Ofcom - HF Broadcast Licensing Position

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Peter Eckersley used the United Kingdom's Freedom of Information (FoI) Requests procedure to discover Ofcom's position on the licensing of HF broadcast stations in the UK

“Regarding your e-mail dated 23 July, your understanding is correct that HF frequencies require to be co-ordinated internationally, and that Ofcom has no plans to license any new shortwave frequencies. This is because the government’s stated policy is for broadcast radio to gradually move away from analogue transmission towards digital means of transmission, and DAB in particular.

One factual correction I would like to make from our previous response on this issue….Ofcom licenses the HF transmissions of the BBC World Service under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, and not under powers granted to Ofcom in the BBC’s Charter.”
— Ofcom Reply

Will There be an End to FM Radio Signal?

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The Minister of State for Culture, Ed Vaizey, has expressed that whatever the government's decision on the switch from FM to digital radio, it will not negatively affect listeners.

When recently asked whether this parliament would switch off the FM signal, Mr Vaizey did not rule it out.

“What I am going to commit to is to get the signal as good as FM and as cheap as radios. We will not do anything that impacts on radio listeners”
— The Minister of State for Culture, Ed Vaizey


The Longest Reign Amateur Radio Special Event Station

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This year on the 9th September 2015, the United Kingdom's Queen Elizabeth II will become the longest reigning monarch, passing the reign of Queen Victoria.

To mark the occasion, Medway Amateur Receiving and Transmitting Society (MARTS) from Kent will be running an amateur / ham radio special event station GB2QLR for the Queen's longest reign to commemorate the event starting on Wednesday 9th September 2015 (the day she attained the position ) for 7 days - until midnight the following Tuesday 15th September 2015.

Station will be at located at Nigel G0GDA QTH powered by Solar panels during daylight hours and using a FTdx3000 & a FT857d for all HF 2m & 70cms using SSB & data.

More information - http://www.qrz.com/db/gb2qlr