Radio amateurs

Radio amateurs need a licence to use a transmitter

An amateur radio station licence is required for the possession and use of transmitter equipment belonging to an amateur radio station. An amateur radio transmitter is a radio transmitter which functions in a radio frequency assigned by the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority to amateur radio communication.

Frequency and equipment requirements

An amateur radio transmitter operating in the frequency band 26 MHz - 2450 MHz may function only in those frequency bands that are assigned for amateur radio activities by FICORA's Regulation governing amateur radio stations and their use or by the ITU Radio Regulations.

Amateur radio transmitters sold in shops must bear

• a CE marking
• an alert symbol indicating that a licence and a successfully passed radio amateur examination are required in order to use the equipment.
  

The equipment must be accompanied with the manufacturer's declaration of conformity that has a reference to the R&TTE Directive by its reference number 1999/5/EC.

CE markings and the declaration of conformity are not applied to self-built amateur radio transmitters.

Amateur radio station licence requires an amateur radio certificate

The applicant must be a holder of a radio amateur's certificate in order to get an amateur radio station licence. The supervisor of an amateur radio station must be a holder of an amateur radio certificate.

The licence can be applied for by filling in a personal data form in the examination or by using the Application for amateur radio licence (AT) form.

The licence is renewed every five years

An amateur radio station licence is renewed automatically at intervals of five years, unless the licence is terminated by the holder. However, all call signs beginning with the prefix OG and such privately-owned call signs that begin with the prefix OH and have only a one-letter suffix are exceptions in the renewal process. They are valid for a certain period of time, no more than one licence term (five years).

In special cases it is also possible to get a suffix with more than four characters (for example call sign OH9TURVA) for a brief period of time.

Call sign becomes available in two years

If an amateur radio station licence expires and the licence is not renewed, the call sign given in the licence is kept reserved for two years. During this time the radio amateur can get the same call sign on request without having to pay a separate fee.

The call sign becomes available for everyone in two years after the validity of the licence has expired. If the radio amateur wishes to have the same call sign after two years have passed, a new call sign fee must be paid.

The qualifying period is not applied to short-term licences or fee-based call signs issued for a set time period. These include call signs beginning with the prefix OG and such call signs that begin with the prefix OH and have only a one-letter suffix.

It is not necessary to renew the licence and there is no qualifying period for the call sign. The licence holder has priority over the call sign if he or she applies for it again before the last day of the validity period. In this case a new call sign fee must be paid (€169.37). A new licence will not be issued until the fee has been paid.

An amateur radio club can renew a licence without paying a new call sign fee provided that the call sign begins with the prefix OH and has only a one-letter suffix.