Extremely young YL Intermediate passes

The ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast wishes to congratulate Summer McCormick, 2I0YLT (previously MI6YLT) and Grace McCormick, 2I0GYL (previously MI6YLG) who have passed their intermediate radio exams - Summer has just turned 14 and Grace is only 11!

The sisters benefited from the training team at Carrickfergus Amateur Radio Group.

Their home club is Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club and they are both members of BYLARA

No change yet for UK Amateur Radio Exams

Although the revised UK amateur radio licence should start being issued to new amateurs in January 2015, the exams will not yet reflect the changes

The Radio Communications Foundation (RCF) say Exam Centres and candidates are advised that the exams will not be changed without due warning and will continue on the present conditions. The Examination Committee (EC) are currently deciding what timescale is appropriate but advise now that confusion between the two sets of conditions will not result in an unfair examination result.

Read the full RCF statement - http://www.commsfoundation.org/rce/pdf/ofcom-decision-on-variation-of-amateur-radio-licences.pdf

The RCF also point out the need for more exam questions - http://www.commsfoundation.org/rce/pdf/areasrequiringquestions.pdf

Revised UK ham radio licence - http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2014/december/revised_uk_ham_radio_licence.htm

Advanced Distance Learning Course

The Bath-based distance learning team have opened enrollment for their January to June Advanced amateur radio course

For most people, distance learning is not as good as face-to-face training but these courses are ideal for anyone who cannot make it to traditional classroom events.

Weekly work packages are sent out to students who complete the studying at home and submit answers to revision questions and exercises via the internet.

Some video tutorials and demonstrations are included in the course material and links to other useful resources are also provided.

The courses have been running for four years now with a pass rate for those that finish the course of 90 percent. Revision support is provided for those that don’t make it through first time.

Enrollment for the next course closes mid-January, ready for a start on January 25.

Contact Steve Hartley, G0FUW, via e-mail  g0fuw@tiscali.co.uk