Today I received a confusing email about changes to ham radio licencing.

From what I can make out, the yearly renewal will be no longer a thing, it will be free.

I keep my callsign, but it gets transferred to the new system automatically.

https://www.acma.gov.au/amateur-radio-transition-class-licence-and-supporting-arrangements

https://legislation.gov.au/F2023L01648/latest/downloads


This is the first I've heard of it - does anyone else know anything?

Maybe by making it free the bureaucrats absolve themselves of any legal liability!

Peter Parker explains it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6AGiVanKnQ

Today I received a confusing email...

If it came from a government claiming that something will change from cost to no-cost I wouldn't be confused, I'd be completely baffled, bewildered and somewhat gobsmacked!

Peter Parker explains it here

Thanks ... going by that, there will be very little difference to me. I wasn't even aware that the Maritime College was doing the exams, now it doesn't matter.

When I went through the permitted powers I was a bit surprised that the maximum power is only 400 watts, I kinda assumed that 1000 W would be allowed. Lucky then that I've never owned anything of that kind of power.

What I find interesting about this move is that, typically, governments here want to get out of the service provider business and are only too happy to 'outsource' such activities at every opportunity.

Bringing a function back in is at odds with that. I get the feeling that ACMA is maybe experiencing a form of relevance deprivation syndrome.

The bit that I find odd is that we have a government that is $850bn in debt and they are abolishing a revenue stream. I am sure not many will mind but the point is a valid one. It can't be that hard to run and manage a database containing the callsigns and contact details of licence holders.

Not odd at all, in fact it's exactly what is expected from any socialist government, worldwide.

Bring down all western civilisation, by any means possible, is their international mantra.

Here in the USA ham licence renewals used to be free, now they (FCC) charges $35 for a renewal (good for 10 years).

My renewal would normally be due in a week or so, but no request for payment has been received, so it seems they will let the licence expire and I'll be on the new system.