10-12-2012, 09:55 AM
Qute frankly John, I think it will fall by the wayside by default. There are some 70,000+ licences on issue, many amateurs are no longer active and probably haven't registered on Ofcom's website as they were instructed to do so when their new licence was issued early in 2007. It is a mandatory requirment of the licence which states:
6 (3): By not later than five years after the date of issue the Licensee must confirm to Ofcom that the details set out in Section 1 remain current and accurate. Failure to so so may lead to the revocation of the licence in accordance with Clause 4(5).
Clause 4(5) states:
Quote:
Ofcom may automatically revoke this licence five years after the later of:
a) The date on which the licensee last confirms to Ofcom that the details in Section 1 of the Licence are still valid.
b) The date on which the licensee last gave notice to Ofcom of any changes to the Licence details
End quote.
Every amateur was supplied with a letter setting out how to register their licence and were supplied with a hard copy. It's also viewable on-line.
It could be argued that if they haven't done so within 3 months of the expiry of the five year deadline, Ofcom should write to the last known address to inform the licensee that their licence is revoked forthwith, but can be renewed on payment of £100 admin fee. I don't see why the public purse should underpin Ofcom's operating costs for nurse-maiding slapdash amateurs behaving in an amteurish way and failing to comply with their licence.
Ofcom only introduced the five-yearly re-validation due to RSGB's representations.
RSGB was fiercely opposed to any form of de-regulation and confused 'a free licence' with 'licence free'. The former General Manager had made some odd claims to underpin the case for re-validation, such as 'if amateurs didn't re-validate their licence it pose a terrorist risk'. I'm not sure how RSGB reached that bizarre conclusion.
Imagine the rigmarole if you had to renew your passport every five years instread of ten, or your driving licence. My driving licence lasted from age 20 to 70. After age 70, we have to renew every three years to self certify that we are still fit to drive (in our own opinion). Once an amateur radio licence is issued, the only thing that should be required (as it is, and always was,) is to notify Ofcom of any change of address, or when the amateur concerned goes to 'the shack in the sky' someone should notify Ofcom to cancel the licence.
Some older amateurs aren't even on internet, so would have to get someone else who is, to do the re-validation for them.
I think in time, that commonsense will prevail, and RSGB will come to its sense and concede to Ofcom that this requirement should be scrapped, because as things stand, by having pressed for this five-year re-validation, it wouldn't surprise me if many thousands of RSGB members (and the 70% or so of UK licencees who aren't members, but whose interests RSGB claims to represent), end up contravening their licence terms through negligence and lethargy.
Maybe I'm wrong, and in fact 99% of amateurs are alert to their statutory obligations and will re-validate within the timescale? It only takes a few minutes, but almost every amateur I've spoken to has said: 'Oh dear, I'd quite forgotten about that'. I dare say that many wrongly assume that Ofcom will send a reminder. (Why should they?)
Not really an issue which needs to concern me or thee John!
Pedantically pontificated Yorkie, on his soapbox.
6 (3): By not later than five years after the date of issue the Licensee must confirm to Ofcom that the details set out in Section 1 remain current and accurate. Failure to so so may lead to the revocation of the licence in accordance with Clause 4(5).
Clause 4(5) states:
Quote:
Ofcom may automatically revoke this licence five years after the later of:
a) The date on which the licensee last confirms to Ofcom that the details in Section 1 of the Licence are still valid.
b) The date on which the licensee last gave notice to Ofcom of any changes to the Licence details
End quote.
Every amateur was supplied with a letter setting out how to register their licence and were supplied with a hard copy. It's also viewable on-line.
It could be argued that if they haven't done so within 3 months of the expiry of the five year deadline, Ofcom should write to the last known address to inform the licensee that their licence is revoked forthwith, but can be renewed on payment of £100 admin fee. I don't see why the public purse should underpin Ofcom's operating costs for nurse-maiding slapdash amateurs behaving in an amteurish way and failing to comply with their licence.
Ofcom only introduced the five-yearly re-validation due to RSGB's representations.
RSGB was fiercely opposed to any form of de-regulation and confused 'a free licence' with 'licence free'. The former General Manager had made some odd claims to underpin the case for re-validation, such as 'if amateurs didn't re-validate their licence it pose a terrorist risk'. I'm not sure how RSGB reached that bizarre conclusion.
Imagine the rigmarole if you had to renew your passport every five years instread of ten, or your driving licence. My driving licence lasted from age 20 to 70. After age 70, we have to renew every three years to self certify that we are still fit to drive (in our own opinion). Once an amateur radio licence is issued, the only thing that should be required (as it is, and always was,) is to notify Ofcom of any change of address, or when the amateur concerned goes to 'the shack in the sky' someone should notify Ofcom to cancel the licence.
Some older amateurs aren't even on internet, so would have to get someone else who is, to do the re-validation for them.
I think in time, that commonsense will prevail, and RSGB will come to its sense and concede to Ofcom that this requirement should be scrapped, because as things stand, by having pressed for this five-year re-validation, it wouldn't surprise me if many thousands of RSGB members (and the 70% or so of UK licencees who aren't members, but whose interests RSGB claims to represent), end up contravening their licence terms through negligence and lethargy.
Maybe I'm wrong, and in fact 99% of amateurs are alert to their statutory obligations and will re-validate within the timescale? It only takes a few minutes, but almost every amateur I've spoken to has said: 'Oh dear, I'd quite forgotten about that'. I dare say that many wrongly assume that Ofcom will send a reminder. (Why should they?)
Not really an issue which needs to concern me or thee John!
Pedantically pontificated Yorkie, on his soapbox.
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
