UK Licensing and how it applies to RAYNET

During 2002 and 2003 there have been some significant changes in UK Amateur Licences, which have provided a progressive licensing scheme and opened up the HF bands to all licensees.

A synopsis of the licences and their use on RAYNET events is given below.

Remember that a Foundation or Intermediate licence holder can use an Advanced licensees callsign (club or individual) under supervision, so any licence holder is able to operate in a Control or dual-manned outstation, using the privileges available to the Advanced licence.

Removal of the Morse requirement

July 2003 - UK Amateurs no longer require a Morse test to access the HF bands below 30Mhz.

This change has removed the A/B class distinction and means there are now just 3 types of licence, based on the new progressive licensing scheme. All current licences have been automatically granted access to the bands below 30Mhz by Gazette notice on the 25th July.

Universal access to the HF bands has now opened up a wide range of possibilities for RAYNET operations and the RAYNET HF team are undertaking some very useful work in investigating its use.

Foundation licence

12 hour practical course with an exam and practical Morse assessment.

Note that even though the Morse requirement for bands below 30Mhz has been removed, the assessment has been retained for the Foundation licence.

• Restricted band access
• Power limit to 10W (10dBW)

RAYNET use of Foundation licence holders

• Can use all of 2m and 70cm
• May undertake 3rd party traffic handling

Intermediate licence

The old Novice licence has become the Intermediate licence and now has additional band, mode and power facilities. A new syllabus and training course has been introduced to reflect the status of the licence in the progressive licensing scheme.

All holders of the Intermediate have access to the same bands and modes as an Advanced licence holder. They are limited to 50W (17dBW) instead of 400W (26dBW) of the Advanced licence - or lower if the schedule restricts.

RAYNET operations using more than 50W (17dBW) are rare, so Intermediate licence holders can be treated as if they hold an Advanced licence.

RAYNET use of Intermediate licence holders

• Can use all of 2m and 70cm
• May undertake 3rd party traffic handling
• No problems with high power mobile or control stations
• May not supervise Foundation licence holders

Advanced licence

Access to all privileges allowed under UK Amateur Radio licensing.

RAYNET use of Advanced licence holders

• No restrictions
• May undertake 3rd party traffic handling
• May supervise Foundation and Intermediate licence holders