In this episode, we discuss the recently released proposed changes to the UK Amateur Radio Licence with RSGB President John McCullagh GI4BWM, Chairman Stewart Bryant G3YSX and General Manager Steve Thomas M1ACB.

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Ofcom Proposal - https://www.ofcom.org.uk/news-centre/2023/making-amateur-radio-licences-fit-for-the-future

Ofcom Proposed Changes to UK Amateur Radio Highlights:

• The three licence levels (Foundation, Intermediate & Full) remain

• No new bands to be made available

• Power increases at all 3 levels (20w, 100w, 1,000w) – not all bands, and some restrictions apply

• A single licence and callsign for each amateur (if you hold multiple, you’ll be required to surrender all but one, except club callsigns)

• Previously issued callsigns to be reused (2 years after the holder goes SK, or the licence is surrendered / revoked)

• Ability to change your callsign every 2 years

• New callsigns for Intermediate (M8 and M9 callsigns) – those with a 2×0 or 2×1 will be encouraged to change (but not forced)

• Regional Secondary Locators (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, etc) to become optional

• England can optionally have an “E” as a Regional Secondary Locator (e.g. ME7QQ or M0QQQ)

• Dropping /P, /M, /A and /MM from the licence. These suffixes will still be allowed, and you can use any suffixes you like

• Introduction of limited airborne use (max 0.5 watts) on some bands

• Simplifications around GB special event station callsigns

• Greater supervision permissions to help promote the hobby

• Simpler rules on use of hotspots and connection via Internet

• Simpler rules for setting up and running beacons, gateways and repeaters

• Foundation construction to be allowed

• Foundation to get access to 2.4GHz and 5GHz allocations