ACMA Consultation : non-assigned amateur regulatory arrangements

[VK4ADC]

So, I have had a chance to put the current LCD on one screen, the Class Licence LCD on a second and what strikes me most is what isn't there...

There have been whole sections dropped into just a few words in the proposed LCD.  The most obvious of these is this :

Part 2     Class Licence
6  Class Licence
                   This instrument authorises a person to operate an amateur station, subject to the conditions specified in Part 3.

..and..

Call signs (in the current LCD) 
(1A) For the purposes of this section, the licensee of an amateur station (other than an amateur beacon station or amateur repeater station) may, on the following days, substitute the prefix letters VK in the call sign of the station with the prefix letters AX:
(a) 26 January;
(b) 25 April;
© 17 May.
Example If the call sign specified in the licensee’s licence is VK1ZZZ, the licensee may use the call sign AX1ZZZ on the days mentioned in paragraphs (a) to © above.
Note 26 January is Australia Day, 25 April is Anzac Day and 17 May is World Telecommunication Day.

... has been transformed into ...
call sign means a sequence of letters and numbers assigned to a person by the AMC as a call sign.

I think that the persons involved in deriving the LCD were short-sighted by inserting "AMC"  as the assigning source, and it should have been something like "an authorised body" instead, given that the Deed between AMC and ACMA has an expiry only 2 years away. There are no guarantees that the AMC will continue in that role under a new deed.

Probably the largest portion of the Class LCD wording falls under this topic:  
HCIS identifier means a unique identifier used to describe a geographic area in the ASMG.

where   Schedule 2     Amateur station excluded bands and areas details the applicable HCIS regions


I won't go on to suggest that comparing the 'two LCDs' is compelling reading. It is not, but it should be done anyway.

Outwardly, nothing much really changes. Same classes of licence, frequency bands, power levels, callsigns, just no actual licences or annual fees. Any interference protection - not that has been much in the last few years anyway - no longer exists in legislation.

One thing that should be made apparent is that everyday amateurs would be in the Class Licence category if this is introduced.  
Repeaters and Beacons (etc..) wil remain in the apparatus licence area, require frequency coordination, require annual licence fee payments with details remaining on the ACMA Public Register.


Closing date for submissions is 2nd April 2021. Do yours soon !