Some of you may have seen this. It is difficult to tell what the distribution is when recipients of emails have been suppressed in the email header. Anyway, Chris Gare has been battling the licensing people in the Falklands over the issue of non-residents keeping their VP8 call signs. Seems he has been able to make them change their minds. I think it's a good example of someone who kept after the issue even when the regulator said NO. If you know any Argentine hams and ask them about the Falklands, they may very well say, "Oh, you mean the F...ing Islands." The preferred name in Argentina is the Malvinas Islands. Old grudges linger!! When Ron Szama LU2AH was on the EC for Region 2 if he heard the islands referred to as the Falklands, he really got spun up. ;) 73, Rod ____________________________________ Rod Stafford W6ROD ARRL Int'l Affairs Vice President <http://www.flickr.com/rodstaffordphotography> www.flickr.com/rodstaffordphotography From: chris@gare.co.uk [mailto:chris@gare.co.uk] On Behalf Of chris@openfalklands.org.fk Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2020 8:42 AM To: chris@gare.uk Subject: Press release: Non-resident lifetime Falkland Islands VP8 licences - common sense prevails ===STARTS=== Non-resident lifetime Falkland Islands VP8 licences - common sense prevails An element of the new 2017 Falkland Islands Communication Ordinance was a desire to bring "amateur radio licencing in the Falkland Islands into the 21st Century" through a re-validation exercise of VP8 licences which started in early 2020. However, a new requirement was included in the new VP8 Licence Terms & Conditions. For an existing VP8 licence to be revalidated, a minimum 6-month residency in the Falkland Islands was now required. This lead to all non-resident VP8 licences failing the revalidation exercise and being cancelled as a result.". Following an email exchange with the Falkland Islands Communications Regulator, he stated that he considered the case closed. I raised a complaint about this decision in the form of a 'Notice of Appeal'. This was due to be heard in the Falkland Islands Magistrates Court in November 2020. The case will not now proceed to court after all as the Regulator has decided to restore my Falkland Islands VP8 licences and apply the same principle to other non-resident lifetime VP8 licence holders on a "case-by-case" basis. My costs will be paid as well.. The full story can be read here - <https://openfalklands.co.uk/> Non-resident lifetime Falkland Islands VP8 licences - common sense prevails. South Georgia and Antarctic VP8 Amateur Radio Licensing Following the recent cancellation and subsequent restoration of Chris Gare's non-resident lifetime VP8 Falkland Islands licences, the associated cancellation of all VP8 Antarctic & South Georgia licences is now in the spotlight. The full story can be read here - <https://openfalklands.co.uk/> South Georgia and Antarctic VP8 Amateur Radio licensing. For further information contact <mailto:chris@openfalklands.org.fk> Chris, G3WOS or <mailto:alancheshire@yahoo.com> Alan, VP8PJ. Chris Gare, G3WOS VP8DBL VP8WOS ===ENDS===