Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

VK3KYY
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Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

Post by VK3KYY » Wed Mar 17, 2021 9:25 pm

Anyone in Australia should probably watch this video discussion by the Wireless Institute of Australia about the proposal from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to radically change the Amateur Radio license system in Australia.

Because the current proposal from the ACMA may prohibit use of non-commercial radio equipment and modification of existing equipment.
If that proposal goes ahead, it would mean I could no longer continue development of the firmware, as it would be illegal to do so.

Its unclear at the moment whether that was the intention of the proposed changes to the regulations, but it may be the final outcome :-(


youtu.be/l9yy3fFEts8

M0XSI
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Re: Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

Post by M0XSI » Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:00 pm

This seems super strange, The idea of the hobby is experimentation. Sad day if it comes to this.

VK3KYY
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Re: Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

Post by VK3KYY » Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:36 pm

M7OOL wrote:
Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:00 pm
This seems super strange, The idea of the hobby is experimentation. Sad day if it comes to this.
Yep. Very sad day if the proposal is pushed though in its current vague wording.
It may relegate Amateur Radio to a sort of CB, just with access to more bands, but only using licensed equipment.

I don't think the proposal has been thought through, as it would probably kill Amateur Radio in Australia, but since the main driver is cost saving by government, this may be the end result.

Its not like we get the license for free. It costs around $70 per year (I can't remember the exact price as it seems to go up every year).

The new license would possibly be free, but may have no privileges

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m1dyp
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Re: Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

Post by m1dyp » Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:46 pm

that would be very sad if that happens, i hope they don't do that here in the U.K. The whole principle of amateur radio is based on home brew

VK3KYY
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Re: Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

Post by VK3KYY » Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:00 pm

There are a load of other implications with the proposed changes, as they currently stand.

It would be impossible for new hams to register for DMR or DStar or EchoLink ID's as they require a license from the national regulatory authority, which is what they propose to be scrapped.

I'm not sure what happens for people like me who already have a DMR and EchoLink ID. It may technically be revoked.

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m1dyp
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Re: Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

Post by m1dyp » Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:50 pm

i just watched the whole hour.....good luck

VK3KYY
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Re: Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

Post by VK3KYY » Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:53 pm

m1dyp wrote:
Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:50 pm
i just watched the whole hour.....good luck
I turned up the playback speed for a lot of it, to at least 1.5 and I could still understand what most people were saying.

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YT5HOK
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Re: Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

Post by YT5HOK » Thu Mar 18, 2021 8:55 am

Can we help, ARO's from other countries? Any petition to sign? Other ideas..?

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Re: Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

Post by VK3KYY » Thu Mar 18, 2021 9:46 am

YT5HOK wrote:
Thu Mar 18, 2021 8:55 am
Can we help, ARO's from other countries? Any petition to sign? Other ideas..?
I don't think so at the moment.

Apparently each country is allow to apply their own conditions :-(

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Re: Proposed changes to the Australian Amateur Radio license

Post by ok1pt » Thu Apr 15, 2021 3:47 pm

It seems absolutely crazy! In history, there were no amateur radios available in shops - everebody had to build their own. And it was a great school of electrical engineering, starting with things like power supplies and ending with power amplifiers, filters, oscillators, antennas... Most amateurs are now using prefabricated radios, but there are still people (mostly old ones, HAM "veterans"), which use only the radios they had made many years ago! And they love them as their children. And the governments wants to make it illegal ? These people will die, if they lose their rigs! And of course, today's Chinese radio is a typical product which needs to be improved and many times even fixed to operate properly. I understand it for PMRs, which may be used by children, so they must be fool-proof... So, I believe that it iwll not happen.
BTW, I believe, that you can continue with the development, but it will have to be marked as "for export only" :-). And it will be on responsibility of every person, whether they will use it in your country or not. Or eventually hire a server in USA or EU and publish your work there... Who's the Github owner ? Microsoft ? I'm not sure now. But if it's not an Australian subject, I believe you can keep your work there...

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