LICENSING

WHAT YOU NEED

21 Nov 2007

In the UK there are three types of licences that can be obtained. Each one gives a different level of privilege and requires tests at different levels to be passed.

Foundation
The entry Level is the Foundation licence which is designed to get you involved in amateur radio as quickly as possible. But before you are allowed to transmit 'live' it is important that you know a little bit about how your radio works, the dangers of interfering with other radio users, how not to upset your neighbours or your parents (if you are a young person) and the rules and regulations of holding a radio transmitting licence.
How do you learn these new skills? - by taking the Foundation licence training course, which is an integral part of of obtaining a Foundation licence. Most of the training is practical with a small amount of radio and electronics theory.

Intermediate
Once you have gained experience at the Foundation level we are sure you will want to take the next step up. The Intermediate licence gives access to more frequencies The Permitted power levels are increased to 50 watts.
To obtain the Intermediate licence it is advisable to take a training course. This course is longer than the Foundation course and aims to teach many of the fundamentals of radio in a stimulating way by actually undertaking practical tasks such as soldering, building a small project and a variety of other exercises building on the experience you have gained as a Foundation licence holder.

Advanced
To gain an Advanced licence it is necessary to pass the Advanced Radio Communications Examination. This examination is more advanced than the Intermediate, it again covers radio theory and licence conditions but because holding a full licence enables you to use 400 Watts power output to your transmitter such subjects as Electro Magnetic Compatability (EMC), antenna design and safety issues are covered in some depth. The licence allows access to all the amateur allocations with full power.

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