Training options for new Amateur Radio Operators

Introducing amateur radio

You may find that attending SARS meetings will allow you to form a grounding in the hobby and assist towards the examination. a fee will be charged for each training course to cover room hire etc. and a RSGB fee will be applied for the examinations.
SARS is a registered examination centre for all three sections of the Amateur Radio Licence qualification.
Please click on the Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced headings below for more information.

  • Foundation

    A course of 5 evenings at the end of which a multi choice examination is taken locally; if the candidate is successful a licence will be issued in a few days. Once you have passed the Foundation course you are free to operate on the most frequently used amateur bands, without supervision, using a transmitting power of 100 watts. This does not sound like very much power, but once you have acquired experience operating your radio you will find it is enough to communicate almost anywhere in the world.

  • Intermediate

    A course of 8 evenings at the end of which a multi choice examination is taken locally; if the candidate is successful an updated licence will be issued. Following a pass in the Intermediate section your transmission power will be raised up to 400 watts.

  • Advanced

    For this level the candidate studies at home, with mentoring locally by the SARS instructors. At the end of the study period the examination is conducted locally. 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. You will also receive with your Full Licence the ability to legally transmit from almost every country in the world.
If you are new to Amateur Radio please view Introduction to Amateur Radio video.

RSGB registered training and examination centre.

SARS hold registrations for three venues to be used as Examination venues, they are used depending upon the number sitting the examination. All exams are now held at SARS HQ, unless you are told otherwise.

Current UK amateur radio licences

Within the UK, there are three types of amateur radio licence that can be obtained, namely the Foundation Licence, Intermediate Licence and the Full Licence. Each of these ham radio licences offers different privileges in a form of incentive amateur radio licence scheme through which all new UK radio hams must progress to achieve the full licence.
The different ham radio licences reflect the experience of the operators, the Foundation Licence offering entry level privileges while the Full licence offers the highest power levels and the greatest number of bands.
Amateur Radio Licence Class Summary of privileges
Foundation licence Maximum of 25 watts on most allocated bands. Band allocations limited.
Intermediate licence Maximum of 100 watts.
Full licence Maximum UK licence power can be used and all UK amateur radio band allocations available.
These overviews are by their nature limited in definition. For full details it is necessary to refer to the appropriate ham radio licence

UK amateur radio call signs and its history

Over the years a variety of different ham radio call sign series have been used in the UK. By looking at the prefix and the number of letters after the prefix it is possible to tell the approximate years in which the licence was issued, and also the original form of licence. There have been a variety of different licences that have been available, and a particular call sign format was used for each different type of licence

Foundation Licence

Call sign description Issue dates and details
M3 + 3 letters  
M6 + 3 letters Available from 13 May 2008

Intermediate Licence

Call sign description Issue dates and details
2E0 + 3 letters Issued from 1991 onwards as Intermediate licence. Issued as Novice class A licence from 1991 for use on all Novice allocations
2E1 + 3 letters Issued from 1991 onwards as Intermediate licence. Issued as Novice class B licence from 1991for use on Novice allocations above 30 MHz

Full Licence

Call sign description Issue dates and details
G2 + 2 letters 1920 - 1939
G3 + 2 letters 1937 - 1938
G4 + 2 letters 1938 - 1939
G5 + 2 letters 1921 - 1939
G6 + 2 letters 1921 - 1939
G8 + 2 letters 1936 - 1937
G1 + 3 letters 1983 - 1988 - originally issued as Class B licence
G2 + 3 letters 1920s to 1939. Originally issued as "Artificial Aerial" licence
G3 + 3 letters Issued between 1946 and 1971. Originally issued to amateur radio licence and Class A amateur radio licence holders.
G4 + 3 letters Issued between 1971 and 1985. Originally issued to amateur radio class A licence holders.
G5 + 3 letters Originally issued to foreign nationals as a form of reciprocal ham radio licence. They were withdrawn and either they used existing home calls with additional UK prefix / callsign, or if applicable they could apply for UK licence.
G6 + 3 letters 1981 - 1983. Originally issued as a class B licence
G7 + 3 letters 1989 - 1996. Originally issued as a class B licence
G8 + 3 letters 1964 - 1981. Originally issued as a class B licence
G0 + 3 letters 1986 - 1996. Originally issued as a class A licence
M1 + 3 letters 1996 - . Originally issued as a class B licence.
M3 + 3 letters Foundation licence holders.
M0 + 3 letters 1996 - . Originally issued as a class A licence