RSGB Examinations Standards Committee Publishes Annual Report

The RSGB Examinations Standards Committee, or ESC, has published its annual report, relating to activities in 2024. The report shows that overall candidate numbers have increased to above pre-pandemic levels and are well above the extrapolation of the declining trend over the decade before the pandemic.

The ESC believes that this is probably due to the availability of remote invigilation online examinations taken at home and the increase in provision of distance learning courses, making the hobby much more accessible than in the past.

More Information - https://rsgb.org/main/blog/examinatáion-standards-committee-reports/2025/06/18/examinations-standards-committee-report-2025/

On-Loan DMR Kit Starts Young UK Hams On Their Journeys

When you’re first starting out in amateur radio, you can’t borrow confidence in getting on the air but now in the UK you can borrow something that’s almost just as helpful. A new program created especially to help hams under the age of 18 who are just starting their radio journeys.

The DMR project launched recently by the Radio Society of Great Britain is a way to provide opportunity - and radio equipment - for young new amateurs to become accustomed to making QSOs on a regular basis. The Outreach Team’s new DMR kit contains DMR handheld transceivers and hotspots to borrow for as long as three months at no cost. 

Accompanying the equipment, of course, is the opportunity to use it - and the RSGB’s team will also be hosting regularly scheduled youth nets to give as many participants as possible a good start. Licensed hams or school groups with at least one licensee are eligible to apply to use the kits.

Meanwhile, the society is also encouraging teachers to establish school clubs and to become amateurs themselves. Funding from the Radio Communications Foundation will cover the cost of up to nine teachers’ exams.

More Information - https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/rsgb-notices/2025/05/16/rsgb-outreach-team-announces-new-dmr-project-for-under-18s/

Record Number of Licence Test-Takers in Bangladesh

A record number of candidates showed up to take Bangladesh's amateur radio exam on Friday, 9th May 2025, a total estimated at more than 900 participants. The Amateur Radio Society of Bangladesh said on its website that "this remarkable figure represents the highest number of participants ever recorded for an amateur radio exam in Bangladesh's history."

Weeks of preparation had gone into preparing candidates for the exam by offering online seminars as well as in-person training and workshops. There was also a field day as well as classes in basic electronics and antenna-building.  The amateur radio society said there was great support from the Bangladesh Vespa Community, a community-service group of motorised-scooter enthusiasts - many of whom also took the exam, which was organised by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.

It was not yet known how many of the candidates were successful in getting their licence.