{"id":"F2023L01122","name":"Radiocommunications (Science and Research) Class Licence 2023","slug":"radiocommunications-science-and-research-class-licence-2023","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":104746,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2023L01122-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name","content":"#### 1 Name\n\n  This is the Radiocommunications (Science and Research) Class Licence 2023.","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commencement","content":"#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This instrument commences:\n    (a) immediately after the Radiocommunications (Science and Research) Frequency Band Plans Amendment Instrument (No. 1) 2023 commences; or\n    (b) at the start of the day after the day it is registered;\n  whichever is later.\n\n> Note 1: The Federal Register of Legislation is available, free of charge, at [www.legislation.gov.au](http://www.legislation.gov.au).\n\n> Note 2: Both of these events must occur before this instrument commences.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Authority","content":"#### 3 Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 132 of the Act.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Purpose of instrument","content":"#### 4 Purpose of instrument\n\n  The purpose of this instrument is to authorise the operation of radiocommunications devices for bona fide:\n    (a) scientific or technological research;\n    (b) education;\n    (c) demonstrations;\n    (d) tests; or\n    (e) repair and maintenance of those devices.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Interpretation","content":"#### 5 Interpretation\n\n  (1) In this instrument, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\nARPANSA standard means:\n\n    (a) the Radiation Protection Standard for Limiting Exposure to Radiofrequency Fields – 100 kHz to 300 GHz (2021) published by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency; or\n    (b) if a later document is published by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency to replace that standard – the later document.\n\nNote: The ARPANSA standard is available, free of charge, from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency’s website: [www.arpansa.gov.au](http://www.arpansa.gov.au).\n\n> dummy load: see subsection (2).\n\n> group of stations means two or more stations transmitting simultaneously on the same or multiple frequencies.\n\n> screened room means a room that prevents, or is designed to prevent, the entry or escape of radio emissions from that room.\n\n> shielded enclosure means a container or other thing that encloses a space, which prevents, or is designed to prevent, the entry or escape of radio emissions from that space.\n\n> Note 1: A number of other expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:\n\n    (a) equipment;\n    (b) frequency band;\n    (c) frequency band plan;\n    (d) operate;\n    (e) radiocommunication;\n    (f) radiocommunications receiver;\n    (g) radiocommunications transmitter;\n    (h) radio emission;\n    (i) transmitter.\n\n> Note 2: Other expressions used in this instrument may be defined in a determination made under subsection 64(1) of the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005, including:\n\n    (a) Act;\n    (b) EIRP;\n    (c) FM;\n    (d) harmful interference;\n    (e) land station;\n    (f) mobile station;\n    (g) necessary bandwidth;\n    (h) pY;\n    (i) station;\n    (j) ultra wideband station.\n  (2) A dummy load is a thing that:\n    (a) is used, or designed to be used, as a substitute for another thing that is capable of radiating radio signals that are fed to it from a transmitter (the original thing); and\n    (b) has impedance characteristics that are the same as the impedance characteristics of the original thing; and\n    (c) is both:\n    (i) incapable of radio emission; and\n    (ii) designed to prevent radio emission occurring.\n\n> Note: Example: A circuit that is connected to the antenna feed point of a radiocommunications transmitter to simulate the effects of a real antenna without allowing radio emissions caused by operation of the radiocommunications transmitter to travel further than the dummy antenna.\n\n  (3) In this instrument, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to a part of the spectrum or frequency band includes all frequencies that are greater than but not including the lower frequency, up to and including the higher frequency.\n  (4) Unless the contrary intention appears, no condition limits any other condition.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"References to other instruments","content":"#### 6 References to other instruments\n\n  In this instrument, unless the contrary intention appears:\n    (a) a reference to any other legislative instrument is a reference to that other legislative instrument as in force from time to time; and\n    (b) a reference to any other kind of instrument or writing is a reference to that other instrument or writing as in force, or existing, from time to time.\n\n> Note 1: For references to Commonwealth Acts, see section 10 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901; and see also subsection 13(1) of the Legislation Act 2003 for the application of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to legislative instruments.\n\n> Note 2: All Commonwealth Acts and legislative instruments are registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.\n\n> Note 3: See section 314A of the Act.","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"7","sectionType":"section","heading":"Class licence","content":"#### 7 Class licence\n\n  This instrument authorises a person to operate a station, subject to the conditions in sections 8 to 12 of, and Schedules 1 and 2 to, this instrument.","sortOrder":6},{"sectionNumber":"8","sectionType":"section","heading":"Condition — purpose","content":"#### 8 Condition – purpose\n\n  (1) A person must not operate a station under this instrument unless the person operates it primarily to perform one or more of the following:\n    (a) research into radiocommunications;\n    (b) investigation of radiocommunications;\n    (c) instruction in radiocommunications;\n    (d) demonstration of equipment;\n    (e) testing of equipment;\n    (f) trials of new radiocommunications technology;\n    (g) radio propagation path testing;\n    (h) repair and maintenance of the station.","sortOrder":7},{"sectionNumber":"9","sectionType":"section","heading":"Condition — identification","content":"#### 9 Condition – identification\n\n  (1) A person must not operate, under this instrument, a station that is, or includes, at least one radiocommunications transmitter otherwise than in accordance with one of subsections (2) or (3).\n  (2) A person operates a station in accordance with this subsection if the person transmits sufficient information about the location and nature of the station to identify the station at the start of each transmission, or at the start of each series of transmissions.\n  (3) A person operates a station in accordance with this subsection if the station is operated:\n    (a) to transmit information that is inaudible; or\n    (b) using a mode of transmission such that it is not practicable to identify the station in accordance with subsection (2).","sortOrder":8},{"sectionNumber":"10","sectionType":"section","heading":"Condition — controlled emissions, or uncontrolled emissions on permitted frequencies","content":"#### 10 Condition – controlled emissions, or uncontrolled emissions on permitted frequencies\n\n  (1) A person must not operate a station under this instrument otherwise than in accordance with one or more of the following:\n    (a) subsection (2);\n    (b) subsection (3);\n    (c) if the station is a land station – subsection (4);\n    (d) if the station is a mobile station – subsection (5);\n    (e) if the station is an ultra wideband station – subsection (6).\n  (2) A person operates a station in accordance with this subsection if all emissions of electromagnetic energy from the station that the person intends the station to emit are dissipated into a dummy load.\n  (3) A person operates a station in accordance with this subsection if:\n    (a) the station is operated in a screened room or a shielded enclosure; and\n    (b) the signal level of the radio emissions caused by the station at each point of the external surface of the screened room or shielded enclosure is not greater than the mean level of ambient radiofrequency noise in the place the screened room or shielded enclosure is located.\n  (4) A person operates a land station in accordance with this subsection if:\n    (a) where the station is, or includes, at least one radiocommunications transmitter – the station operates to transmit on a frequency mentioned in column 2 of an item in the table at Schedule 1; and\n    (b) where the station is, or includes, at least one radiocommunications receiver – the station operates to receive on a frequency mentioned in column 3 of an item in the table at Schedule 1; and\n    (c) where the station is, or includes, at least one radiocommunications transmitter and at least one radiocommunications receiver – the item mentioned in paragraph (a) for the station is the same item as mentioned in paragraph (b) for the station; and\n    (d) the station is operated in accordance with the conditions (if any) mentioned in column 4 of the same item as mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) for the station.\n  (5) A person operates a mobile station in accordance with this subsection if:\n    (a) where the station is, or includes, at least one radiocommunications transmitter – the station operates to transmit on a frequency mentioned in column 3 of an item in the table at Schedule 1; and\n    (b) where the station is, or includes, at least one radiocommunications receiver – the station operates to receive on a frequency mentioned in column 2 of an item in the table at Schedule 1; and\n    (c) where the station is, or includes, at least one radiocommunications transmitter and at least one radiocommunications receiver – the item mentioned in paragraph (a) for the station is the same item as mentioned in paragraph (b) for the station; and\n    (d) the station is operated in accordance with the conditions (if any) mentioned in column 4 of the same item as mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) for the station.\n  (6) A person operates an ultra wideband station in accordance with this subsection if the station is operated:\n    (a) on a frequency in a frequency band mentioned in column 2 of an item in Table 1 at Schedule 2; and\n    (b) in accordance with the conditions mentioned in column 3 of that item.","sortOrder":9},{"sectionNumber":"11","sectionType":"section","heading":"Condition — harmful interference","content":"#### 11 Condition – harmful interference\n\n  A person must not operate a station under this instrument if its operation causes harmful interference to radiocommunications.","sortOrder":10},{"sectionNumber":"12","sectionType":"section","heading":"Condition — public exposure limits","content":"#### 12 Condition – public exposure limits\n\n  A person must not operate a station, or a group of stations, under this instrument if the electromagnetic energy emitted by the station, or group of stations, exceeds the general public exposure limits specified in the ARPANSA standard.\n\n> Note: .","sortOrder":11}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation appears tightly focused on its original purpose of authorising radiocommunications for science, research, education and related activities. The scope has not expanded beyond this core purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple nested conditions in section 10 with five alternative compliance pathways (subsections 2-6) that depend on station type (land, mobile, ultra wideband)","Cross-referencing between sections 10(4) and 10(5) where transmit and receive frequencies are swapped between land and mobile stations (column 2 vs column 3 in Schedule 1)","Requirement to match item numbers across transmit and receive operations in section 10(4)(c) and 10(5)(c)","Incorporation of external documents by reference (ARPANSA standard) which may be updated over time","Defined terms rely on both the Act (Radiocommunications Act 1992) and a separate determination under the ACMA Act 2005, creating a three-layer definition structure","Conditional commencement clause requiring coordination with a separate frequency band plans amendment instrument","Technical terminology requiring specialised knowledge (EIRP, necessary bandwidth, dummy load, screened room, shielded enclosure)"],"plain_english_summary":"This creates a class licence allowing researchers, educators, technicians and organisations to operate radio equipment for science, testing, demonstrations, R&D and repair without individual licences. It applies automatically to those who meet the licence conditions.\n\nIt matters because it streamlines legitimate work while requiring safeguards — identification, containment or authorised frequencies, non‑interference and public‑exposure limits — so research can proceed without disrupting services or risking radiation exposure."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument establishes a standalone class licence authorising operation of stations for specified science and research purposes and prescribes conditions (see s.4; ss.7–12). The text does not expressly amend or narrow a prior licence; commencement is linked to a separate frequency band plans amendment instrument but the instrument itself sets out authorisations and limits rather than purporting to change pre-existing statutory scope."},"complexity_factors":["Technical emission and safety requirements referencing external standards (ARPANSA standard) (see s.5 definition of ARPANSA standard; s.12).","Multiple operational condition streams for different station types (general, land, mobile, ultra wideband) with cross-references to Schedules 1 and 2 (see s.10(1)–(6), Schedule 1, Schedule 2).","Identification and signalling rules that vary by transmission mode and practicability (see s.9(1)–(3)).","Use of specialised equipment concepts (dummy load, screened room, shielded enclosure) with technical limits on external signal levels (see s.5(2); s.10(2)–(3)).","Prohibition tied to an operational fact pattern—causing harmful interference—requiring factual and technical assessment for compliance and enforcement (see s.11).","Dependence on other instruments and statutory definitions (references to the Act, frequency band plans amendment instrument, and determinations under other Acts) that affect interpretation and permitted frequencies (see ss.2, 3, 6; notes in s.5).","Schedules (not reproduced here) supply frequency tables and conditions, creating external lookups for permitted operation (see s.10(4)–(6)).","Commencement link to another legislative instrument (timing conditionality) which can affect when rights and obligations arise (see s.2)."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument creates a class licence allowing people to operate radiocommunications stations for bona fide scientific or technological research, education, demonstrations, tests, trials and repair or maintenance. It sets operational rules—who may transmit, when and how transmissions must be identified, emission controls (dummy loads, screened/ shielded enclosures, or permitted frequency use), a ban on causing harmful interference, and compliance with ARPANSA public exposure limits—so affected users can operate without an individual licence but must meet technical and safety conditions."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-science-and-research-class-licence-2023","history":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-science-and-research-class-licence-2023/history","analysis":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-science-and-research-class-licence-2023/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-science-and-research-class-licence-2023/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-science-and-research-class-licence-2023/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-science-and-research-class-licence-2023/documents"}}