Ofcom Figures for Licences issued as at 31/10/07

UK Amateur Radio Licences as at 31st October 2007

The UK regulator Ofcom has supplied the figures for the total number of Amateur Radio Licences issued as at 31st October 2007.
Change since last month

Grade
31st Oct 07
30th Sept 07
Change

Foundation
9323
9136
+187

Intermediate
3975
3908
+67

Full/Advanced
49992
49894
+98

Club Stations
1257
1253
+4

The RadCom "Silent Keys" listing indicates that out of the RSGB's some 24,000, members over 200 are passing away each year. As there are over 60,000 Amateurs this implies that over 500 Radio Amateurs become Silent Key each year.
When you consider that a high percentage of new Radio Amateurs will leave the hobby after a few years then it seems unlikely that the numbers currently coming into the hobby at Foundation will match those that are leaving it.
We will not know for certain until the current 5 year licences start expiring at the end of 2011.

Our club has run 5 or 6 foundation courses this year. and if there are 2 or 3 who are heard on the air from each course then we have done well.
So with a mixture of Silent keys, those who get the foundation & then do nothing with it or run as a M3 for a few months, but never upgrade. I don't think the future looks good at all.

I think it's a little wrong too but the figures came from Ofcom and the know best...
I will be upgrading and once I have moved I am going to join the Mold ARC who have a meeting every Wednesday evening. I will then join a 16wk course and upgrade with some luck.