What is a HAREC ?

HAREC is a term that causes confusion for some.
Brian Reay G8OSN has provided an explanation.

From time to time questions come my way re 'HAREC'-
what one it is, what it does, etc.

The following should, I hope, clarify the situation.

A HAREC is a Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate. It is NOT a licence - it is more akin to an RAE or RCE pass slip (or perhaps the old Amateur Radio Certificate for those of us who remember those!).

There is not a HAREC examination, there are several national examinations which the corresponding licensing authorities declare as meeting the needs of HAREC (as defined in Annex 6 of TR61-02 http://www.erodocdb.dk/Docs/doc98/
official/pdf/TR6102.PDF).

HAREC's are issued by national licensing authorities (eg OFCOM) who subscribe to CEPT.

Initially, only CEPT countries were involved in HAREC but, some years back, the scheme was modified to allow non-CEPT countries to participate.

HAREC's aren't issued to all licensees - only those who have passed an exam covering the requirements in the agreed spec (national administrations, it seems, determine compliance) and issue HARECs (generally for their 'top' licence).

So, in the UK for example, a Full Licence holder can request a HAREC from OFCOM. HARECs were free but the recent situation hasn't been checked. It isn't an impressive looking document- more like a Civil Servant's letter!

A HAREC holder can go to another HAREC country, present his HAREC, and apply for a licence- without needing to do the local exam.

So, for example, a French HAREC holder could, on moving to the UK, apply for a UK Full Licence.

Now the complications:

Not everyone who supports CEPT licensing agreements issue or recognise HARECs (the USA being a notable example - they neither issue HARECs nor accept them).

There was a previous HAREC specification (TR61-01) requiring Morse. Some countries still use this old specification to issue different classes of licence (like the old UK A and B scheme).

Some countries (inc. the UK) will issue a Full Licence (or their equivalent) in the absence of a HAREC – eg the UK will issue a Full Licence to a US Extra licensee.

How CEPT verify that a National licence complies with TR61-02 isn't 100% clear- the lower USA licensees were recently deemed not to comply, having previously been accepted. No noticeable change in the US licences had precipitated this change.

Brian Reay G8OSN

Related URL's

No reciprocal licences for some Americans (2008)
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/february2008/
american_reciprocal_licences.htm

USA Technician - UK Full (Advanced) Licences (2005)
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/november2005/
us_technician_licence.htm

A quick way to an Amateur Radio Advanced licence (2005)
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/november2005/
quick_way_advanced_licence.htm