GOOD NEWS FOR HAMS VISITING AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA ISSUES CLASS LICENCE FOR VISITING AMATEURS

The Wireless Institute of Australia advises that on 14 February 2008 a Class Licence issued by the Australian regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), allowing visiting amateurs to operate while in Australia came into effect.
The Class Licence is issued under the Australian Radio communications legislation,and allows any overseas amateur visiting Australia to operate for up to 90 days after each entry to Australia. A visiting amateur does not have to make any application or payment to operate, but must hold evidence of a licence or qualification recognised by ACMA and a call sign issued by the administration that issued the licence orqualification.
The conditions of operation are fully set out in the Class Licence, including the 5 levels of operation permitted.
The Class Licence may be found on the WIA’s website
The level of operation, which range from the privileges and bands allowed to the Australian Advanced licence to a 146 to 148 MHz low power FM licence (essentiallyfor hand held operation), depends on the level of the overseas licence.
Overseas licences and the equivalent level are set out in the Table of Equivalent Qualifications and Licences which can be found on the ACMA’s website. The URL for the part of the ACMA site ‘Apparatus Licensing – Amateurs Visiting Australia’that includes the table is: ACMA WEBSITE
There are currently a number of errors and omissions in the Table of Equivalent Qualifications and Licences and the WIA is assisting ACMA in identifying them.Any suggestions should be emailed to the WIA at nationaloffice@wia.org.au
It is hoped that Australia will shortly become party to the CEPT T/R 61-01 for the benefit of Australian amateurs travelling overseas.The WIA is delighted that all visiting amateurs will now find it so easy to operate in Australia.

Click here to view official letter from WIA