Radio Clubs And Training Courses Radio clubs are the ideal place to learn all about the hobby of amateur radio, you get to meet other amateurs, attend interesting lectures, and find out lots of information, you will quickly learn of the hundreds of different facets to the hobby. There are over 70 radio clubs right around Australia running training courses to help people to get their foundation licence and to get into the hobby of amateur radio. The time taken for a training course is typically around 12 hours however this will vary from club to club, some offer training courses over several week nights and some over a weekend. Contact details for radio clubs offering training and assesments details can be found Here on the WIA website. Assessments To obtain your amateur radio licence you will need to have successfully completed the required assessments. Once you feel you are ready, having completed your training either through a radio club course or through self study, you will need to book yourself in to be assessed. Radio clubs typically run assessments as part of their training courses, however you may also choose to contact a club or assessor and arrange for an assessment at a time that is mutually convneient between yourself and the assessor. The following Link will put you in touch with clubs and assessors . The foundation licence assessment has two components taking around an hour or so to complete. The first being a 25 question multiple choice assessment paper, the second being a hands on practical assessment. Once you have sucessfully completed both you will be able to choose an available callsign and apply for your amateur licence. The practical assessment is required not only for foundation but also for standard and advanced licence grades. However a practical assessment only needs to be completed once, so by successfully completing a practical assessment as part of your foundation licence you will not be required to repeat it should you decide to upgrade to the standard or advanced licence grades. Even if you are an existing licenced amateur who received your licence before the requirement for a practical assessment was introduced and you wish to upgrade your licence, then you too will need to complete a practical assessment if you have not already done so. Fees And Charges Any fees or charges associated with foundation licence training are up to the radio clubs conducting the training. You will need to check with your local club to find out what their fees are. The WIA charge for a foundation licence assessment is $67.00 or $35.00 if you are under the age of 18
The foundation licence is issued by ACMA and the licence cost is currently $64.00 per year.
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