HAM Radio licenses for 2020 and Is Ham Radio Still Relevant?  

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I see my ICASA radio license is up for renewal.

ICASA has informed the SARL that the licence fee was increased by 4,7% on 1 April 2019. The new fees will be:

1 Year   –              R 148.00

2 Year   –              R 283.00

3 Year   –              R 406.00

4 Year   –              R 517.00

5 Year   –              R 617.00

Note that any licence not renewed by 1 April 2020 will lapse and the licence holder will have to re-apply for a new licence and this will be subjected to extra costs. 

You need to apply in writing specifying the licence you wish to apply for. This must be stated in the subject heading of an e-mail to ICASA. For example, the required number of years licence, your seven-digit licence number and call sign. If you do not notify ICASA of the required term of licence, you will receive a one-year licence, regardless of the amount paid.

For all those who have already paid using an earlier (pre-2019) fee structure, the balance outstanding must be submitted to ICASA before 1 April, otherwise your licence will lapse.

 

If your surname is between A to K, then you need to e-mail your payment advice to Mr Kenneth Kgwedi at KKgwedi@icasa.org.za

If your surname is between L to Z, then you need to e-mail your payment advice to Mr Pieter Jansen at PJansen@icasa.org.za

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All Amateur Radio licence fees need to be paid directly to ICASA and NOT to the SARL.

ICASA banking details:

Nedbank account 1462002927

Branch (universal code) 198 765

Deposit reference: Your seven-digit licence number

Mobile: 082 448 4368  Email: andyzs6ady@vodamail.co.za

 

Best regards,

Edward Cooper

ZS1EJC

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Is HAM radio still relevant?  What practical use is there for it?

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Ham Radio is a hobby. More so these days when the "communication" part has largely been supplanted by the ubiquitous cell phone. Nonetheless Ham radio retains its fundamental purposes, especially with 'loadshedding' (For those not in South Africa - scheduled power outages by our state-owned electricity provider ESKOM).

 

As hams, our purposes are:

1. A service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.
2. Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the "radio art". (I love this phrase! These points are loosely drawn from the FCC* )
3. Encouragement, improvement and expansion of the amateur radio service through advancing skills in communication and technical aspects, and promoting trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts.
4. Continuation and extension of operators unique ability to enhance international goodwill. 

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For me, it's mostly a hobby. I do play around with ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service - Wikipedia) and some other stuff, but there is no pressure for me to do that but I mostly do “ragchew “ (Contact (amateur radio) - Wikipedia) and chase DX (DXing - Wikipedia), even exchange QSL cards - Wikipedia with foreign stations. So, my hobby is relevant to me.

 

I get annoyed when people ask about relevance. It isn't really supposed to be relevant. It's a hobby, not a job. Almost all astronauts and cosmonauts on the ISS are radio hams. It's not a mission requirement, they spend time on the air (vacuum) in their free time!

 

Can I make a contribution in case of an emergency? Yes I can. I have backup batteries, a fairly robust and even mobile station, and can get a signal out, but please, do not ask me if my hobby is relevant; if you paint or grow flowers, good on you. I daresay it is relevant to you, right?

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73**

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Edward Cooper, ZS1EJC

Many thanks for the inspiration for this article to Alex Netherton, W5ALX

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* The Federal Communications Commission is an agency of the United States government to regulate interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. In South Africa the role is fulfilled by ICASA.

** 73 is an old telegraph code that means "best regards". 73, as well as 88 (which means "hugs and kisses") are part of the language of ham radio.

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