how to get license

**gmurray** · Fri 29th Aug 2008, 18:55

can anyone tell how do i get license in northern ireland,were do we do the test,thanks gerry

**M0TTB** · Fri 29th Aug 2008, 19:03

Originally Posted by gmurray

can anyone tell how do i get license in northern ireland,were do we do the test,thanks gerry

Hi,
You need to find a local club via the rsgb here
http://www.rsgb.org/local/courses/region8.php
Contact your local club and they'll be delighted to help. The courses and exams are usually taken at premises used by the local club.

cheers,
Andy

**David** · Fri 29th Aug 2008, 19:28

Like Andy says, you'll need to contact a club because that's where you'll take your exams.

In the meantime, buy Foundation Licence NOW! which will tell you everything you need to know in order to pass the exam as it covers the whole syllabus.

In it, you'll also find a voucher so you can join the RSGB for a year for £15. It normally costs £44. You don't have to be a member but that'll get you 12 issues of the RSGB's magazine which is a bit of a bargain.

The foundation licence is all you need to get on the air (albeit at low power) and is essential if you want to move up to the intermediate licence (more power and the ability to use home made gear) and the advanced licence (even more power).

**Orion** · Sun 8th Jan 2012, 16:03

Do you have to do the foundation through a club? My son is showing interest but there are no clubs (according to the RSGB) that offer training in his locale.

**Bastonjock** · Sun 8th Jan 2012, 20:41

i contacted my local club and found that they did not have any courses planned ,so i googled for clubs in a greater area and found one that was 1 hour away which regularly runs courses,i am starting my foundation course next sunday.I will also go to my local club to get to know amateur radio folks closer to my local.

**M6PAP** · Sun 8th Jan 2012, 23:10

Worthing & District ARC are looking to run a foundation course in February if that's any good for anyone.
Contact via link on the website.

**Orion** · Wed 11th Jan 2012, 21:40

Son managed to find a foundation crs a few miles up the road.
Assuming he passes, will I be able to bequeath him my old G1 call?
Being pretty ignorant of the FC and IC routes, what will he be permitted to use/do with the foundation licence?
Will he be OK for Echolink (as he will be without radio to begin with)?

Rob

**techiesteve** · Thu 12th Jan 2012, 07:09

The G1 prefix was issued as a class B license in the 80's, later upgraded to full when the morse test was done away with. If a previous call sign is no longer active your son could apply for it to OFCOM, but would need the permission of the previous holder, or if deceased, their family, but would need to hold a full license. I'm not sure if this is always successful or what the precise criteria is to be successful.

A foundation license would let your son operate on most bands at 10W. When signing up for Echolink he would simply need to upload the first page of his license. The license would be downloaded from OFCOM after he has chosen his call sign.

Good to hear he has found a reasonably local course.

**Orion** · Thu 12th Jan 2012, 20:09

Great ..tnxs for the fb.
Thought I better read the course JIC I get asked to explain some things. Seems pretty well thought out and not too daunting.
I always hoped he would get hooked....

Rob

**5B4AJB** · Fri 13th Jan 2012, 11:38

Originally Posted by David

the ability to use home made gear...

Can't you use homebrew on a novice license then? that seems a bit, well, it defeats the object, surely?

**G4LNA** · Fri 13th Jan 2012, 18:55

Originally Posted by 5B4AJB

Can't you use homebrew on a novice license then? that seems a bit, well, it defeats the object, surely?

I've always thought that as well. Casting my mind back when I first got my class B license in 1970 there was very little equipment for amateur 2 Mtrs, so it was either modify commercial gear or build it yourself, I built mine myself and boy did I learn a lot going that route and it's amazing how far 3 watts of AM goes on 2 Mtrs.