Listen Up UK Amateur Radio Licence Validation

[Lazarus]

My Ham Licence was due for revalidation recently and on previous occasions I'd done this without problems via the Ofcom Online Portal.

However, they "upgraded" the Portal a few months ago and for reasons unknown was unable to re-register.

So I phoned 0207 981 3131 and, after failing to make any sense at all of the Intro Message, pressed 1 to speak to a real person.

Explained the problem and was sent a link which worked fine.

Revalidated automatically and then checked all details held were correct.

Very helpful young lady. Don't waste any time repeatedly trying to register manually: Try it once and then pick up the phone.

 

[John]

My Ham Licence was due for revalidation recently and on previous occasions I'd done this without problems via the Ofcom Online Portal.

However, they "upgraded" the Portal a few months ago and for reasons unknown was unable to re-register.

So I phoned 0207 981 3131 and, after failing to make any sense at all of the Intro Message, pressed 1 to speak to a real person.

Explained the problem and was sent a link which worked fine.

Revalidated automatically and then checked all details held were correct.

Very helpful young lady. Don't waste any time repeatedly trying to register manually: Try it once and then pick up the phone.

... I could be wrong here, i did my revalidation thing for my licence about a year ago i think and was under the impression it would be a lifetime thing. I'll watch out for any new correspondence

 

[Lazarus]

... I could be wrong here, i did my revalidation thing for my licence about a year ago i think and was under the impression it would be a lifetime thing. I'll watch out for any new correspondence

Yes and no.

It's a Lifetime Licence, with no further fees, but they do need to know if you're still alive, so it needs revalidating at least every five years.

If not done, they reserve the right to nullify it and then you'd need to fork out £20 to get it re-issued.

 

[2cvbloke]

I wonder if they'll ever do the same thing as CB radio and make it a Licence-Free system, but that said most CBers never bothered with licences anyway from what I've read over the years...

 

[Analoguesat]

CB has been licence free since the end of 2006!

 

[PaulR]

I don't think 2CV was saying that still had to pay for a CB licence.

Having said that it's extremely unlikely that they'll do away with the Amateur Radio Licences as the Licence is structured to give more privileges as you progress through the three stages. You have to pass assessments and a final exam - there would be no way to police this without a licencing system.

So far Ofcom has only done one sweep to revoke licences. You have to be pretty determined to lose your licence if you've kept Ofcom informed of any change of address. If they don't know where you live they can't remind you. They do try hard to help you.

A few years ago my wife received a phone call from them asking her if she wanted to keep her licence. This surprised me when she told me about it later as I had made sure that we had both validated our licences at the time of the London Olympics. What I hadn't done though was validate her Foundation licence as she had an Intermediate licence by then. And so my wife now has two validated licences. Not said very often but well done Ofcom.

 

[purplemarina]

CB has been licence free since the end of 2006!

This reminds me, i went on a protest rally to make cb legal, met in membury services then had a convoy to trafalger square clogged the whole area up with cars, must have been about 1980.

 

[Terryl]

Nothing worse then trying to work 10 meters and have some dingbat with a 1 KW linear on a Chicken Band radio yelling at his friend one mile across town with the mic turned up so high you can't understand him.

All you hear is SKKKKKKK SKKKKK KKKKKKK Skraaaach and all sorts of junk.

 

[2cvbloke]

Meanwhile, over here, CB radio (at least round here) seem to be dead quiet...

Apparently though, with the right setup and with the right conditions, you can pick up US CBers on AM frequencies over here on a CB...