New regulations for South African hams

As we reported in the previous SARL bulletin, the Department of Communications has given us a written undertaking that the new Radio Regulations will be gazetted in the next couple of weeks. When the new regulations take effect, the holders of ZR licenses will for the first time have operating privileges on the amateur HF bands.

The band segments on which ZR licensees may operate under the new regulations are:

1,810 - 1,850 MHz in the 160 m band;
3,500 - 3,800 MHz in the 80 m band;
7,000 - 7,100 MHz in the 40 m band;
14,070 - 14,099 MHz and 14,225 - 14,350 MHz in the 20 m band;
21,080 - 28,120 MHz and 21,300 - 21,450 MHz in the 15 m band;
28,050 - 28,150 MHz and 28,300 - 28,500 MHz in the 10 m band;

In all cases, the maximum permitted power is 100 Watt PEP.

When the new regulations take effect, the HF frequency allocations for ZU licenses will also change so they are identical with the ZR allocations on the 160, 80, 40 and 10 m bands. ZU licensees will be permitted to use SSB on all these bands. The frequencies applicable to ZU licenses are:

1,810 - 1,850 MHz in the 160 m band;
3,500 - 3,800 MHz in the 80 m band;
7,000 - 7,100 MHz in the 40 m band;
28,050 - 28,150 MHz and 28,300 - 28,500 MHz in the 10 m band.

The maximum permitted power for ZU licensees remains 20 watts PEP.

ZS licensees will retain all current frequency allocations, with a maximum power of 400 watt.

The new regulations also introduce a new process for ZR and ZU license holders wishing to upgrade to a ZS license. In terms of the regulations, the SARL may prescribe assessments for the ZS license. A candidate wishing to obtain a ZS license must pass any one of the assessments. The assessments prescribed to date are:

1. Confirmed contacts with 100 different stations using any combination of bands or modes. Only simplex contacts, and contacts through earth-orbiting satellites, will count. Contacts through repeaters will not count.

2. The construction of a working direct-conversion or superheterodyne radio receiver, or a crystal-controlled radio transmitter with an output power of at least 1 watt.

3. The completion of at least 50 hours of public service or emergency communications in sports communications, disaster preparedness exercises, actual disasters and educational events.

4. Obtaining a professional tertiary qualification in electronics or radio.

5. Passing a Morse code test at 5 w.p.m.

Please see the SARL web site for further details of the assessments and the conditions that apply to each.

The assessments will be administered by assessors nominated by clubs and appointed by the SARL. The SARL is in the process of appointing assessors, and clubs are invited to submit their nominations. All nominations must be made on the official form, which can be found on the SARL web site.

Once assessors have been appointed, ZR and ZU licensees who wish to obtain a ZS license will be able to do so by completing the assessment form, which will be available from assessors, and submitting evidence of having successfully completed any of the assessments. Each application will have to be signed off by two assessors. There will be an assessment fee of R50, which will be waived for SARL members. This will be in addition to the license upgrade fees payable to ICASA.

Courtesy of The South African Radio League

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