COUNCIL STATEMENT ON LICENSE REQUIREMENTS AND PRIVILEGES

Following the call for comments on the proposed changes to license requirements and privileges, Council received a large number of emails, packet messages and letters expressing various opinions. We thank all who contributed their comments and suggestions. Having carefully considered the comments that were received, Council has made the following changes to the proposal:

1. Instead of introducing a new ZT license class, the HF privileges that were to be given to the ZT license will instead be given to the ZR license class, including all existing ZR licensees.

2. These HF privileges will be extended to include both digital mode and phone allocations in the 20, 15 and 10 metre bands.

3. Alternatives to the Morse test will be offered for obtaining a ZS license. This means that there will be several possible ways to fulfil the requirements of the ZS license, one of which will be to pass the Morse test.

4. The practical operating test will be required for all license classes, although each candidate will only have to pass it once, which will then suffice for all future license upgrades.

With these changes the proposal is now as follows:

1. The ZR license will obtain additional HF privileges with a maximum power of 100 W in the following band segments:

1,810 - 1,850 MHz;
3,500 - 3,800 MHz;
7,000 - 7,100 MHz;
14,070 - 14,099 and 14,225 - 14,350 MHz;
21,080 - 21,120 and 21,300 - 21,450 MHz;
28,050 - 28,150 and 28,300 - 28,500 MHz.

To obtain a ZR license candidates will have to pass the Class A RAE and the Practical Operating Test.

2. The ZU license will have operating privileges in the same segments of the 160, 80, 40 and 10 metre bands as the ZR license, but with a maximum power of 20 W. ZU licenses will no longer have operating privileges in the 30 and 15 metre bands. To obtain a ZU license, candidates will have to pass the Class B RAE and the new Practical Operating Test. The curriculum for the Class B RAE will be simplified to make it an entry-level license, along the lines of the British Foundation License.

3. The ZS license will retain its current operating privileges. To obtain a ZS license, candidates will have to pass the class A RAE, the Practical Operating Test and either:

(a) The 5 wpm. Morse Test; or

(b) An alternative assessment which has been accepted by Council for this purpose and which demonstrates advanced knowledge of, or achievement in, theoretical or practical aspects of amateur radio.

Council has embarked on a process to specify the alternative assessments to be accepted for the ZS license and these will be announced in due course.

This proposal will now be submitted to ICASA who have indicated that they will call for public comment before enacting the necessary changes to regulations. Council believes that the proposal is well balanced and takes into account the aspirations and concerns of all different sectors of the amateur community, and calls on all amateurs to support it.

---

ENGLISH - FIRST ATTEMPT SUPERSEDED ABOVE

At the Council meeting on 5 November 2003 it was agreed to recommend the following changes to the requirements for and privileges of amateur radio licenses in South Africa.

1. The Morse code requirement for the ZS license will be reduced from 12 w.p.m. to 5 w.p.m.
    
2. Applicants for the ZU license will no longer be tested for proficiency in Morse code.
    
3. A new license class will be introduced with the callsign prefix ZT. This license will not have any Morse code requirement. The holders of ZT licenses will have full VHF privileges and will be permitted to transmit with a maximum power output of 100 W on the following HF band segments:
   
   1838-1850 KHz
   3580-3800 KHz
   7035-7100 KHz
   21300-21450 KHz
   
   Note that the reason for introducing a new license class, rather than simply extending the privileges of the existing ZR license, is that we do not want to make any changes to the ZR and ZS licenses which are subject to the requirements of the international CEPT and HAREC agreements.
    
4. Applicants for ZU and ZT licenses will be required to pass a practical test of their ability to correctly set up, adjust and operate an HF transceiver.
    
5. The operating privileges of the ZR, ZS and ZU licenses will remain unchanged. However holders of existing ZR licenses will be able to upgrade to a ZT license on successful completion of the practical operating test.
    
6. Details of the Practical operating test are still to be finalized.

The Council invites members to submit comments on these proposed changes to Council via the SARL website by not later than Monday 24th November 2003. Once comments received from members have been taken into account the recommendations will be submitted to ICASA who have indicated that they will be subject to a public comment period before they can be submitted for approval and incorporated into the Radio Regulations.

SARL Council

Note: Please submit your comments on these proposals at the bottom of this page after the Afrikaans section.



AFRIKAANS - NIE MEER IN GEBRUIK NIE SIEN NUWE VOORSTELLE BO

VOORGESTELDE WYSIGINGS AAN LISENSIEVEREISTES EN –VOORREGTE

Tydens die Raadsvergadering gehou op 5 November 2003, is ooreengekom om aan te beveel dat die volgende wysigings ivm. vereistes en voorregte tov. amateurradiolisensies in Suid-Afrika aangebring word:
1. Dat die Morsekodevereiste vir die ZS-lisensie verminder word van 12 wpm. tot 5 wpm.
2. Dat aansoekers vir die ZU-lisensie nie meer vir vaardigheid in Morsekode getoets word nie.
3. 'n Nuwe klas lisensie ingestel word met ZT as roepseinvoorvoegsel. Hierdie lisensie sal nie enige Morsekodevereiste insluit nie. Die houers van ZT-lisensies sal volle BHF-voorregte insluit en sal toegelaat word om tot 'n maksimum kraguitset van 100 W op die volgende HF-bandsegmente uit te saai:
1838-1850 kHz;
3580-3800 kHz;
7035-7100 kHz;
21300-21450 kHz.
Let daarop dat die rede vir die instelling van 'n nuwe lisensieklas, eerder as om eenvoudig die voorregte van die bestaande ZR-lisensie uit te brei, is omdat ons nie veranderings tov. die ZS- en ZR-lisensies wil maak nie, aangesien dié onderhewig is aan vereistes van die internasionale CEPT- en HAREC-ooreenkomste.
4. Van aansoekers vir ZU- en ZT-lisensies sal verwag word om 'n praktiese toets te slaag om hul vaardigheid te toon om 'n HF-sendontvanger korrek op te stel, in te stel en te bedryf.
5. Die bedryfsvoorregte van ZR-, ZS-, en ZU-lisensiehouers sal onveranderd bly. Houers van bestaande ZR-lisensies sal in staat wees om na 'n ZT-lisensie op te gradeer na suksesvolle voltooiing van die praktiese bedryfstoets.
6. Besonderhede van die praktiese bedryfstoets moet nog gefinaliseer word.

Die Raad nooi lede uit om kommentaar aan hom te lewer oor hierdie voorgestelde wysigings nie later nie as Maandag 24 November. Nadat kommentaar vanaf lede in oorweging geneem is, sal die aanbevelings aan OKOSA oorgedra word wat aangedui het dat dit vir 'n tydperk onderhewig sal wees aan die lewering van kommentaar deur die publiek voordat dit voorgelê kan word vir goedkeuring vir insluiting in die Radioregulasies.

'n Kopie van hierdie dokument sal op die SARL se webwerf beskikbaar wees vir ins




COMMENTS

Please use the form below to submit your comments on the above proposals.

Please note: We cannot reply to every comment, so please understand if you do not get a reply. We greatly appreciate your feedback on these proposals.

Callsign:
Name:
Email:
Your message:
Please indicate if you:	Support or Reject these proposals