Amateur Radio Foundation Licence course at the 2016 Bushmoot.

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Eric_Methven

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 20, 2005
3,600
42
73
Durham City, County Durham
OK, just an update on the suggestion for running an intesnive three day amateur radio foundation licence course workshop followed by an official Ofcom exam at next year's bushmoot.

I've approached the government departments that sanction such courses, and applied for registered assessor status which has been granted. I am now registered to teach/test foundation and intermediate level courses.

These courses used to be offered in colleges, but that changed a few years ago and are now the responsibility of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB). Courses can be run anywhere, but the actuall test can only be sat in a club venue.

So, I am in the process of attempting to form the "Bushcraft Amateur Radio Club". With the following aims and objectives.

1) To operate amateur radio communications under portable or field conditions.

2) To encourage members and visitors to explore amateur radio within the hobby of bushcraft and camping at various field events and at the annual camp in South Wales.

3) To facilitate the training and testing of Foundation level and Intermediate level applicants who wish to gain their licence at the main annual camp which will be the registered testing venue. ( Pre-training for these would be carried out through distance learning).

4) To encourage, through experimentation and testing, the operation of low power, portable radio equipment and encourage best practice within the hobby.

5) To apply for a permanent special event callsign which would be used at the main registered venue at the annual camp, but also at other regional bushcraft events throughout the year.

6) To display and demonstrate to members of the public, portable amateur radio field operations at the above events.

7) To facilitate communication opportunities with youth groups through YOTA/JOTA type events and encourage younger operators to develop an interest in amateur radio.

The moot site meets all of the criteria as regards a building, ease of access, disabled access and facilities etc.

The main event for 2016 will be held from 1[SUP]st[/SUP] to 13[SUP]th[/SUP] of August, and a three day intensive Foundation licence course is proposed from 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] until 4[SUP]th[/SUP] August (both dates inclusive) where the practical assessments and revision would take place followed by the Foundation test. There will be three full licence holders on site during the event.

What I need from you guys is an indication of who would be interested in getting their ham licence. It cannot just be done by turning up on the day and asking to participate as forms need to be filled in, registration fees to the RSGB paid and exam papers to be requested.

The examiner will turn up on day three of the course as I cannot provide the training and invigilate the exam. He's coming down for the core days anyway, so he'll get the exam out of the way before that.

At the end of the course, if you manage to pass (it's all common sense stuff really, and I'll give links to websites that will prepare you well) you will get your pass slip and when you get home from the moot, your amateur radio licence should be waiting for you.

So who's interested? I just need a rough indication right now, but numbers will help me plan stuff. It seems a long way off, but starting a new radio club from scratch takes a lot of work, a lot of forms and letters to be written and a ton of phone calls to be made.

Cheers for now,

Eric
G1SLP.
 

Tony

White bear (Admin)
Admin
Apr 16, 2003
24,131
1
1,876
53
Wales
www.bushcraftuk.com
Sounds cool Eric, i'd like to say yes but I think from a practical standpoint i'll not be able to do it as we'll be setting up and doing Moot stuff. I'll have a think to see if I can work it.
 

Pterodaktyl

Full Member
Jun 17, 2013
134
1
Devon
Hi Eric,

I already have a Full licence so I'm not a candidate for the course, but I'd be interested in joining/supporting the club in other ways in the future. Good luck!

Tom
M0TGZ
 

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
Unless I can get through the course before then, I'm certainly interested - although the caveats mentioned by Tony will also apply to me.

Ogri the trog
 

Buckshot

Mod
Mod
Jan 19, 2004
6,466
349
Oxford
I wonder if a distance learning option might work
Send those that can't do a solid 3 days the paperwork before (say a month or so before the moot). We can swat up in our own time and just sit the exam at the moot?
 

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
I've been looking at some books on Amazon, namely "Foundation Licence Now" and "Amateur Radio Exam Secrets" both by Alan Betts and £4-99 and £12-99 respectively - for some prior information - what do you reckon Eric?

As for the Moot course, maybe a session in the morning and one in the early evening might suffice to allow us to get some preparations done around the site.

ATB

Ogri the trog
 

Eric_Methven

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 20, 2005
3,600
42
73
Durham City, County Durham
Yes, those books are recommended, certainly for everyone doing the foundation. All the learning can be done beforehand. It's the practical aspects that will need your physical presence, like making a transmission on VHF, making atransmission on HF, properly connecting a radio, antenna and battery, adjusting an antenna to resonance etc.
There's a form with tick boxes for each candidate, and those have to be signed off by an assessor before the exam (27 multiple choice questions).
We could certainly do the practicals either in one hour blocks or shifts of maybe three people at a time over the three evenings of the pre moot course days so all the Mods get done, but with still plenty to cover other mooty stuff.
Then come the exam day, we'd need you all present, but only for an hour max. If you crack through the questions in 20 minutes, that's fine - you'd be free to leave the exam. The exam for everyone, could be arranged for the early evening when most folks are stood down from their respective duties.
The invigilator will mark the papers after the exam and issue pass slipe to those who are successful. We will give constructive feedback to any who don't pass.
So, to summarise, we are flexible about training and practical assessments. We can get everyone who wants, through it.

Edit: I'd just add here, the purpose of this course is not to make you all ham radio experts. It is just to learn, understand and memorise enough to get through the foundation level exam. That in turn will open up the world of amateur radio and give you masses of communication options rather than the eight channels of PMR446 that you all have at the moment.
 
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Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
I'll pick up those books and try to remember to bring them along so they are available to all at the Moot.

Thanks for your ideas Eric.

Ogri the trog
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
.......Edit: I'd just add here, the purpose of this course is not to make you all ham radio experts. It is just to learn, understand and memorise enough to get through the foundation level exam. That in turn will open up the world of amateur radio and give you masses of communication options rather than the eight channels of PMR446 that you all have at the moment.

Most certifications basically mean you're a fully qualified beginner, not an expert. In this case it means you're a fully qualified beginner at an amateur's level. Just my kind of game!
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
24
69
south wales
Its a foundation chitty, it gives you the basics to get you up and running Santaman, you are limited to the power you can transmit and the frequencies you can use. The next two exams are progressively more difficult but the Foundation level eases you into ham radio.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
rik_uk3: get those people up and running. Can't think of a better excuse to blow the dust odd my old Yaesu FT901DM. 40, 20, 15 & 10 on a kw vertical.
Had some fantastic QSO on 15 with England when the skip was right.
Please keep me informed.
73
de
VE7APC
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Its a foundation chitty, it gives you the basics to get you up and running Santaman, you are limited to the power you can transmit and the frequencies you can use. The next two exams are progressively more difficult but the Foundation level eases you into ham radio.

Yeah from what I can tell it's roughly equivalent to Technician here. Except Technician are limited (here) regarding frequencies; UHF, VHF, and 10 meter only, but with a bit more power than Foundation's allowed.

But my post was meant to encourage those who might otherwise forego it thinking they're not good enough. The point of any certification is to show you qualify at the minimum level for said certificate, not as an expert. I first heard that analogy while working for an aviation mechanics' certificate. It applies to pretty much any field.
 
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gonzo_the_great

Forager
Nov 17, 2014
210
70
Poole, Dorset. UK
In addition....
There may be candidates who would prefer to self learn from the book.
It may also be worth offering those people the opportunity to come along for the assessment part of the course.
(We have done similar at our club and other radio related conferences/gatherings.)
 

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