Australian Ham Radio Discussion Forum ( AHRDF )

(the hyperlinkds have not been included below but should be located on the web site at ACMA.GOV.AU )

12 December 2023

ACMA makes new amateur radio arrangements, including class licence

The ACMA has put in place new arrangements for amateur radio. These include changes to licensing, qualifications, call signs, charges, examination assessors and overseas visiting amateurs.

The arrangements preserve their current operational utility for amateur operators, maintain continuity of amateur qualification and call sign arrangements, and will reduce regulatory burden and minimise licensing costs for amateur radio operators.

These new arrangements were made following extensive consultation, and careful consideration of comments received in response to numerous reviews and consultations on proposed changes.

On 19 February 2024, the following aspects of the new arrangements will commence:

the Radiocommunications (Amateur Stations) Class Licence 2023 (amateur class licence)
revised qualifications framework
new call sign arrangements
ACMA allocating qualification and call sign services
ACMA receiving accredited assessor applications
revised arrangements for overseas visiting amateurs.
The remaining aspects of the new arrangements have commenced. These are the arrangements that allow the ACMA to accredit current Australian Maritime College (AMC) amateur examination assessors with the ACMA. We are working with the AMC assessors to transition them to ACMA arrangements ahead of 19 February 2024, when we will commence administering examination services.

More details on transition arrangements are outlined on our website.

For most amateur operators, no action is needed to transition to the new arrangements. Upon the commencement of the amateur class licence on 19 February 2024, non-assigned amateur apparatus licensees may wish to surrender their licence, and some will be eligible for a pro-rata refund. In January 2024, we will write to current non-assigned amateur apparatus licensees to outline the transition arrangements as well as confirm their highest qualification level and call sign(s). More details on refund eligibility and the confirmation letters are available on the transition arrangements webpage.

The ACMA has been working closely with the AMC to ensure a smooth transition of qualification and call sign services, which the ACMA will administer from 19 February 2024. Details of AMC cut-off times are outlined on the AMC’s website.

With the new arrangements now made, the various reviews that informed the new arrangements are concluded. Outcomes and responses to submissions to those reviews are available on our website:

Proposed new amateur radio assessor accreditation and qualification framework

Proposed amateur class licensing arrangements and higher power operation - consultation 31/2022

Review of non-assigned amateur and outpost regulatory arrangements – consultation 01/2021

Proposed 2023–24 fees for service.


The legislative instruments that underpin the new framework are the:

Radiocommunications (Amateur Stations) Class Licence 2023  (amateur class licence)
Radiocommunication (Amateur Licences – Renewal Statement) Determination 2023
Radiocommunications (Amateur Licences) Amendment Instrument 2023 (No.1)
Radiocommunications Accreditation (Amateur Radio Examinations) Rules 2023
Radiocommunications (Charges) Amendment Determination 2023 (No.1).

And this announcement went out at the same time:

12 December 2023

ACMA publishes CRIS for 2023–24 fees

A cost recovery implementation statement (CRIS) shows how we recover costs for our regulatory activities. The ACMA sets out these cost recoveries in a CRIS before new or revised charges begin.

Our public consultation about the fees we charge for radiocommunications, telecommunications and broadcasting services closed on 26 September 2023.

Following this, we have published the:

Cost Recovery Implementation Statement: Fees for radiocommunications, telecommunications and broadcasting services, budget year 2023–24

New charges will come into effect on 19 February 2024.

Some of the key changes include:

• several new charges to enable the ACMA to charge, on a cost-recovery basis, for providing amateur radio call-sign and qualifications services, including recognition of prior learning
  

• additional charges to support the issue and variation of area‑wide receive licences, and to support the allocation of area-wide licences and area‑wide receive licences in the 3.8 GHz band in metropolitan and regional areas.
  

Chase the details on acma.gov.au

While not from the ACMA, the following article from the VK1WIA text news for 24 Dec 2023 has some interesting parallel ideas :

" Ofcom in the UK have sweeping changes proposed for everything related to amateur radio -- from call signs and power levels to the terms under which a Notice of Variation is needed.

Jeremy Boot G4NJH gives us an overview.

JEREMY: A general notice from Ofcom has alerted radio amateurs in the UK to various licence changes the regulator is proposing.  Licence variations are being proposed starting in February, affecting the use of Regional Secondary Locators, suffixes and unlicensed individuals' use of an amateur radio. Power limits would also be raised under certain conditions for Foundation, Intermediate and Full licensees.

Additional changes proposed for later in the year include more flexible approvals for special event stations and replacement of the issuance of the Intermediate licence series "2" callsign with "M8" and "M9" instead. Changes to occur in late 2024, or early 2025, include the ability to change one's callsign periodically but no more than once every five years.

A full list of the vast array of changes - introduced in June of this year- is available on the regulator's website. Ofcom is encouraging representations to be submitted on these proposals no later than 5 p.m. local time on the 22nd of January.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH."

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/manage-your-lic...ng-updates