Also in GB2RS this week…

Ofcom has announced a consultation which seeks to simplify the licensing of amateur radio visitors to the UK from a specified list of countries. The consultation also covers the proposed simplification of other wireless equipment usage. Ofcom says: “We propose to introduce a new licence exemption for short-term use of radio amateur equipment by radio amateurs visiting from countries that are not covered by the CEPT Recommendation T/R 61-02, but with whom the UK has a bilateral reciprocal agreement.” The deadline for responses to the consultation is 5pm on 28 March 2025. You can read the consultation document on the Ofcom website.

Have you revalidated your licence recently? Ofcom requires that radio amateurs revalidate their licence at least every five years, although confirming annually is recommended. More information on the process can be found on the RSGB website. This web page provides further information on the process, a link to the Ofcom portal, as well as a handy video guide on the process from Ofcom. Make sure you keep your details up-to-date, and add a diary reminder to renew each year.

Have you made a New Year’s resolution to learn CW? If so, you might be interested in Essex CW Amateur Radio Club’s CW for Beginners training. The next course starts on Thursday, 6 February 2025. It will take place via Skype from 7pm. If you are interested in taking part, email Andy, G0IBN on g0ibn1@yahoo.com.

Lots of operators are on the air—until the end of January 2025—with stations taking part in the World Wide Award. If you have been listening to the HF bands, you will have heard lots of stations using callsigns with a WWA suffix. Points are awarded for working these stations using a variety of modes. For example, two points are awarded for a contact made using a digital mode, and 10 points are awarded for making a CW contact. To qualify for the award, you need a minimum of 100 points. To read more about the World Wide Award visit hamaward.cloud/wwa.

Category: GB2RS Headlines