UPGRADING

ZU TO ZR OR ZS

No upgrade available. Candidates will have to write the Class RAE (HAREC) examinations. Candidates do not have do the Operating Assessment and can use the certificate issued before

ZR to ZS

Requirements for Assessments

The following are the requirements for the assessments. A candidate for a ZS license would have to pass any one of these assessments, and the choice of which assessment to attempt would be up to the candidate concerned.

1. 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.Contacts must be confirmed by QSL cards, or through any other confirmation mechanism that is accepted for the issuing of the DXCC award or the electronic QSL system on the SARL website. Only simplex contacts, and contacts through earth-orbiting satellites, will be counted. Contacts through terrestrial repeaters will not count. All contacts must be made in accordance with the terms of the candidate’s license.
To qualify for this assessment the candidate must present acceptable proof of the claimed contacts (for example, QSL cards) to two assessors nominated by a club and appointed by the SARL. The assessors will sign a certificate attesting to the fact that the cards have been checked and found to be valid, and submit this certificate to the SARL. If there are no (or insufficient) assessors in the candidate’s area, then he or she may submit the cards directly to the SARL.

Electronic Construction.

The candidate must construct and demonstrate one of the following:

1.  
   1. A working direct conversion or superheterodyne radio receiver that can
      receive and demodulate transmissions on any frequency allocated to
      the amateur service in any mode used by the amateur service. The
      sensitivity and selectivity of the receiver must be sufficient to be able
      to receive typical amateur signals.
   2. 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. The emission of an unmodulated carrier does not fulfill this
      requirement. The emitted signal must be of good quality in all respects
      including frequency stability, bandwidth, key clicks and harmonic
      radiation.

Notes to candidates:

a) The project may be constructed from a kit. Although the candidate may receive advice from other amateurs, all physical construction work (soldering, etc.) must have been performed by the candidate him or herself.

b) Included with the built project the candidate must submit a properly drawn circuit diagram of his/her apparatus. This circuit must accompany the assessment documentation to the SARL.c) The Transmitter/Receiver must be constructed on perfboard (Vero board) or an etched PC-board. The completed project must be built into a proper enclosure which can be associated with a radio. Sockets must be provided for antenna/key/battery/speaker connections etc. (Whichever apply.)d) Two clear and detailed printed colour photographs, digital or otherwise, of the project, clearly showing the PC-board with components and the completed project, must accompany the assessment documentation to the SARL.e) The candidate will be required to submit an affidavit stating that the project is entirely his or her own work.The SARL will not process any applications unless the above stipulations are met.Notes to Assessors:

To qualify for this assessment the candidate must present his or her project to two assessors nominated by a club and appointed by the SARL. As well as verifying that the project works as specified, the assessors will discuss the project with the candidate to ensure that he or she understands how it works and the theory behind it. Candidates who construct projects from kits should ensure that they understand how their project works before submitting it for assessment. The candidate will be required to submit a signed written statement confirming that the project is entirely his or her own work.

1. 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 of the following public
   service events:
   1. Sports events, including motor racing;
   2. Disaster preparedness exercises run under the auspices of Hamnet;
   3. Actual assistance rendered during a real emergency or disaster;
   4. The operation of educational stations registered with the League for
      events such as Kid’s Day, JOTA and CQ Houkoers.

The time spent providing communication services shall include only the time
spent operating, or supervising the operation of an amateur transceiver as
reasonably required by the event concerned and under the direction of the chief radio marshal or event organizer.

Candidates who wish to qualify for this assessment shall be issued with log sheets by the SARL. The log sheet will be filled in and signed by the chief radio marshal or event organizer for each event claimed towards fulfilment of the assessment.

1. Recognition of professional qualifications.
   
   The candidate must provide proof that he or she has been awarded any of the
   following qualifications:
   1. 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.

Candidates who wish to qualify for this assessment must present a certified copy of their qualification directly to the SARL.

1. 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. Morse tests will be administered by Morse examiners nominated by a club and appointed by the SARL.

Recognition of Prior Achievements

A candidate who at the time when these assessments come into operation has already fulfilled the requirements for any of the assessments, and who can provide the necessary proof of having fulfilled the requirement, shall qualify for a ZS license. The log sheet required by the Public Service and Emergency Communications assessment may be completed retrospectively for services performed prior to the introduction of these assessments.

Procedure to be followed by candidates wishing to be assessed

• Decide which assessment you wish to be tested for and prepare by collecting the necessary information, constructing a transmitter or receiver, copying and certifying professional documents, etc.
• Download and complete the Candidates Assessment application form. Click here to download a copy. This form will accompany the form to be completed by your local assessor after your assessment is complete.
• Get an A4 envelope and postage. Give this to your assessors with the Candidates form and they will use it to post your application off to the SARL.
• Contact 2 assessors and arrange for an appointment.
  On the web is an application form that can ONLY be downloaded by the registered assessors. For reference purposes, these forms are automatically numbered. Once the assessors decide that you have passed a particular assessment, they will complete this form and send it to the SARL offices along with the form completed by the candidate. Assessors click here to download the assessor form.
• If you are a member of the SARL the process will be done at no cost, and the application for upgrade will be handled by the SARL.
  
  Your application must be accompanied by the following documentation:
  1. Completed ICASA license application. Click here
  2. A letter indicating your choices of call sign, a list of 5 options. (Check on the call book first to see if your choices are available.)
  3. Certified copy of your ID document
  4. Certified copy of existing license
  5. The ICASA application fee and license fee (Currently R140-00 and R27-00)
     • Option 1:
       Make a cheque out to ICASA and attach to the ICASA upgrade application form.
     • Option 2:
       Go to the local post office, pay the R167-00 to ICASA, give the current License No. add 00 before the License No. and attach the Receipt, proof of payment onto the upgrade application.
     • Option 3:
       Pay R167-00 directly into ICASA bank account. Attach copy of deposit slip onto ICASA upgrade application.
       Bank: NEDBANK
       Type of account: Deposit account
       Account No: 1462 002927
       Branch Number: 14624500
       Reference No: Applicants your License no.
  6. A4 Envelope and postage mentioned above.
  7. Numbered assessment form from an assessor.
  8. Proof of having done the Operating Assessment Certificate.  Download form here. [pdf]
     
     
• If you are not an SARL member, you will be charged an administration fee of R100-00 and the certificate will be sent to ICASA whom you may then contact for an upgrade.

•  
  • The R100-00 can be paid directly into the SARL bank account.
    ABSA
  • Branch code 632 005
  • Account no: 407 158 8849
  • Please fax proof of payment to the SARL office at 088 011 675 2793 or email admin@sarl.org.za