The Full Licence (Advanced Exam):

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You have worked hard to get your amateur radio licence, and have progressed through to being an Intermediate Licence holder.

Maybe you are ready now to take on the UK's ultimate amateur radio qualification: the Advanced Radio Communications exam leading to the issuing of a Full Licence.

 

A lot of privileges and responsibilities come with a Full Licence, not least from the fact that you will be able to transmit at up to 400 watts of power. With your Full Licence, you will also receive the ability to legally transmit from almost every country in the world.

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The Course

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We are not going to pretend that getting a Full Licence will be easy. A complex technical exam has to be passed that requires considerable study for success. So you must be prepared to invest a good amount of time and effort in your studies.

When studying for the Advanced Radio Communications exam there is no requirement to take a formal training course, this is because the examination is entirely theory based, with no practical training element. It is possible to study at home on your own or at a local amateur radio club (Cwmbran being the premier club in the area),  or at a college; many run courses specifically for the Advanced Radio Communications examination.  There are also distance learning courses available of programmed study, tutor marked assignments and YouTube videos.

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The exam

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Assessment is by a written examination paper of 62 multiple choice questions each with four possible responses.

The examination lasts two hours and it becomes available every two months.

 

For the Advanced Radio Communication exam there is a fee of £37.50. You must have passed the Intermediate exam before taking the Advanced.

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What happens after the exam?

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Unlike the Foundation and Intermediate, the Advanced exam papers are not locally marked but sent to RSGB headquarters for electronic marking. You will receive an official result sheet in the post from the RSGB Examinations Department.  This takes at least six days working days from the of receipt of your exam paper at HQ. If you have passed, you will at the same time receive a certificate and your candidate number. The examination office will upload your pass to  the UK communications regulator Ofcom, who are responsible for issuing amateur radio licences. You may then log on to the Ofcom licensing system to apply for your licence. Please make sure that you have your candidate number to hand, because you will need this to complete the process. If you apply for your Full licence on the Ofcom website, your licence is free of charge.

 

Visit the Ofcom website to find out more about applying for an amateur radio licence.

Ofcom will then issue you with your new, upgraded radio licence and you can get started immediately on the Full Licence frequency allocations at up to 400 watts power. For almost all radio amateurs, receiving a Full Licence is a very proud moment, indicating as it does that their skills and knowledge of amateur radio have been tested to the highest level possible in the UK.

A whole new world of global operating, contesting and expeditions now awaits you!

 

To find out more call the RSGB Examinations Department on 01234 832 700. Their advisors will be pleased to answer any question you may have about obtaining a Foundation licence.

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