Accreditation of the international practice of amateur radio

The Secretariat of State for the Information Society and the Digital Agenda consulted the amateur radio sector on the appropriate criteria for the accreditation of the international practice of amateur radio using cards or documents obtained using electronic systems.

The consultation, completed on December 15, 2016, has had a total of 71 contributions, providing as a whole valuable information whose analysis is the result of the present instructions that gather the majority opinions of the participants in the different aspects subject to consultation.

The accreditation of the international practice of amateur radio in those administrative procedures in which it is mandatory in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation on the use of the public radio domain by radio amateurs, approved by Order IET/1311/2013, of 9 July, may be carried out, from this date, in one of the following ways:

1. Through the procedure currently used for the presentation of QSL contact confirmation cards obtained by the interested party after a classic postal communication process.
2. By means of electronic cards or documents confirming these contacts, obtained by means of electronic systems in accordance with the procedure described below:

Cards or documents obtained through electronic systems with a guarantee of authenticity, which require authentication of the personality of users, including a copy of their amateur radio authorization, will be admissible as proof of the international practice of amateur radio. The systems must also enjoy the recognition of the amateur radio sector.

Initially it is considered that they meet these conditions and consequently their vouchers will be admitted by the Secretary of State, the Log of the World (LoTW) systems of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), The Electronic QSL Card Centre (eQSL.cc) with user authentication and GDURE of the Spanish Radio Amateur Union (URE). At the request of any recognized amateur radio association, after analysis of the corresponding supporting documentation and consultation with the amateur radio associations interested in the subject, the Secretary of State shall validate any new electronic system that meets the conditions described above.

As a justification document, the interested parties shall submit to the Secretary of State, a copy of the system records identifying the radio contact made, including the caller’s badge of the recipient, or of the eQSL card with a seal of authenticity, together with a personal statement that said documents faithfully reflect the reality of the contacts. The Administration reserves in any case the right to verify the authenticity of such documents

Finally, it should be noted that the requirement used up to the date of accreditation of at least one annual international contact during the last five years for the granting of two-letter suffix call badges is maintained.

Having successfully completed the administrative procedures provided for in the Instructions of the Secretary of State for the Information Society and the Digital Agenda of 24 January 2017, from this date it is validated for the accreditation of the international practice of amateur radio, the electronic system EurobureauQSL, of the European Organization of Radio Amateurs, EURAO.

The corresponding certifications will conform to the terms and conditions established in the aforementioned Instructions of the Secretary of State.