Swiss Radio Amateurs Face Fee to use QO-100

The Swiss communications regulator OFCOM charges £55 (CHF 70) to issue radio amateurs with special permits to use the QO-100 amateur satellite transponders

A post on the USKA website indicates OFCOM wishes to protect license-exempt users in 2.4 GHz and OFCOM reserves the right to withdraw the special permit if there are problems.

The special permit entitles the holder to use a transmitter with a maximum output of 100 W PEP for a satellite uplink in 2400-2410 MHz. As part of their application radio amateurs must submit the following information:

  • Call sign and license number

  • Location (place name, address)

  • CH coordinates (new coordinates, e.g. 2,600,000 / 1,200,000, not Google degrees!)

  • Antenna gain (dBi)

  • Antenna height above ground (m)

  • Direction of the antenna (°)

  • Elevation of the antenna (°)

  • e-mail address

  • Telephone number at which the surgeon can be reached while the system is in operation

Switzerland's national amateur radio society USKA - https://tinyurl.com/IARU-Switzerland