutes.

Licence fees
The all amateur radio licences are free. The licence must be renewed at least 5 yearly on line.

What if I just want to listen to amateur radio?
Many people gain a lot of enjoyment simply from listening to amateur radio transmissions. No licence is required for this, provided that the radio equipment you use is designed for reception only. If you do not wish to take the Training Course and exam, or are not sure how to proceed, a period of listening to amateur transmissions can be a very useful introduction to the hobby.

Will good knowledge of the Morse code be necessary?
No, The International Radio Regulations no longer require Morse Code, to operate on HF. There is a simple assessment using crib sheets to encode messages into Morse, for example for the letter "A" you would look at the crib sheet, write the letter "A" as a dot and a dash and then send it. The same would work in reverse when decoding a series of dots and dashes - you write them down and using a crib sheet, translate them into letters - it is not possible to fail this Morse assessment and it bears no resemblance to the Post Office Morse tests of old ! (Shiver down spine..)

What costs will be involved with attending the Training Course?
See the link "BDARS Foundation Licence Courses" on the left for details of our Training costs.

Does my Foundation licence allow anyone else to operate my radio station?
Yes other UK Licensed amateurs may operate your radio station either under your supervision or under their own call sign, using the suffix/P and entering the details in their own logbook.

I am an existing amateur. Is not the Foundation Licence lowering the entry standards for amateur radio?
Clause 1(1) of the Amateur Licence makes it clear that amateur radio is a service for self-training. OFCOM and the RSGB believes that a sensible balance needs to be struck between an entry level that is high enough to ensure levels of safety and competence, and yet is not so high as to discourage those who, with the right encouragement, will go on to progress up the licensing structure to Intermediate or Full level. It is this balance that the Foundation Licence seeks to achieve.

Exams, questions and answers

Who sets the question papers and decides on the syllabus?
The Radio Communications Foundation is the Examination Board. Its Standards Committee (whose members include representatives from OFCOM, RSGB, electrical engineering and educational bodies) is ultimately responsible for each syllabus. The RCF Examination Committee maintains the question bank from which question papers are compiled. Any changes in a syllabus will be notified well in advance of the examinations. The RCF examination web site is at www.commsfoundation.org/rce

Is there an age limit?
No! Anybody, regardless of age, can obtain any class of Amateur Radio Licence, as long as they have passed the relevant examination, BDARS have members from 9 to past retirement age who have passed the Foundation Exam.

Call signs
Your call sign will be assigned to you when you get your first amateur radio licence. It is unique to you, and you will use it to identify yourself every time you transmit. Not only radio amateurs use call signs ship radio licensees do too as well as Police and Fire services and most Proper Radio users.
Call signs are necessary under international law Article 25 of the International Radio Regulations (to which the UK is a party) says that the Amateur Service must use a system of licence identification.
Call signs:

Help administrations at home and abroad identify sources of interference to other radio services so that corrective measures can be taken.
Aid administration and issue of licences.
A radio amateur call sign is made up of:

One or two characters + single digit + group of up to three characters.
Appendix 42 of the International Radio Regulations specifies the call sign prefixes available. The UK has G, M and 2.
G format call signs are fully allocated so at present Full licensees are issued with call signs commencing "M0", Intermediate licencees with call signs starting "2E0" and Foundation licensees will be issued an call sign starting with "M3".
A secondary element is added to the "M" prefix to indicate that transmissions are from a region other than England, as follows:

WALES MW
SCOTLAND MM
NORTHERN IRELAND MI
GUERNSEY MU
JERSEY MJ
ISLE OF MAN MD


Therefore, a licensee living in Wales could have the call sign "MW0ZZZ" a licensee in Jersey could have the call sign "MJ1ABC" and a Foundation licensee living in Northern Ireland could have the call sign "MI3DOH" (Eire have their own set of callsigns starting with EI).

If I have just qualified, can I request a particular call sign?
Yes, you will be able to choose any call sign in the current series providing that it has not already been issued. On-line applicants can choose as part of registering for the licence, postal applications to Ofcom can list in order of preference and may contact the Radio Licensing Centre to check which call signs are still available. The call sign will then be allocated once the licence application is received. Call signs will be issued on a "first come, first served" basis.

Can I change my call sign for a different one in the same class?
Very rarely, because of OFCOM's obligations under the International Radio Regulations to maximise the use of call sign series available, very few changes of call signs are agreed to. Changes will ONLY be considered on a case by case basis where the newly issued call sign is found to form an obviously offensive word or acronym or where a medical condition such as a stutter makes the use of the call sign impossible. In most cases where the radio amateur anticipates a facetious reaction to a call sign, the reaction soon disappears as the novelty wears off, and the call sign returns to its proper place as an administrative device.

Can a call sign be passed on to another amateur?
Requests of this kind will only be considered on a discretionary basis e.g. where the request comes from a member of the "immediate family" of the deceased. In addition, OFCOM will consider requests made in a will.

Can old call signs be re-issued?
Except as noted above, only if the call sign was your own originally. Anyone who once held a full UK licence may apply for its re-issue. Application forms and details of the documentation that is required is available from OFCOM

All Copyrights Acknowledged Especially those of OFCOM and the RSGB.