New Ofcom Consultation, To reform Amateur Radio Licensing

[andymuza]

Ofcom on the 25th May 2005 published a new consultation titled

"Consultation on a proposal to reform amateur radio licensing"

I suggest all Radio Amateurs digest this consultation and make known there thoughts to Ofcom.

To view the full consultation click the link below.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/aradio/aradio.pdf

And also http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2005/05/nr_20050526 for a brief outline.

I have read the consultation and unlike most of Ofcoms documents this one did not put me to sleep. I was very encouraged over the future of our hobby by the content of this document and have gone from being 100% against this proposal to now 50/50.

If the consultation had gone in to more detail of how they propose to prevent any one gaining an illegitimate licence via the online facility maybe I would have ended up 100% for it.

Any way I am preparing my response to Ofcom and urge you all to do the same before the August 18 deadline.

This is a good read, but if you don't wish to read it all, then read sections 1,2,3 and 5. I highly recommend reading the entire document.

Also please post your opinions on here.

Do you think a Licence for life will lead to eventual deregulation?

[andymuza]

The following is an email I received from Mike, M0FCG (many thanks) And reproduced with the kind permission of John G4RGC.

Hi All
I went with a few others tonight to the RSGB Regional meeting at the Holiday Inn Hotel at Ossett to find out the proper story of what has been happening with OFCOM and these "deregulation proposals" that they want to implement on the amateur fraternity.

To say that I was shocked with what I heard tonight from Peter Kirkby the RSGB general Manager about what has been going on since December 2004 with OFCOM is an under statement. If the RSGB had not been totally committed to stopping these proposals then within a matter of months our hobby as we know it would have ended. This is as a direct result of a EUROPEAN !!!!! not UK directive telling the telecommunication authorities to deregulate licensing.

OFCOM went to the RSGB in December 2004 with a draft of 4 proposal to "Deregulate" the amateur licence by:-

1. Complete deregulation of the licence in other words a free for all, goodbye hobby, let everyone fight for themselves over the bands and airspace

2. A life time paperless license, goodbye operating abroad, anyone who wanted to operate could just do it and there would be no way of knowing if you were talking to a licensed amateur or to a pirate.

3. A 5 - 10 year paperless licence, this in principle is what we as amateurs should aim for. (see the OFCOM paper)

4. Do nothing and carry on as is now, this cant happen as OFCOM within the next 5 years will be down to a staff of 80 people (That's from 450 when OFCOM was created 2 years ago combining several government bodies) this is because OFCOM is on a reducing budget from the government so they have to get rid of everything they can to achieve these figures that the government has set them, (OFCOM although supposed to be "Independent" is wholly funded by the government) They have already got rid of Maritime and Aeronautical Licences this year so far.

RSGB started a campaign to stop this in its tracks which included other government offices getting involved (to long a story to go into here)

If we sit back on our laurels and do nothing as I expect 75% of the amateur fraternity will do, then within 5 years we can expect our hobby to be just a worthless pile of junk that will have no standing in the world and we will be probably the laughing stock of all the worlds amateurs.

You can do something about this NOW, I hope that you will do this small thing to help protect your hobby (and passion) if we all ring OFCOM DO NOT DOWNLOAD IT next week and request a copy of this draft document which they are obliged to send to you BY POST (remember you dont have the internet do you!!!!!!) and when you get this draft reply to it as it asks you to giving your opinions of what has been said then they will know that the majority of Amateurs in the UK are concerned about these proposals and have their own voice.

All I can say is that tonight it was the Northern Area Meeting and there were about 50 people who turned up (Out of how many licensed amateurs in Yorkshire??), this was ridicules when it is something that may destroy our hobby forever. So I hope that you will do this and also tell others to do exactly the same, let OFCOM know that we are out there and that we are really knaffed off with what they are trying to do

So ring OFCOM next week on 020 7981 3000 saying that you are wanting a consultation paper posting to you called

"Consultation on a Proposal to Reform Amateur Radio (OF 243)"

You MUST return the paper by 18th August 2005, if you dont then you can only blame yourself for sitting on your butts and thinking that "Someone Else" might do it and ending up with no hobby.

Thanks to the few from NWRC who did turn up to voice their opinions and sorry I had to leave early.

John G4RCG

Ps if you want to download it as well but make sure you still ring for one http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/aradio/