Amateur Radio

Amateur (HAM) radio is the ideal communication mode of last resort.

The equipment is simple to setup and use and often cheaper than a full-featured smartphone.

But unlike a smartphone, it will work when the Internet and cellular networks are down.

In New Zealand, certified amateur radio operators stand ready to support their communities when disaster strikes.

Amateur Radio - when all else fails.

Get Certified

Except in an emergency, transmission on frequencies allocated to the Amateur Service may only be made by operators issued with an appropriate operating certificate and callsign.

In New Zealand, Approved Radio Examiners (ARX) are responsible for conducting examinations, issuing certificates (known as the General Amateur Operator’s Certificate of Competency or GAOC) and issuing callsigns.

The Amateur Radio Operators General User Radio Licence (GURL) allows certified operators to transmit on amateur radio frequencies without the need to obtain a licence in their own name or pay annual licence fees.

Weekend Courses

The easiest way to get certified in New Zealand is to participate in a HAMCRAM offered by a branch of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters Inc. (NZART).

In the space of a single weekend, you can complete a course of instruction, pass an exam, and have both your certificate and callsign issued!

You can do it!

© 2023 HF Radio Charitable Trust