licenced radio amateurs. the figures.

[m0lsx]

Stewart Baker G3RXQ asked Ofcom via a FOI request for the total number of individuals holding one or more current UK Amateur Radio Licenses as of 1/4/2018.
Ofcom replied.

Ofcom can confirm that the total number of individuals holding one or more current UK Amateur Radio Licenses is 9971.

Daryl Spence M0TTY asked Ofcom via a FOI request "could you please give me the current numbers of licensed Amateur Radio operators for each callsign type please."

Call Sign Count of Live Prefix Call Signs
20 = 8612
21 = 1596
G0 = 8615
G1 = 4910
G2 = 164
G3= 4631
G4 = 9157
G5 = 58
G6 = 4901
G7 = 5829
G8 4837
M0 = 8363
M1 = 2275
M3 = 9961
M5 = 297
M6 = 13777
Grand Total 87983 active licences.

[m0lsx]

Updated.

Following a Freedom of Information request Ofcom has now issued what is believed to be the correct figure for the number of individual radio amateurs in the UK

Stewart Baker G3RXQ has made several FoI's to Ofcom to try and find out how many individuals hold one or more amateur licences but the first couple of responses from Ofcom gave a clearly incorrect figure which was just below 10,000.

On August 3 he made another another attempt and on September 4 Ofcom supplied the correct information.

Ofcom said:
"As of 1 August 2018 I can confirm that the total number of individuals holding one or more current UK Amateur Radio Licences is 75,660."

"It has come to our attention that the figure in our letter to you dated 17 April 2018 concerning Amateur Radio Licence statistics as of 1 April 2018 is incorrect. As at that date, the correct figure for the total number of individuals holding one or more current UK Amateur Radio Licences is 74,646."

This figure enables an estimate to be made for the number of radio amateurs who die each year.

It believed the RSGB has about 19,000 UK members who are licenced amateurs, this is about 25% of total UK amateurs. From an analysis of the Silent Key column in 2015 RadCom it would appear that about 248 licenced UK RSGB members are dying each year. This suggests that maybe in total some 992 UK amateurs die each year.

Just over 1400 people pass the RSGB Foundation exam each year. Foundation was initially designed to provide an introduction to the hobby and it was accepted there could be a high drop-out rate, up to 50%, as people tried out the hobby but found in the first year or so it wasn't for them. Anecdotal evidence since 2002 appears to confirm a 50% drop-out rate is broadly correct. This suggests of the 1400 newcomers each year only about 700 may continue with the hobby, this is less than the apparent annual death rate.

Additionally an unknown number may decide after 5, 10 or 15 years to try a different hobby or they may no longer be active for various reasons. There is no way of telling how many as the licences are lifetime, the active UK amateur population could be declining at an alarming rate!

[Prometheus]

Interesting reading. It would be good to know what the figures for the previous years were.
Is the hobby growing or are we in decline?

Will the fact that the exams are changing put people off getting their license.

[Darkstar]

Interesting reading. It would be good to know what the figures for the previous years were.
Is the hobby growing or are we in decline?

Will the fact that the exams are changing put people off getting their license.

Doesn't matter really, as amateur radio is heading deeper into VOIP, nobody will need a license so licensed amateurs will be in a decline. Let's face it, if people cannot be bothered to sit the primary school level foundation exam now, what when it get's more involved? Good night amateur radio that's what!

[Sid]

Interesting reading. It would be good to know what the figures for the previous years were.
Is the hobby growing or are we in decline?

Will the fact that the exams are changing put people off getting their license.

Doesn't matter really, as amateur radio is heading deeper into VOIP, nobody will need a license so licensed amateurs will be in a decline. Let's face it, if people cannot be bothered to sit the primary school level foundation exam now, what when it get's more involved? Good night amateur radio that's what!

What doesn't help is this......

I'd like to take my foundation licence.
However, after emailing several local radio clubs asking if they do the training / exam - I get no reply whatsoever.
I've also left voicemails asking the same things - no answer.

That being the case, it's hardly surprising people give up. It's like pulling teeth trying to find where and when you can actually do it.
Not being funny, but it's then the same guys that bleat & moan radio traffic is quiet??

[CW-2E0UCW]

Do what I did - went to a club meeting and asked.

Whilst amateur radio is a "technical" hobby - maintaining websites and electronic communications does not seem to be a strong point.

You could also contact the RSGB Regional Manager (or his Deputy) and ask them as they visit venues during the exams.

[Sid]

Do what I did - went to a club meeting and asked.

Whilst amateur radio is a "technical" hobby - maintaining websites and electronic communications does not seem to be a strong point.

You could also contact the RSGB Regional Manager (or his Deputy) and ask them as they visit venues during the exams.

Thanks buddy - maybe I need to give that a try and be more proactive.

[m0lsx]

Did you contact clubs or the trainers? As the RSGB list of trainers is not the best place to start. Contact a club & say you want to take your foundation exam.
But it is also worth noting that trainers are simply radio amateurs who do the training as part of their hobby. And the person who you contact at the club about training could be someone totally separate from the trainers. And that the person who maintains the website could be someone different again.
So if the website has not been updated the contact details could be wrong & if the message has to get forwarded onto another person that adds a delay into the system.
But 2E0UCW is right. For a communications hobby, radio amateurs are not good at communications all too often.
Normally if you contact a club about training they will invite you to a meeting & then that gives you the chance to talk to someone. IF the club has it's act together & welcomes visitors.
When I bothered with clubs, I always made a point of talking to anyone I did not recognise. But most people seemed to stick to their little clique & visitors could be left to feel very unwelcome.
I always felt (& voiced the opinion,) that clubs should have a committee member whose role it is to look for new faces & do some introductions. As nothing puts potential licensees off as much as seeing a club as unfriendly.

[Prometheus]

Twice I contacted my local amateur radio club and was told they had no current plans to do a foundation course but I should keep checking the website.
After a year and a half and the website showing no training I decided to look elsewhere.

I found that NADARS (Newbury and district amateur radio society) did a weekend course of training and practicals with the exam at the end.
I should point out that I live over 200 miles away from them!!!
We had six tutors and spent 8am to 6pm covering everything.

If you have been studying for some time there are a lot of clubs that offer a weekend course or even a week.

If you really want a license, look online for clubs round the UK.

It’s a shame I had to travel and I agree clubs should really encourage ‘new blood’ after all the foundation licenses are the ‘future’ M0’s

[radiostationx]

Hi, Glad you got sorted out Prometheus.

2 clubs in my area also "up north" come to mind

https://midcars.org/training

http://www.wararc.co.uk/training-courses/

Dave Wilson (M0OBW) has been prolific in organising and providing courses in the North West of England for a number of years.
Dave is the president of the RSGB, if anyone can help finding course in any area of the UK he is your man.

Contact detail below
https://www.ukfmgw.co.uk/contact/