On this page we will bring you news and information from meetings held between ICASA ( The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa ) and the SARL. Most recent meetings are at the top of the page.
Intention to make regulations in respect of licence excemptions in terms of section 6 read with section 31(6) and section 32 in respect of radio frequency spectrum, ECS and or ECNS... 
10 Sept 2007
ICASA's proposals for excemptions for devices like WLAN, baby monitors, wireless microphones etc. See the Government Gazette 30280 for more. Government Gazette 30280
WE ARE NOW THE NATIONAL BODY
10 June 2006
The Department of Communications has today officially appointed the South African Radio League (SARL) as the National Body for Amateur Radio.
Follow these links to see copies of the faxes from the DOC. Fax1 | Fax2 | Government Gazette [pdf]
While always having been regarded as the national body, amendments to the radio regulations, promulgated earlier this year, required the official appointment of a national body. “While many viewed this as a formality, it required that we had to go through the legal process with the Department of Communications”, Graham Hartlett ZS6GJH said. . “The SARL is much indebted to Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri and her department for the support given to amateur radio and its future development.”
In terms of these new regulation the SARL will now be able to handle the upgrade of redistricted amateur radio licences (call prefix ZR) to full ZS licenses.
“We have already registered a number of assessors who are qualified to evaluate candidates for upgrades,” Hartlett said. Restricted licensees can apply for upgrades if they meet one of the following criteria:
Operating Achievement
Confirmed contacts with 100 separate stations on any combination of bands or modes. Note that the requirement of 100 separate stations means that each station can only be counted once, even if it is contacted on many bands or modes.
Electronics Construction
The candidate must construct and demonstrate one of the following:
A working direct conversion or super heterodyne radio receiver that can receive and demodulate transmissions on any frequency allocated to the amateur service in any mode used by the amateur service.
A working crystal-controlled transmitter that can transmit modulated signals with a power of at least 1 watt on a frequency allocated to the amateur service using any modulation method used by the amateur service.
Public Service and Emergency Communications.
The candidate must provide proof that he or she has spent at least 50 hours providing communications services for one or more public service events
Recognition of professional qualifications
The candidate must provide proof that he or she has been awarded any of the following qualifications:
A nationally recognized tertiary degree, diploma or trade certificate in
electronics or radio that would ordinarily require at least two years of
study to complete;
Morse Code Proficiency
The candidate must demonstrate the ability to send by hand and receive by ear Morse code at a speed of not less than 5 words per minute.
The wait is over!!!
04 February 2005
Here is a copy of the final published amendments to the Radio regulations.
Please study the new regulations carefully and familiarise yourself with them.
Click here to read Government Gazette 27258.
Status of the Regulation Amendments
10 December 2004
The DOC's reply to the SARL letter. Click here to view the letter. The SARL remains in regular contact with the DOC on this matter.
Status of the Regulation Amendments
10 December 2004
The SARL's reply to the DOC letter dated 09 December 2004. Click here to view the letter. The SARL remains in regular contact with the DOC on this matter.
Status of the Regulation Amendments
09 December 2004
The DOC has written to apologise for the delays with the regs. Everything is still on track and the DOC and SARL ask for your patience and understanding. Click here to view the letter. The SARL remains in regular contact with the DOC on this matter.
SARL Press release
19 November 2004
As we reported in the last SARL bulletin, the Department of Communications has given us a written undertaking that the new Radio Regulations will be gazetted in the next couple of weeks. When the new regulations take effect, the holders of ZR licenses will for the first time have operating privileges on the amateur HF bands. The band segments on which ZR licensees may operate under the new regulations are:
1.810 - 1.850 MHz in the 160m band
3.500 - 3.800 MHz in the 80m band
7.000 - 7.100 MHz in the 40m band
14.070 - 14.099 MHz and 14.225 - 14.350 MHz in the 20m band
21.080 - 21.120 MHz and 21.300 - 21.450 MHz in the 15m band
28.050 - 28.150 MHz and 28.300 - 28.500 MHz in the 10m band
In all cases the maximum permitted power is 100 Watts PEP.
When the new regulations take effect, the HF frequency allocations for ZU licenses will also change so they are identical with the ZR allocations on the 160, 80, 40 and 10m bands. ZU licensees will be permitted to use SSB on all these bands. The frequencies applicable to ZU licenses are:
1.810 - 1.850 MHz in the 160m band
3.500 - 3.800 MHz in the 80m band
7.000 - 7.100 MHz in the 40m band
28.050 - 28.150 MHz and 28.300 - 28.500 MHz in the 10m band
The maximum permitted power for ZU licensees remains 20 watts PEP.
ZS licensees will retain all current frequency allocations, with a maximum power of 400 watts.
The new regulations also introduce a new process for ZR and ZU license holder wishing to upgrade to a ZS license. In terms of the regulations, the SARL may prescribe assessments for the ZS license. A candidate wishing to obtain a ZS license must pass any one of the assessments. The assessments prescribed to date are:
1. Confirmed contacts with 100 different stations using any combination of bands or modes. Only simplex contacts, and contacts through earth-orbiting satellites, will count. Contacts through repeaters will not count.
2. The construction of a working direct-conversion or superheterodyne radio receiver, or a crstal-controlled radio transmitter with an output power of at least 1 watt.
3. The completion of at least 50 hours of public service or emergency communications in sports communications, disaster preparedness exercises, actual disasters and educational events.
4. Obtaining a professional tertiary qualification in electronics or radio.
5. Passing a Morse code test at 5 w.p.m.
Click here for further details of the assessments and the conditions that apply to each.
The assessments will be administered by assessors nominated by clubs and appointed by the SARL.The SARL is in the process of appointing assessors, and clubs are invited to submit their nominations. All nominations must be made on the official form, which can be found on the SARL web site at:
http://www.sarl.org.za/public/licences/Assessments/Assessments.asp
Once assessors have been appointed, ZR and ZU licensees who wish to obtain to a ZS license will be able to do so by completing the assessment form, which will be available from assessors, and submitting evidence of having successfully completed any of the assessments. Each application will have to be signed off by two assessors. There will be an assessment fee of R 50, which will be waived for SARL members. This will be in addition to the license upgrade fees payable to ICASA.
Status of the Regulation Amendments
13 November 2004
At the Council meeting held at the NARC a Dept. of Communications representative presented the league council with a letter from the DDG of the DOC informing the SARL that the Radio Regulations would be gazetted within 14 working days. Click here to view the letter. The SARL remains in regular contact with the DOC on this matter.
Status of the Regulation Amendments
22 October 2004
Copy of the letter received from the Dept. of Communications regarding Hamfest and the status of the Radio Regulations.
Click here to view. The SARL remains in regular contact with the DOC on this matter.
2,4 and 5,6 GHz allocations for amateurs
06 October 2004
The SARL president, Graham Hartlett, ZS6GJH, received a communication from ICASA that the 2,4 and 5,6 GHz allocations for amateurs had been accidentally omitted from the last publication of the band plan in the Government Gazette. This will be rectified in the next band plan publication in the Government Gazette.
Status of the Regulation Amendments
06 September 2004
Now its just a waiting game, the new regs have been signed and forwarded to
the ministers office. The SARL is following this process closely.
Proposed Assessments for the ZS Licence
11 July 2004
Click here to download the proposed assessments document
Status of the Regulation Amendments
31 May 2004
Graham Hartlett ZS6GJH had a meeting with ICASA on the 12th May 2004
at which time the submissions for changes to the regulations were discussed.
He discussed the DoC submission in detail and gave them the feed back as per
his meetings with the DoC.
A technical committee meeting (week of 01/06/04) will now take place and a final
document will be drafted for presentation to the minister’s office.
Graham has another meeting scheduled for the 3rd June 2004.
Minutes of the SARL/DOC meeting held on the 25th May
25 May 2004 
KOPANANG Team from Right to left:-
Patrick Msomi - DoC Project Manager, Graham Hartlett ZS6GJH President SARL & SARL Project Sponsor, Phakamile Phongwana Deputy Director General & DoC Project sponsor, Edmund Baloyi DoC legal Advisor, Chris Gryffenberg, ZS6COG, SARL Councilor & SARL Project Manager
Download the Minutes here.
Minutes of the SARL/DOC meeting held on the 4th May
04 May 2004
Download the Minutes here.
ZS License Assessments - Draft document released.
Wednesday, 31 March 2004
The first draft proposals for ZS license assessments as been released.
Click here to download a copy. [pdf]
Status of the presented Regulation Amendments
Friday 19 March, 2004
The regulations were published in Government Gazette No. 25814
of the 17th March 2004. Click here to download a copy. [pdf] Size: 917k
Status of the presented Regulation Amendments
Tuesday 24 February, 2004
Click here to read this report back. [pdf]
Status of the presented Regulation Amendments
Friday, February 6, 2004
Click here to read this report back. [pdf]
Proposed New RAE Syllabus
Friday 28 November 2003
Click here to read these proposals
First draft proposals for new Licensing structure
Sunday, 16 November 2003
Click here to read these proposals
Status of the presented Regulation Amendments
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Click here to read this report back. [pdf]
Meeting held 5th August 2003
Agenda:
- Introduction of new councillors
- WRC 03 recommendations and the way forward
- Status of the Amendments to the regulations as previously presented
Click here to see the minutes of this meeting. [pdf]
