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Australian regulator removes 'under 16'
restriction
Recently ACMA (the Australian regulator) has been imposing an additional
condition on amateur radio licences granted to people under age 16.
That condition required the licensee, while under 16, to only operate
amateur radio equipment under the supervision of a licensed radio amateur
over the age of 16.
The Wireless Institute of Australia immediately objected to the condition,
advancing a number of reasons.
The reasons included the fact that the condition was inconsistent with
the whole object of the Foundation licence and in direct contradiction
of the 'Outcomes' paper, where it was said "it was decided not to
introduce an age limit for operating under the Foundation licensing option".
It is not a condition of the class licence covering CB equipment and so,
discriminated against amateur licensees who were trained in the relevant
safety aspects.
As more licences were issued with the condition, more people became aware
of it and expressed their concern to the WIA.
Alan Jordan of ACMA has now advised the WIA as follows:
"I refer to representations from the Wireless Institute of Australia
about the imposition of a licence condition requiring the operation of
Amateur Radio stations by licensees less than 16 years of age to be supervised
by a licensed Amateur over the age of 16.
"This requirement has been reviewed and I am pleased to advise that
the condition will not be applied from this date. Those licences already
subject to that particular condition will be reissued in the near future.
"Amateur radio licences will, on application, be issued to any person
who demonstrates at examination that he or she possesses the necessary
knowledge and skills."
The WIA welcomes ACMA's decision.
Source: Wireless
Institute of Australia
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