RadCom April 2024, Vol. 100, No. 4

News April 2024 23 Ofcom’s licence decision On 11 December 2023, we [Ofcom] published the December Statement in which we outlined our plans to update the amateur radio licence framework, following consultation, to ensure the policies and licences meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s radio amateurs while streamlining the licensing process. Alongside this, we notified licensees of our proposals to vary all amateur radio licences to implement a number of the planned changes. This document sets out our final decision relating to those proposals to vary all amateur radio licences, following consideration of the representations we received in response to the proposals. It contains important information and licensees should read it carefully. What we [Ofcom] have decided – in brief We have decided to proceed with our proposals and vary all amateur radio licences to make the following changes: 1. Updating the licensing framework: • Permitting licensees to only hold a single personal licence and requiring the revocation of lower-level licences as a licensee progresses (expected to be implemented in Phase 3 – 2024/25 financial year); and • Enabling greater supervised third-party use of radio equipment, by simplifying the rules. 2. Streamlining and modernising callsign assignment: • Making the use of Regional Secondary Locators (RSLs) optional; • Introducing the RSL ‘E’ for optional use by radio amateurs operating in England; and • Simplifying the licence terms on the use of callsign suffixes. 3. Adjusting technical parameters to reflect the evolving needs of the hobby and provide radio amateurs with greater operating freedom: • Enabling Foundation and Intermediate licensees to use internet-based technologies for remote control operation; • Enabling some beacon, gateway, data station and repeater use without the need for a Notice of Variation (NoV); • Increasing the maximum permissible power levels for all licensees; • Liberalising the Foundation Licence to allow licensees to build their own equipment and access the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands; and • Allowing low power airborne use in some frequency bands. 4. Providing clearer updated rules (terms and conditions which are easy for everyone to understand): • Aligning various terms and conditions with other licences that Ofcom issues. • Simplifying conditions to remove unnecessary complexity and making them clearer; and • Removing provisions unnecessary for spectrum management purposes. We have also made a small number of additional changes in response to representations received from stakeholders. Alongside this decision we have published on our website: • An updated version of the Amateur Radio Licence document; • An updated version of the Amateur Radio Wireless Telegraphy Licence Conditions Booklet; • An updated version of the Notice of Coordination; and • An updated version of the amateur radio guidance document. For more information visit rsgb.org/licence-review Amateur radio guidance document. A QSO at the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park using the new supervision opportunities. The new licensing framework. Power increase summary.