OFCONNED

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MorseMan
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by MorseMan »

26mb04 wrote: 30 Oct 2020, 12:55 If I read correctly, I think there are two issues here:

1: You have another (ham) callsign already;
2: Ofcom now don't like issuing more than one ham callsign per person.

Yes, there are loads of people with more than one ham callsign. I'm pretty sure there was a moratorium on multiple callsigns a few years ago. If you had more than one you could keep them, but they're not issuing more than one now.

This doesn't help you get your old one back though. There are obviously a few options you could take, with varying levels of legality:

1: Carry on with your class A;

2: Give up your class A, do the time, get your class B back. You can use CB/446 in the mean time;

3: As far as I'm aware, ofcom don't re-issue callsigns. They also
are not responsible for or regulating the content of Amateur Radio services
You can work that one out... ;)
What actually happened was OFCOM asked amateurs to choose which call they wanted to keep & surrender the other, But as validation was now online they were unable to prevent people renewing online.
The percentage is low enough not to bother with apparantly.
MorseMan
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by MorseMan »

If OFCOM built into the validation software a option like,
Which licence do you wish to validate ?

G0XXX

G1XXX

When you press G1XXX a warning will flash ARE YOU SURE G0XXX WILL BE REVOKED.

This would be easy to program as they can link calls to amateurs & solves the problem of multiple callsigns.
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Mikel
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by Mikel »

MorseMan wrote: 31 Oct 2020, 12:11
Mikel wrote: 31 Oct 2020, 11:14 Judging by the local stations around here and by local I mean a 30 mile radius, many non licensed users on PMR446 and 11m are using widebanded HF rigs and BIG amplifiers. Some of these were bought brand new from dealers.

2m, 10m and 70cm are pretty dead from my location but 446 and 11m are teeming with life. If I call CQ on 2m, 10m or 70cm, rarely does anyone come back to me, but when I hear someone call out on 11m CB or PMR446, they get a reply pretty much straight away!

Pirate activity is greater than I have ever known it since the early 80's, at least around here through the summer it was, and that is most definitely keeping the dealers tills ringing big time, and I'm not talking about £20 walkie talkies, or a second hand Harrier CBX with a Zetagi B47 here.

But what is the point of getting licensed, if HF is pretty much wiped out by QRM and 10m and up, is devoid of life?

From 12m down to top band, the noise level locally (20db over 9 most days) makes it un-useable and I think many people are suffering the same way. I use a websdr (http://kiwisdr.com/public/) as my receiver at times, but when my broadband runs slow or my laptop freezes, I am knackered there as well, not to mention the few seconds delay you get on received signals.

Realistically speaking, nothing is going to be done about this interference to my and many others, legitimate licensed activity.

It seems to me that dealers are getting revenue with or without amateur radio, and 'enthusiasts' are looking for other ways to get their radio fix and don't forget money talks, so may be this is one of the many reasons OFCOM are not interested in enforcement, they don't want to destroy the revenue stream and upset big business, or maybe they think it is better than them using the Echo Charlie aeronautical band?



As far as looking down on M3, M6 and M7 license holder goes, unfortunately it is human nature and it gets the better of SOME people.

SOME motorists look down on cyclists.

SOME home owners look down on Council tenants.

SOME white people look down on black people.

SOME Christians look down on Muslims.

Etc, etc.

A Psychologists stated that, "The next time someone seems to cast a judgemental eye on you, remember that their judgement may be more about them than about you. Maybe they’re facing stressors in their lives that you’re unaware of, and just trying their best to cope"



I have always wanted to learn CW but every time I have tried I lose interest and lack motivation or life just gets the better of me.

What is the best method to use I wonder? I will have to look into it again I think.

The websdr i like to use (http://kiwisdr.com/public/) does have a CW decoder built in, so that has increased by interest a bit lately, so maybe I will make a bit of an effort in the near future.
Hiya Mikel

As you say some people always look down on others but fail to realize their are many levels above them.

I used to look after a university professors car & pop in for a cup of tea or sometimes a nice single malt occasionally, This guy was incredibly intelligent & socially way above me but never looked down on me.
Once I went around to his very nice house & under his car was a pool of oil...He had tried to top it up through the dip stick hole, He also never changed his radio station because he was afraid he wouldn't find it again.

Very intelligent in a narrow field of knowledge & accepted he couldn't do what others could, A tap washer to him was splitting the atom.

Best free software to learn CW is possibly G4FON Koch.

Set character speed as a minimum 15/18 wpm....CW is audio learning not counting dots.
I learned up to 12wpm test speed in about 70 hours.
Learn code first with flash cards, Don't write A as dot dash.... put DI DAH that's the sound.
You can use the learn a couple of letters at a time route.
When you can receive then start to send.

Once you have the alphabet then you have procedure, punctuation etc to learn.

Another good app is called CW TRAINER available on play store.... Red ovalised logo yellow CW.

It's not an easy path learning but I now copy 30 ish wpm in my head but that has taken years of practice.

Noise level at my QTH S7+ at times.

Have a go at the code mate & then if all goes well in time you can say ...... I DID DIT ! :clap:
Thanks, great CW info - I just remembered I have a few apps already download onto my ipad from the last time I gave it a bash.

I will have a look at the ones you have suggested :thumbup:
................................................................................................2W0NBF.........................................................
MorseMan
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by MorseMan »

In 2 years time I'll drop you a private message with my amateur callsign.
We can arrange a sked 👍

Until then I remain OFCONNED
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DX-Digger
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by DX-Digger »

Maybe the RSGB could step in and liase with ofcom on your behalf. Thats if you are a member I guess.
Hell its worth a try rather than sit around for two years.

The fact that you were cohersed into surrendering you licence under false pretences I would say you have a strong case.
Its an avenue worth trying I'd say.
ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐן ǝɥʇ sı sıɥʇ
MorseMan
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by MorseMan »

DX-Digger wrote: 01 Nov 2020, 18:36 Maybe the RSGB could step in and liase with ofcom on your behalf. Thats if you are a member I guess.
Hell its worth a try rather than sit around for two years.

The fact that you were cohersed into surrendering you licence under false pretences I would say you have a strong case.
Its an avenue worth trying I'd say.
I was in touch with the license advice side of the RSGB before I surrendered my license & queried the 2 year off air policy imposed by OFCOM.
The guy I talked to said they were fed up of trying to fight it.
This is a policy & not a legal requirement but as always it's not me that holds all the card's.

What they say is that a callsign is associated with a station for 2 years after it is surrendered & another call will not knowingly be issued to me under any circumstances until a call is no longer associated with me.

I handed back my license knowing this but find it a ridiculous policy.

International radio regulations state that a station must have a unique identification & leave interpretation of radio regulations to individual governing bodies.

If i really want to go on then I could just pick a call & go on.

In the words of Frank Abagnale.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN ! :lol:
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paulears
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by paulears »

You just said it. You handed it back knowing the policy. You made a decision. Respectfully, we don't always like the governments rules, but they are the government. They probably have a list of things to do, I suspect ham radio isnt even on it! It's a callsign. Some people get easy ones to use, some get tougher ones. I spend or rather did spend 25% of my year in Northern Ireland, I just got G14RMT on my van and of course the sans serif font shows it rather conveniently as GI4 RMT. Ironically, I rarely take a radio with me, so it's a pure vanity thing and I can't even claim it's easier to send.
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by MorseMan »

paulears wrote: 04 Nov 2020, 08:19 You just said it. You handed it back knowing the policy. You made a decision. Respectfully, we don't always like the governments rules, but they are the government. They probably have a list of things to do, I suspect ham radio isnt even on it! It's a callsign. Some people get easy ones to use, some get tougher ones. I spend or rather did spend 25% of my year in Northern Ireland, I just got G14RMT on my van and of course the sans serif font shows it rather conveniently as GI4 RMT. Ironically, I rarely take a radio with me, so it's a pure vanity thing and I can't even claim it's easier to send.
Absolutely correct I handed it back.

What I don't understand is OFCOM say the station call
Identifies a station.
Well actually it doesn't.

If i go around to another amateurs & use a dodgy old radio that wipes out the band... What happens ? My station at my QTH is clean, So who is the station ? Me or the radio ? Answer me.

I take a job as a maritime radio operator & work on different boats.

If i take a yacht to the south of France & pick up another to deliver to Jamaica, Who is the station ? Me or the yacht ? Answer the yacht.

The call does not leave the boat.

This is just an example of how the same radio regulations are implemented by OFCOM in different ways.

There is no regulation that says you must take a 2 year break, If my boat sinks & I buy another out of the insurance money, Do I have to keep it in dry dock until 2 years has passed ?

OFCOM say you can only hold 1 call so if you surrender 1 & reinstate 1 .... You hold... Yes that's correct 1.

Somebody once told me a radio doesn't work any better if it has a license !! 🤔
paulears
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by paulears »

It's a little like MMSI numbers for marine band. I have one, which identifies me, but mine isn't tagged to a vessel, but once it is, it stays with that boat for the lifetime of the boat. I've also got two MMSI numbers attached to a demonstration and testing licence - which allows me to repair, test and demonstrate marine radio kit. Oddly, a marine land station is mega expensive to licence, but my licence, and it's attached call sign CAN be used on land. I've got an AIS transponder on line two for demonstration and it's on 24/7. So OFCOM say MMSIs aren't transferable, but they let me have a couple that I can enter into various kit and swap them around. MMSI numbers relate to a vessel, but they'll give you an extra one for a beacon. It's a similar thing I suppose - they have rigid rules that they relax at their convenience, and we have to follow them.
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by MorseMan »

paulears wrote: 06 Nov 2020, 22:04 It's a little like MMSI numbers for marine band. I have one, which identifies me, but mine isn't tagged to a vessel, but once it is, it stays with that boat for the lifetime of the boat. I've also got two MMSI numbers attached to a demonstration and testing licence - which allows me to repair, test and demonstrate marine radio kit. Oddly, a marine land station is mega expensive to licence, but my licence, and it's attached call sign CAN be used on land. I've got an AIS transponder on line two for demonstration and it's on 24/7. So OFCOM say MMSIs aren't transferable, but they let me have a couple that I can enter into various kit and swap them around. MMSI numbers relate to a vessel, but they'll give you an extra one for a beacon. It's a similar thing I suppose - they have rigid rules that they relax at their convenience, and we have to follow them.
I've accepted I have to spend time off as there is no point in arguing with officialdom.
I'll make a phone at 12 months.
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Re: OFCONNED

Post by NicolaJayne »

Mikel wrote: 30 Oct 2020, 15:20 I am pretty sure OFCOM do indeed re-issue callsigns you just have to make a special request to them.

A good example is the callsign G5YL, this has been 'owned' by 3 amateurs in total.

First by a guy called Benjamin Hesketh in the 1920's and then Miss P.E.M. Bryan in the 1930's and now it is 'owned' by a lady called Krystyna Haywood.

Her QRZ page is here if you want to see the interesting and fascinating history attached to this callsign and how she asked OFCOM for it and it was granted:

https://www.qrz.com/DB/G5YL

Krystyna's experience is not unique, many people have requested and have been granted old callsigns that may have a sentimental value, for example a deceased relatives old call.

Also if you pass the foundation, the intermediate and the advanced exams you will have 3 callsigns, which you are entitled to keep if you so wish.
however Krystyna has not and does not hold another Full Licence Callsign ( although iirc she does retain her foundation and inter callsigns)
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