Ham Radio in the UK - all sorts of Government Changes

[Tin soldier]

well here is my two penneth.
I am personally very disappointed with Ofcom. To start they have consulted ONLY licensed users. I am aware that they have had more than enough communication from non licensed users (CB) about their concerns and idea’s for the future and they have ignored all there communication to my knowledge. Even many licensed users have expressed on social media that they are pulling out their hair about this issue that they think the whole situation is outdated.
I myself have written to Ofcom with no reply! My belief is that eventually the radio community and hobby will suffer a brain drain in the next 5 to 10 years for obvious reasons regarding lifespan. From the data (2021) the licenses users under 21 years of age are 0.32%.
So the hobby and the license needs to modernize to introduce new users or radio use will become extinct.

I get your points about having input regardless if a ham radio operator or a CB / scanner / shortwave user, it's all radio after all, and if enough folk take the time to give their feedback to Ofcom it would be the courteous thing to do to at least respond back to them.

I've long had the opinion that the hobby is dwindling and becoming less geared towards the essence of the hobby and more about new tech and contesting, and mucking about with cheap radios on repeaters on the other end of the scale.

HF is getting harder to use in many areas because of the various forms of interference and noise levels caused by modern electronics, and so the shine of it all as a whole has dulled very much for me and for others l think.

Nothing stays the same forever and this consultation won't be the last l don't think, they'll be more of the same / similar l'm sure in the future to keep (well try to anyway) pace with changes, that's the way of things. I don't bother about such, it's just a hobby / pastime after all and l can take or leave it, not something I'll lose sleep over anyway.

How can you have an input into something you are not part of, amateur radio is regulated that's why you have a license is it not? so how can someone's input who is not licensed have any relevance going forward

If people are "thinking of doing their ham ticket" and ofcom and hams want to attract new operators. Then I think it would make perfect sense to listen to input from potential newbies.

It's like government manifestoes on cars etc. Everyone has a say with their vote, but not everyone drives .

That said, changes are always going to cause controversy . You can't please all the people all the time.

I saw a YouTube video a while back of a ham operator and some sort of amateur radio uk secretary or some such.
He was advocating an even easier or none test for foundation.
His thinking was that not all want the technical side and would just like to rag chew .
And some people have dyslexia or something that limits their ability to take tests.

Of course he got shot down by some.
(If anyone knows the video I'm talking about post it up as I can't find it)


Ham is a niche hobby considered nerdy by most, and so is CB these days.
It was only considered cool when it was new and "illegal".
And consider the effort required, and some knowledge for, eg- swr before you even start on CB radio let alone ham and with todays click and play society it's hardly any wonder radio is dwindling.

And who wants a massive magmount antenna or drill a hole in their roof now ?

[Whisky1]

I get your points about having input regardless if a ham radio operator or a CB / scanner / shortwave user, it's all radio after all, and if enough folk take the time to give their feedback to Ofcom it would be the courteous thing to do to at least respond back to them.

I've long had the opinion that the hobby is dwindling and becoming less geared towards the essence of the hobby and more about new tech and contesting, and mucking about with cheap radios on repeaters on the other end of the scale.

HF is getting harder to use in many areas because of the various forms of interference and noise levels caused by modern electronics, and so the shine of it all as a whole has dulled very much for me and for others l think.

Nothing stays the same forever and this consultation won't be the last l don't think, they'll be more of the same / similar l'm sure in the future to keep (well try to anyway) pace with changes, that's the way of things. I don't bother about such, it's just a hobby / pastime after all and l can take or leave it, not something I'll lose sleep over anyway.

How can you have an input into something you are not part of, amateur radio is regulated that's why you have a license is it not? so how can someone's input who is not licensed have any relevance going forward

If people are "thinking of doing their ham ticket" and ofcom and hams want to attract new operators. Then I think it would make perfect sense to listen to input from potential newbies.

It's like government manifestoes on cars etc. Everyone has a say with their vote, but not everyone drives .

That said, changes are always going to cause controversy . You can't please all the people all the time.

I saw a YouTube video a while back of a ham operator and some sort of amateur radio uk secretary or some such.
He was advocating an even easier or none test for foundation.
His thinking was that not all want the technical side and would just like to rag chew .
And some people have dyslexia or something that limits their ability to take tests.

Of course he got shot down by some.
(If anyone knows the video I'm talking about post it up as I can't find it)


Ham is a niche hobby considered nerdy by most, and so is CB these days.
It was only considered cool when it was new and "illegal".
And consider the effort required, and some knowledge for, eg- swr before you even start on CB radio let alone ham and with todays click and play society it's hardly any wonder radio is dwindling.

And who wants a massive magmount antenna or drill a hole in their roof now ?

Get the drill out and whack a ML145 on it, oh well you can't please everyone you are right.
They could give a ticket away free at the PO counter you still wouldn't see a much of a involvement, the internet as sealed the fate of this hobby and that's a fact.
It's all downhill so whichever side of the fence you are at enjoy it while people are still using it, it's never been so easy to get a ticket...read a book, book a test and sit infront of a screen ya on the air Tomatoe growing and bad bowel discussions and a few hundred maybe thousand quid lighter

[KB312]

I get your points about having input regardless if a ham radio operator or a CB / scanner / shortwave user, it's all radio after all, and if enough folk take the time to give their feedback to Ofcom it would be the courteous thing to do to at least respond back to them.

I've long had the opinion that the hobby is dwindling and becoming less geared towards the essence of the hobby and more about new tech and contesting, and mucking about with cheap radios on repeaters on the other end of the scale.

HF is getting harder to use in many areas because of the various forms of interference and noise levels caused by modern electronics, and so the shine of it all as a whole has dulled very much for me and for others l think.

Nothing stays the same forever and this consultation won't be the last l don't think, they'll be more of the same / similar l'm sure in the future to keep (well try to anyway) pace with changes, that's the way of things. I don't bother about such, it's just a hobby / pastime after all and l can take or leave it, not something I'll lose sleep over anyway.

How can you have an input into something you are not part of, amateur radio is regulated that's why you have a license is it not? so how can someone's input who is not licensed have any relevance going forward

If people are "thinking of doing their ham ticket" and ofcom and hams want to attract new operators. Then I think it would make perfect sense to listen to input from potential newbies.

It's like government manifestoes on cars etc. Everyone has a say with their vote, but not everyone drives .

That said, changes are always going to cause controversy . You can't please all the people all the time.

I saw a YouTube video a while back of a ham operator and some sort of amateur radio uk secretary or some such.
He was advocating an even easier or none test for foundation.
His thinking was that not all want the technical side and would just like to rag chew .
And some people have dyslexia or something that limits their ability to take tests.

Of course he got shot down by some.
(If anyone knows the video I'm talking about post it up as I can't find it)


Ham is a niche hobby considered nerdy by most, and so is CB these days.
It was only considered cool when it was new and "illegal".
And consider the effort required, and some knowledge for, eg- swr before you even start on CB radio let alone ham and with todays click and play society it's hardly any wonder radio is dwindling.

And who wants a massive magmount antenna or drill a hole in their roof now ?

Thanks for your comments.
Here is the video I think you are talking about.



It’s very interesting what he has to say and I think I agree with all his comments.

I have been put off personally when looking at how I achieved a foundation license. As I said I am very concerned about what Ive heard about non licensed people have been saying and yes their concerns are valid in my opinion. My wish is to complete my license, but I have remained on unlicensed radio for 41 years without issue.

[Tin soldier]

Yes whisky, farcefook and twátter are a nail in the coffin.
Why would someone spend hundreds or thousands on radio gear when they can talk to uncle Bert in Canada either by txt or voice chat and with pictures all on their phone ?

Thanks for posting the video Bob.
He does talk a lot of sense.
Notice how he mentions at the end "he probably won't be welcome on HF afterwards".

Another state of play as to why many wouldn't want to bother with ham.

[Transwarp]

I've watched the video before. Ham radio all boils down to one thing though - people.

You want to drive you have to train (have lessons) and pass an exam (driving test) Some pass, some don't, some after many attempts give up and don't bother. Many who pass throw what they've learned out the window after a short time and drive how they want to drive, in some cases causing accidents, injury, or death at the extreme end. That's people for you.

Putting the effort into gaining a ham licence and getting one is similar to getting a driving licence then, once got it it's how you conduct yourself afterwards. Foundation licence holder 'A' operates within the terms of that licence level and follows the ham radio highway code. FLH 'B' buys a HF set and runs on 100 watts all the time, operates on 555 SSB with it, and might have a bumfeng to go on the local repeaters now and then. Further up the licence ladder are the intermeeds and full's, they also can behave / operate how they feel. Again it's people. Consult / debate / argue / talk / write, make changes / tweaks / adjustments, can't change the person (operator) behind the mic though regardless of age or capability.

The world is changing / has changed and so has the way in which people think and act. Society is more aggressive and violent with less tolerance and sympathy, and with that said this is the key thing, two way radio is interaction with other people, if we're becoming a less tolerant and less sociable race the end result will be the same on the bands.

Bringing in a basic operators ham licence would be just like a more advanced version of CB radio or business PMR. If there are just those that want to get a box delivered with a shiny new radio to stick on their bedside cabinet to talk and have a friend put an antenna up for it so they can do so fair enough, suck it and see, if not for them or what they thought then flog up and do something else, or if it's something that ends up leading them to progress further than ok.

I think the direction should be pools are created. beginners, experienced, advanced. You can't swim in the other pools unless you prove yourself capable and got experience. Minimum of two years served as beginner, another two as an experienced, and then last stop the English Channel swimming.

The electronic theory for all pools could be optional, you don't need to know anything about to operate a radio, it's like having to be a mechanic to drive a car - you don't - that's what breakdown companies and garages are for. Anybody wanting to pass their driving test doesn't need to know how to fix it or understand how all the mechanicals work per se' - same for a HGV driver. You simply need to know how operate the controls, what they do, and how to operate within the rules and terms. Anybody wanting to to know more about radio electronics and theory could then take the separate modules on if they wished, wouldn't make them a better operator on the spectrum though, just more knowledgeable on the workings of.

[KB312]

I've watched the video before. Ham radio all boils down to one thing though - people.

You want to drive you have to train (have lessons) and pass an exam (driving test) Some pass, some don't, some after many attempts give up and don't bother. Many who pass throw what they've learned out the window after a short time and drive how they want to drive, in some cases causing accidents, injury, or death at the extreme end. That's people for you.

Putting the effort into gaining a ham licence and getting one is similar to getting a driving licence then, once got it it's how you conduct yourself afterwards. Foundation licence holder 'A' operates within the terms of that licence level and follows the ham radio highway code. FLH 'B' buys a HF set and runs on 100 watts all the time, operates on 555 SSB with it, and might have a bumfeng to go on the local repeaters now and then. Further up the licence ladder are the intermeeds and full's, they also can behave / operate how they feel. Again it's people. Consult / debate / argue / talk / write, make changes / tweaks / adjustments, can't change the person (operator) behind the mic though regardless of age or capability.

The world is changing / has changed and so has the way in which people think and act. Society is more aggressive and violent with less tolerance and sympathy, and with that said this is the key thing, two way radio is interaction with other people, if we're becoming a less tolerant and less sociable race the end result will be the same on the bands.

Bringing in a basic operators ham licence would be just like a more advanced version of CB radio or business PMR. If there are just those that want to get a box delivered with a shiny new radio to stick on there bedside cabinet to talk and have a friend put an antenna up for it so they can do so fair enough, suck it and see, if not for them or what they thought then flog up and do something else, or if it's something that ends up leading them to progress further than ok.

I think the direction should be pools are created. beginners, experienced, advanced. You can't swim in the other pools unless you prove yourself capable and got experience. Minimum of two years served as beginner, another two as an experienced, and then last stop the English Channel swimming.

The electronic theory for all pools could be optional, you don't need to know anything about to operate a radio, it's like having to be a mechanic to drive a car - you don't - that's what breakdown companies and garages are for. Anybody wanting to pass their driving test doesn't need to know how to fix it or understand how all the mechanicals work per se' - same for a HGV driver. You simply need to know how operate the controls, what they do, and how to operate within the rules and terms. Anybody wanting to to know more about radio electronics and theory could then take the separate modules on if they wished, wouldn't make them a better operator on the spectrum though, just more knowledgeable on the workings of.

Exactly. Very well said. And dont forget they have your call sign, name and address and if you misbehave ofcom can take action against you, unlike CB. Ah the days of a CB license which I did have.

I’m personally looking to get my license to have a 20m setup at home. I’m too old and get too cold to sit up on the hills during the winter as I used too. Im a QRP operator so the proposed 20watts is more than enough for me.

Regards Bob.

[Tin soldier]

I've watched the video before. Ham radio all boils down to one thing though - people.

You want to drive you have to train (have lessons) and pass an exam (driving test) Some pass, some don't, some after many attempts give up and don't bother. Many who pass throw what they've learned out the window after a short time and drive how they want to drive, in some cases causing accidents, injury, or death at the extreme end. That's people for you.

Putting the effort into gaining a ham licence and getting one is similar to getting a driving licence then, once got it it's how you conduct yourself afterwards. Foundation licence holder 'A' operates within the terms of that licence level and follows the ham radio highway code. FLH 'B' buys a HF set and runs on 100 watts all the time, operates on 555 SSB with it, and might have a bumfeng to go on the local repeaters now and then. Further up the licence ladder are the intermeeds and full's, they also can behave / operate how they feel. Again it's people. Consult / debate / argue / talk / write, make changes / tweaks / adjustments, can't change the person (operator) behind the mic though regardless of age or capability.

The world is changing / has changed and so has the way in which people think and act. Society is more aggressive and violent with less tolerance and sympathy, and with that said this is the key thing, two way radio is interaction with other people, if we're becoming a less tolerant and less sociable race the end result will be the same on the bands.

Bringing in a basic operators ham licence would be just like a more advanced version of CB radio or business PMR. If there are just those that want to get a box delivered with a shiny new radio to stick on their bedside cabinet to talk and have a friend put an antenna up for it so they can do so fair enough, suck it and see, if not for them or what they thought then flog up and do something else, or if it's something that ends up leading them to progress further than ok.

I think the direction should be pools are created. beginners, experienced, advanced. You can't swim in the other pools unless you prove yourself capable and got experience. Minimum of two years served as beginner, another two as an experienced, and then last stop the English Channel swimming.

The electronic theory for all pools could be optional, you don't need to know anything about to operate a radio, it's like having to be a mechanic to drive a car - you don't - that's what breakdown companies and garages are for. Anybody wanting to pass their driving test doesn't need to know how to fix it or understand how all the mechanicals work per se' - same for a HGV driver. You simply need to know how operate the controls, what they do, and how to operate within the rules and terms. Anybody wanting to to know more about radio electronics and theory could then take the separate modules on if they wished, wouldn't make them a better operator on the spectrum though, just more knowledgeable on the workings of.

Agree to a lot, although you can kill someone in a vehicle if untrained.

You can go on air 446 or 27mHz without any training

[NicolaJayne]

well here is my two penneth.
I am personally very disappointed with Ofcom. To start they have consulted ONLY licensed users. I am aware that they have had more than enough communication from non licensed users (CB) about their concerns and idea’s for the future and they have ignored all there communication to my knowledge. Even many licensed users have expressed on social media that they are pulling out their hair about this issue that they think the whole situation is outdated.
I myself have written to Ofcom with no reply! My belief is that eventually the radio community and hobby will suffer a brain drain in the next 5 to 10 years for obvious reasons regarding lifespan. From the data (2021) the licenses users under 21 years of age are 0.32%.
So the hobby and the license needs to modernize to introduce new users or radio use will become extinct.

Because it's consultation about reforming the licence conditions.

As for the assertions ref 'brain drain' the last 3 yearsd have shown this assertion to be utter rubbish and the major cause of decline prior to the revision of the examinations provcess wasa lack of accessible training that meets the needs for young people in the modern era, who are often highly mobile, often shift workers and often have other activities they actively partake of...

exactly what 'modernisation' do you think the hobby needs ?

[Whisky1]

A nine year old passed his foundation..........didn't ask for changes just got on with it from the sound of things.
https://rsgb.org/main/blog/award-storie ... kkEsWXkSso

That for me say's it all no changes needed if a 9 year old kid can get a foundation license

[Ant]

Good lad, well done to him for passing and getting into the hobby.

[InTheClouds]

It's good the very dumb people are locked out.

[InTheClouds]

You must be some kind of special lunkhead to require 1000Watts for make contacts. You get more respect doing it on radio power, then you will be respected.

Only people with terrible antennas like a 1/4 wave ground mounted might need that kind of power. Waste of energy, waste of money and loses you respect.

Anyone can hit a nail in with a sledgehammer, leave some challenge and do it all with a pin tack. Also gains you nothing on RX. I think it is like sports cars and motorbikes, mainly for declining middle aged onwards men. If you cannot do everything on 100w or less then you are doing it wrong using bad antennas.1KW does not make you somehow better, it shows you up as running an ineffectual amateur station.

1000W says = I have no idea what I am doing.

[Transwarp]

I understand a final draft regarding the proposed changes has been produced. Not seen it yet but from what I've heard.....


Planned for end of Feb this year...
1kw for full licence holders.
100 watts for intermediates on most bands.

25 watts on most bands for foundations, can control their equipment remotely over the net, access to 2.4 and 5ghz bands at 2 watts, can build their own equipment.

No location prefixes (RSL's) required anymore - except for intermediates on a 2E who will still have to use in that case.



Planned for later this year....
M8 and M9 call signs to replace the intermediate (2E) ones. Existing 2E holders will be encouraged to swap for the new ones but don't have to.


Planned for 2025.......
Revoking of lower class licences held - if an operator has two or more.


Apparently the final draft doc is over 100 pages in detail and there's an option for last comments about the changes that can be submitted back to Ofcom.

[Strawberry]

From what I can see it seems like it's all good news.
Multiple call signs for the same station is confusing for everyone.
I can't see myself using 1kW anytime soon but it's nice to know I can if I want too.

[Transwarp]

Maybe l'm being cynical but bet they'll be some more bellyaching in the hobby about foundations being granted more privileges.

The world will still keep turning though.