RCE Standards Committee report released

The 2010 report produced by the UK Radio Communications Exam Standards Committee covering 2009 has been released.

The report says it has been agreed that passes in the Advanced Examination should be ranked as Pass, Merit and Distinction. The top 50% of those passing will be awarded at least a Merit with the top 20% achieving a Distinction.

The numbers passing the 2009 Radio Communications exams were:
Foundation: 1704
Intermediate: 662
Advanced: 289

Read the Standards Committee report at
http://www.commsfoundation.org/rce/pdf/
annualreport_2010.pdf

The numbers passing are broadly the same as the previous year and would appear to indicate that about 38% of Foundation holders upgrade to a higher license.

Japan, the country that pioneered the No-Code HF Foundation (Class 4) license in the 1950's, has in recent years achieved an upgrade rate from Class 4 of around 50% although their long term average upgrade rate over the past 60+ years is substantially lower at 7%.

UK Amateur Radio Exam Committee Report 2009
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/april2010/
uk_exam_report.htm

Japanese Amateur Radio license statistics
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/july2010/
japanese_amateur_radio_licences.htm