Online Distance Learning Course for Full Exam

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Online Distance Learning Course for Full Exam

The popular Bath Based Distance Learning for the amateur radio Full exam is starting again in August. Bookings are being taken now

The Bath Based Distance Learning team (BBDL) helped nearly 800 students to pass the Advanced exam under the old syllabus. Between 2011 and 2019 over 28% of the total UK Advanced exam passes were BBDL students and the pass rate was over 80%, compared with a national average of 65%.

The course will run from August to December 2021.

Students will receive weekly work packages via a virtual classroom and will have access to weekly on-line tutorials. Students will also have access to one of the remote tutors who will provide feedback and additional guidance when required. There are weekly quizzes to check progress and at the end of the course there will be a number of mock exams.

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Swiss Radio Amateurs Face Fee to use QO-100

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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

Janet K0JE and Janice K0JA - Ham Radio Twins

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Janet K0JE and Janice K0JA - Ham Radio Twins

The 86-year-old identical twins studied electrical engineering and worked for pioneering computer companies at a time when few women had careers in STEM fields.

They've traveled the world via the airwaves as avid ham radio operators, a hobby they took up in their teens. They've also traveled the world in real life, driving a series of RVs to every state (except Hawaii) and taking volunteer trips to places like Tonga and Indonesia.

The sisters don't just have a wide variety of interests, whether it's photography, ham radio or bowling. They like to compete.

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