OFCOM - New Online Licensing Portal - SOON!

OFCOM have announced that their new Amateur Radio Licensing Portal will be going live next week.

The new system will enable a more effective way of managing personal information and amateur radio licences, including club licences.

They expect the new system to be live on the OFCOM website from Wednesday 27th or Thursday 28th July 2016.

LINK: CLICK HERE

Ofcom Updates Guidance For UK Licensees

OFCOM has published updated guidance for UK licensees. The information aims to clarify recent changes to the Amateur Radio licence terms and conditions and can be found by following this LINK

 

PMR446/UHF CB Radio Changes

Ofcom/CEPT proposals in relation to changes to the PMR446 (UHF CB) band could soon result in a 16 channel analogue and up to 32 channel digital UHF allocation. The output power will remain at 500mw and radios will be required to have a fixed antenna. 

Currently 446.000 - 446.100Mhz is allocated to 8 analogue channels with 446.100 - 446.200Mhz allocated to either 8 or 16 digital channels depending on the channel spacing.

The new proposals will allow analogue and digital systems to use the complete allocation of 446.000 - 446.200Mhz.

More Information on the OFCOM website: CLICK HERE

Below you can see the proposed bandplans (Click Images To Enlarge):

 

'Colin The Head' certified?

Maybe this should have been published on April 1st.... However here is the story that 'Colin The Head' has been awarded the prestigious title of "Ambassador for CB radio in the United Kingdom"!

Full story: CLICK HERE

World Radiocommunication Conference Approves Global 60 Meter Allocation! (5MHz)

Agreement at last on the 60m (5Mhz) band with a small global allocation of 5351.5 - 5366.5Mhz with a tiny output power of 15 watts EIRP.

For more on this story follow the link below.

LINK: CLICK HERE

Galashiels Radio Rally 2015

Yaesu FT-991 Only £991 @ Martin Lynch! - This Week Only!

CLICK HERE

PMR446 (UHF CB) New Analogue Channel Allocation

So word comes from an industry insider that the UK is set to adopt the new expanded PMR446 channel allocation.

No official announcement has yet been made so make of this what you wish but it does appear that the new allocation will go ahead.

The exsisting allocation of 8 analogue channels (446.00625 - 446.09375) have been around since the late 90's and there have been many operators calling for extra channels particularly in busy cities and town center areas. 

Having an extra 8 analogue channels (446.10625 - 446.19375) PMR446 begins to look like a true UHF CB allocation. 

Sure you only get 500mw(!) but it's surprising how far you can get from a favorable location. 

The whole band (446.000 - 446.200) will also be opened up to allow the use of up to 32 digital channels.

New radios, which will have more rigorous specifications to reduce the likelihood of interference, are expected to be available shortly after the new allocation is adopted.