Trevor M5AKA

Comments on Ofcom Licensing Consultation Document

Ofcom has now released the long awaited Amateur Licence consultation document. The 4 options outlined by Ofcom are much as expected. It is hoped that Amateurs will be unanimous in their rejection of the option for WT Act Licence exemption.

There was a lot of debate prior to the document being issued about the merits of a free Life-Time licence verses a free 10 years licence. In reality there is not a great deal to chose between them. Ofcom has presented us with a choice
being between a free Internet Life-Time licence and a expensive manually processed paper based system with the licence running for say 5 years.

The United States has for some time had a free 10 year Amateur Licence and this has proved satifactory, however, a number of other countries are now adopting free Life-Time Amateur licences. New Zealand is the most recent example and this seems to be the way the rest of the world is going.

The bulk of the licence fee UK Amateurs currently pay is consumed by the costs of pushing pieces of paper around each year. These days there is no need to pay for a cumbersome, expensive paper based system when the Internet can acheive the same thing at near zero cost. I am fully in favour of a Internet based licensing system providing of course there are facilities to handle applications from those who are unable to use the Internet.

One thing that initially concerned me when reading through the document was the lack of any mention that Amateurs have the right to build and operate to their own design, transmitters of up to 400 watts output without any formal EMC compliance requirements. The initial emphasis of the document seemed to be on Amateurs as "Operators".
I was relieved when I got to the bottom of page 14 and saw that Ofcom did recognise home construction as a vital part of the hobby.

I hope everyone will sumbit a reply to this consultation document. It is vital for the future of the Amateur Service that Amateurs make their views known to Ofcom.
Ofcom welcomes reponses from overseas, not just the UK.

The consultation document can be downloaded from:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/aradio/

If you know of someone who'd like a paper copy tell them to ring Ofcom on +44 (0)20 7981 3000 as they are offering to deliver a FREE paper copy of the document to anyone who wants one. They are currently quoting a 5 day delivery time.

73 Trevor M5AKA

Ofcom Consultation Information: http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/

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