South African Radio League
National amateur radio society representing South Africa.
The South African Radio League (SARL), originally called the South African Radio Relay League (SARRL), is a non-profit group that looks after the interests of amateur radio operators in South Africa. It speaks to the government on behalf of its members and all licensed amateurs, acting as the country’s main voice for the hobby. The league has pushed for simpler, less regulated amateur radio services and for more operators in Southern Africa. It also promotes amateur radio’s role in society and its use in schools as a way into science and technology. The SARL puts out a magazine, *Radio ZS*, twelve times a year. It is South Africa’s national member in the International Amateur Radio Union and belongs to IARU Region 1.
The SARRL was founded in 1925 by several local and regional radio clubs, some of which had started around the time of the First World War. At first, only licensed radio experimenters who could send and receive two-way telegraphy could join. Temporary headquarters were set up in Johannesburg. The first elected president was Joseph White, who had previously chaired the Transvaal Radio Society. The league’s archives, including council minutes from 1933 to 1973 and a membership register from 1925 to 1930, are kept by the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa.
Tracing the league’s early history is tricky because it didn’t have a regular publication at first. Its first publication, a fortnightly news sheet called *F.O. News*, came out in 1927. It lasted about a year, but no copies survive in the SARL’s records. The first printed magazine was *QTC*, whose first issue appeared in May 1928. The editor was R. S. Perry, A9Z, and it was printed in Durban.
The SARL’s goal is to encourage, develop, and promote everything related to amateur radio, wireless communications, computer science, and radio science. It also works to protect amateur radio frequency allocations and to foster international goodwill and understanding. The league pushes for recognition of amateur radio across all parts of South African society.
HAMNET is the SARL’s emergency communications division. It provides communications during emergencies, using experienced operators with their own gear to back up official channels or take over when those fail.
Quick Facts
- Abbreviation
- SARL
- Formation
- 1925
- Purpose
- Education, Emergency Communications
- Headquarters
- National Amateur Radio Centre, Radiokop, Johannesburg, South Africa / -26.105058 · 27.920070
- Region Served
- South Africa
- Leader Title
- President
- Leader Name
- Nico van Rensburg, ZS6QL
- Main Organ
- Council
- Affiliations
- International Amateur Radio Union
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The South African Radio Relay League was formed in 1925 by a number of regional and local radio societies and clubs, some of which had been established around the time of the First World War. At the outset, membership was limited to licensed radio experimenters capable of two-way telegraphic communication by radio. Temporary headquarters were established in Johannesburg, and the first elected president was Joseph White, who had earlier been chairman of the Transvaal Radio Society. Archival records from the league, including minutes of council from 1933–1973 and a register of members from 1925–1930, are held by the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa.
The league's first publication, a fortnightly news sheet called 'F.O. News', appeared in 1927 and was published for about a year, but no copies survive in SARL records. The first printed magazine, QTC, was issued in May 1928, edited by R. S. Perry, A9Z, and printed in Durban. The SARL now publishes Radio ZS twelve times a year, a name derived from the call sign prefix block assigned to South Africa by the International Telecommunication Union.
The SARL's objective is to encourage, develop, and promote all activities connected with amateur radio, wireless communications, computer science, and radio science, as well as to protect amateur radio frequency allocations and promote international goodwill. Its emergency communications division, HAMNET, provides communications for emergencies and can mobilise experienced communicators with their own radio equipment to back up official channels or take over when all else fails.
Reader's Guide
The South African Radio League has played a central role in shaping amateur radio in South Africa through regulatory advocacy, emergency communications, and scientific collaboration. It successfully negotiated with ICASA for experimental frequencies on the 5 MHz band in 2013, conducting propagation research ahead of the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference, and later proposed allocations for amateur use on a secondary basis. The league's partnership with the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory on ionospheric research projects, involving beacon transmitters at 7.023 MHz and 5290 kHz, has combined scientific study with educational outreach, including school participation where children assemble simple receivers and compete to decode secret messages. Through its affiliate AMSAT SA, the SARL participated in two satellite projects: SUNSAT with Stellenbosch University, which carried a packet radio service and speech transponders, and SumbandilaSat (OSCAR 67), launched in 2009, which carried an amateur 2 m/70 cm transponder and digitalker for disaster management and educational outreach before de-orbiting in December 2021. The league also publishes a weekly shortwave programme, Amateur Radio Today, and provides members with an online QSL system, examination opportunities, and a marketplace for trading equipment.
Did You Know?
- The SARL's first publication, 'F.O. News', appeared in 1927 but no copies survive in league records.
- The league's emergency communications division is called HAMNET.
- The SARL collaborated on the SUNSAT satellite with Stellenbosch University's department of electronic engineering.
- SumbandilaSat (OSCAR 67) de-orbited on 10 December 2021 after its mission concluded.
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