Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Ham Population Ticks Upward as High Numbers of New Licenses Continue

The number of licensed amateurs in the United States increased by about 1% from 2017 to 2018, according to FCC statistics collected by Joe Speroni, AH0A, reaching a total of 755,430 at the end of the year. This number includes both additions of new amateurs - more than 31,000 for the fifth year in a row, according to the ARRL VEC - and reductions due to non-renewed licenses and deaths. 

In addition, QRZnow.com reports that the Radio Amateurs of Canada says that country's ham population grew by nearly 7000 in 2018, including more than 1750 new licensees, the largest number of new hams in Canada in four years.