Eire Proposes Licence for Life

[M5AKA]

Regulators around the world are looking at introducing License for Life for their Amateur Service.

ComReg the Regulator in Eire, has produced a Consultation Paper entitled 'Review of Fees/Rights of use for Radio Frequencies'.

One section of this paper deals with Experimenters' (Amateur) Radio Licences and associated fees. Submissions on the paper are sought from interested parties and the closing date for these submissions is the 9th of September 2005.

The consultation document is available at:

http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg0558.pdf

As well as giving Amateurs Licence for Life they also proposing making Repeater Licences Life-Time as well for a one off 100 euro ($125) fee.

Also see:
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/aug2005/comreg_consultation.htm

73 Trevor M5AKA
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[AB8RU]

I take it you are looking at the same thinging here in the USA like the Life time Licenses

GROL

RP #( Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit )

certainly the FCC would have to view it as saving paper and as a budgetary savings, the bean counters would have to have actual approximates saving money.

But then who else would benefit in his year as the old gipper ! Great White Buffalo ( anyone american can figgure by the initials who I am saying who !)

easy sell to congress, in a 2 yr reporting period.

[W9WHE]

With all the "dumbing down" WHY even bother with licenses? Why not make the Amateur service just like CB and the marine service, no license required?

OOOOPS. I forgot, ARRL would loose $$$$$$ on revenue from selling so-called study guides.

W9WHE

[KE3N]

I would agree that this would "save some trees." The renewals are currently pro forma at this time. What purpose is really served by mandating renewals in the US?

Jim

[kb3mng]

Quote[/b] (KE3N @ Aug. 30 2005,15:16)]I would agree that this would "save some trees." The renewals are currently pro forma at this time. What purpose is really served by mandating renewals in the US?
I can think of one thing that renewals are useful for: When somebody dies, the license expires and the call sign becomes available for reassingment. Presumably, we want this, or in the future people will eventually have to use very long call signs because all the short ones belong to people who may or may not be dead yet.

If you don't have some sort of expiration, you're counting on being told when somebody dies. For my part, I don't intend to notify anybody when I die. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[K1MH]

Quote[/b] (KE3N @ Aug. 30 2005,15:16)]I would agree that this would "save some trees." The renewals are currently pro forma at this time. What purpose is really served by mandating renewals in the US?

Jim
You would have an accurate count of who was living and who wasn't. I know three people with GROLs who have been dead for years.

Mike- K1MH

[ae4tr]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif #Odd how things come about. #I proposed a lifetime license for amateurs several years ago to the ARRL. #I was basically told that it wasn't practical. #Now I see that it has come up again, and will probably be instituted. Funny how no one listens to the OLD MAN... #"Me". #
#Haw!!! # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif

[N3KIP]

I understand that the EI proposal is for a lifetime fee of 100 euros, but with five yearly free renewals, which is actually more frequent than in the US (ten years). I beleive at present the hams in EI have to pay 10 euros a year and renew every year. It doesn't seem quite right that they should have to find ten years renewal fees in a lump sum with no choice in the matter. Perhaps an actual EI ham would like to comment (my visitor's callsign doesn't really count).

Meanwhile, Ofcom (the regulatory body) in the UK has proposed a free lifetime licence, but the RSGB (the national soceity) want a five year licence to replace the current annual licence, and they want people to pay fees. Most suspect that this is just a cynical attempt by the RSGB to get the licence renewal business and a share of the fees.

At present UK hams have to pay 15 pounds a year, which is considerably more than in EI. With luck Ofcom might adopt the EI system, but without the fee, which would then be almost the same as the US system, come to think of it. Certainly without renewals there is an SK problem, but five or ten year renewals would take care of that.

Nobody in their right mind wants to pay renewal fees, unless it is to prop up their national soceity, but I have never been a member of one myself, and have no interest in supporting that particular cause.

73 de Alun, G8VUK, N3KIP

(A Brit living in the US)

[w7lpn]

Quote[/b] (W9WHE @ Aug. 30 2005,11:07)]With all the "dumbing down" WHY even bother with licenses? Why not make the Amateur service just like CB and the marine service, no license required?

OOOOPS. I forgot, ARRL would loose $$$$$$ on revenue from selling so-called study guides.

W9WHE
Grrr! Did somebody step on your toes? Oh you're upset about that dot dot dash thingy going Buy-Buy...? There are sooooo many more important things to be concerned about in these serious times.

A moment of tranquility, read and reflect, perhaps :


THE HAM PRAYER

Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs.

Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. with my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but Thou knowest Lord that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me the wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of other's pains, but help me to endure them with patience.

I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening of cocksuredness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a Saint – ( some of them are so hard to live with ) - but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the Devil.

Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people. And, give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

AMEN

73 The randy vicar of wapping

[ve7fmx]

Been that way in Canada for awhile... your assigned a call for life... unless you change it with a vanity call.

[VE7RFH]

Canada has had a lifetime license arrangement in effect for some time now.