Radio Society of Great Britain
Encyclopedia
First founded in 1913 as the London Wireless Club, the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) is the United Kingdom
's recognised national society for amateur radio operator
s. The society's patron is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
and it represents the interests of the UK’s 60,000 licensed radio amateurs. A long recognised amateur radio organisation, the society is the national member society representing the United Kingdom and certain dependent territories
of the United Kingdom in the International Amateur Radio Union
. It also acts as a medium for communication between the enthusiasts and the UK government.
. Although Ofcom has recently used its web site to solicit opinions directly from interested parties, the RSGB continues to advise and to seek to influence Ofcom on the likely impact of proposed changes in many areas – from decisions on licensing and bandwidth controls through to the use of Broadband over Power Lines PLT
(which it is thought would cause large amounts of electromagnetic noise
).
RSGB also acts as a parent organisation to many smaller groups and societies. Some of these societies unite local areas (such as repeater
groups) or groups of individuals (such as Forces service groups, or old timer groups) or even people interested in a particular amateur radio band (such as 2 metre band groups).
The society publishes a monthly magazine called RadCom
, along with a range of technical books.
, but failed to have any receiving equipment. Many members were slightly annoyed by this fact and so formed other sections of the RSGB which were later absorbed into the RSGB itself.
During World War II
, the entire RSGB Council and many of its members were recruited into MI8
, also known as the Radio Security Service. Its mission was to intercept clandestine enemy transmissions.
In 2006, the RSGB cooperated with Ofcom to revise the amateur radio licence in the United Kingdom. Changes included removing the annual licence fee and removing the requirement to log
all transmissions. Amateur radio operator
s gained permission to operate one's amateur radio station
remotely, and the changes increased the spectrum available to the lower classes of licensees.
2011 Expenses Scandal
On March 28th of 2011,the RSGB announced the following...
http://www.rsgb.org/news/articlelinks.php?id=0122
The Board of the RSGB has today released the following announcement:
Peter Kirby, RSGB General Manager, has left the Society’s employment after the discovery of financial irregularities on his part.
For the time being, RSGB Director Don Beattie, G3BJ, will act as General Manager.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's recognised national society for amateur radio operator
Amateur radio operator
An amateur radio operator is an individual who typically uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other similar individuals on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators have been granted an amateur radio...
s. The society's patron is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
and it represents the interests of the UK’s 60,000 licensed radio amateurs. A long recognised amateur radio organisation, the society is the national member society representing the United Kingdom and certain dependent territories
Dependent territory
A dependent territory, dependent area or dependency is a territory that does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a State, and remains politically outside of the controlling state's integral area....
of the United Kingdom in the International Amateur Radio Union
International Amateur Radio Union
The International Amateur Radio Union is an international confederation of national amateur radio organisations that allows a forum for common matters of concern and collectively represents matters to the International Telecommunication Union...
. It also acts as a medium for communication between the enthusiasts and the UK government.
Role of the RSGB
The RSGB has traditionally acted as the organisation through which amateur radio enthusiasts interact with the telecommunications regulatory authority of the United Kingdom, OfcomOfcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
. Although Ofcom has recently used its web site to solicit opinions directly from interested parties, the RSGB continues to advise and to seek to influence Ofcom on the likely impact of proposed changes in many areas – from decisions on licensing and bandwidth controls through to the use of Broadband over Power Lines PLT
Power line communication
Power line communication or power line carrier , also known as power line digital subscriber line , mains communication, power line telecom , power line networking , or broadband over power lines are systems for carrying data on a conductor also used for electric power transmission.A wide range...
(which it is thought would cause large amounts of electromagnetic noise
Electromagnetic interference
Electromagnetic interference is disturbance that affects an electrical circuit due to either electromagnetic induction or electromagnetic radiation emitted from an external source. The disturbance may interrupt, obstruct, or otherwise degrade or limit the effective performance of the circuit...
).
RSGB also acts as a parent organisation to many smaller groups and societies. Some of these societies unite local areas (such as repeater
Amateur radio repeater
An amateur radio repeater is an electronic device that receives a weak or low-level amateur radio signal and retransmits it at a higher level or higher power, so that the signal can cover longer distances without degradation...
groups) or groups of individuals (such as Forces service groups, or old timer groups) or even people interested in a particular amateur radio band (such as 2 metre band groups).
The society publishes a monthly magazine called RadCom
Radcom
RadCom is the monthly magazine published by the Radio Society of Great Britain and is provided free to all corporate members of the society. Typically 100 pages, it includes a mixture of news, theory, construction and technical articles of interest to the amateur radio community...
, along with a range of technical books.
History of the RSGB
The RSGB made the first radio transmission across to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but failed to have any receiving equipment. Many members were slightly annoyed by this fact and so formed other sections of the RSGB which were later absorbed into the RSGB itself.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the entire RSGB Council and many of its members were recruited into MI8
MI8
MI8, or Military Intelligence, Section 8, was the cover designation for the Radio Security Service , a department of the British Directorate of Military Intelligence, part of the War Office...
, also known as the Radio Security Service. Its mission was to intercept clandestine enemy transmissions.
In 2006, the RSGB cooperated with Ofcom to revise the amateur radio licence in the United Kingdom. Changes included removing the annual licence fee and removing the requirement to log
Logbook
A logbook was originally a book for recording readings from the chip log, and is used to determine the distance a ship traveled within a certain amount of time...
all transmissions. Amateur radio operator
Amateur radio operator
An amateur radio operator is an individual who typically uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other similar individuals on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators have been granted an amateur radio...
s gained permission to operate one's amateur radio station
Amateur radio station
An amateur radio station is an installation designed to provide radiocommunications in the amateur radio service for an amateur radio operator. Radio amateurs build and operate several types of amateur radio stations, including fixed ground stations, mobile stations, space stations, and temporary...
remotely, and the changes increased the spectrum available to the lower classes of licensees.
2011 Expenses Scandal
On March 28th of 2011,the RSGB announced the following...
http://www.rsgb.org/news/articlelinks.php?id=0122
The Board of the RSGB has today released the following announcement:
Peter Kirby, RSGB General Manager, has left the Society’s employment after the discovery of financial irregularities on his part.
For the time being, RSGB Director Don Beattie, G3BJ, will act as General Manager.