Are you interested in using a radio to transmit across the UK and further into the world?
How I became licensed…
During the Covid pandemic, I purchased a software-defined radio USB-stick. After hours of interesting listening, I wondered: “…are we allowed to transmit too?” After a little research, a little support from Graham M0CYX, and after lots of studying, I gained my OFCOM Foundation Licence… and now I transmit!
Dean M7SUX
You could make contact with fellow radio enthusiasts, take part in contests, spend an afternoon in a park hunting other “Parks on the Air” participants, or simply sit at home (or in your new “Shack”) having conversations with friends.
You might also be interested in the construction of amateur radio equipment (radios, antennas, and supporting tools).
Fort Purbrook Amateur Radio Club welcomes amateur radio enthusiasts of all levels of experience. From complete starters to those with more experience looking to upgrade their licence, we can help you achieve your goals.
Contents
Getting Started: Licences
In the UK, we are required to hold a licence to transmit with radio equipment.
The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) organises and oversees licensing examinations for amateur radio, but OFCOM manages the licences. So, you take your exam via the RSGB, and if you pass then OFCOM will issue your licence.
There are currently three classes of licence, each attainable sequentially by passing the appropriate examination. The licences are classified as:
- Foundation.
- Intermediate.
- Full.
Examinations may be taken online (e.g. from your home – an invigilator monitors the examination via video link).
Historically, one used to be able take an examination in person, invigilated by a local amateur radio club (Fort Purbrook Amateur Radio Club used to organise these), but this rarely happens nowadays with the online PC/Camera examinations available.
Examinations to gain your Licence
Foundation Licence
This examination consists of 26 multiple-choice questions and is 60 minutes long. There is no practical assessment. Success will gain you an M7xxx callsign with a 25-watt limit to your transmission power.
Intermediate Licence
This examination consists of 46 multiple-choice questions and is 90 minutes long. It may be taken after you have attained your Foundation Licence. Again, there is no practical assessment. Success will grant you a 2E0xxx callsign (soon to be changed to an M?xxx callsign due to recent Ofcom changes) with a 100-watt limit to your transmission power.
Full Licence
This examination consists of 58 multiple-choice questions and is 2 hours long, It may be taken after you have attained your Intermediate Licence(†). There is no practical assessment. Success will grant you a M0xxx callsign with a 1,000-watt limit to your transmission power.
† There is now a “Direct to Full” examination. See RSGB Website for further details: https://rsgb.org/main/clubs-training/for-students/direct-entry-to-full-licence-rsgb-consultation/
RSGB publications are available to assist with your study and are shown and available from the RSGB Shop.
Pre-Exam Support
Prior to Covid, exams had to be taken at a registered exam centre (e.g. at the Fort) at an agreed date and time, with two invigilators. This required coordination with candidates, invigilators and Fort administration, and there was the cost of room hire.
During Covid, the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) introduced the online examination, which enables you to take the exam at home at a time to suit you, monitored by an online invigilator through a video connection (such as your smartphone). This online examination process is much preferred by our Examination Secretary and our candidates, alike.
The candidate books their examination directly through the RSGB website (https://rsgb.org/main/clubs-training/for-students/paying-for-your-exam/).
The examination fee ranges from £35 to £95 depending on the licence being examined (prices correct as of 2024).
A Message from our Examination Secretary
“As a club, we do not offer structured training sessions. However, as the examination secretary, I am happy to support individual candidates with online sessions (i.e. Zoom) on topics of their choice, free of charge.
“The RSGB sells books covering each of the exams available through their online bookshop. There are also mock exam papers available from the RSGB website (plus apps you can download to your smartphone or tablet †).
“Note: Your licence will be issued by OFCOM free of charge, with no annual renewal fee.”
Graham M0CYX – Examination Secretary.
†NB: check that a mock-examination app supports the revised licence conditions as of 1st September, 2024. See: https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/rsgb-notices/2024/02/06/an-update-on-the-amateur-radio-licence-exams/ for more information).
