Interesting info about ORRA & Off Road Radio 'licenses'.

[Mad Manny]

Firstly, you do NOT get issued with a Off Road Radio License, it's a USER AUTHORITY.

A little about ORRA from their Website

Who we are...
ORRA was started in 1977 by the 4x4 ATV Club (then the Jeep Club of Southern Africa), the Land Rover Owners Club of Southern Africa and the Four Wheel Drive Club of Southern Africa.

The first radios that were licenced to ORRA by the then Post Office for use in the 4x4 environment was the 27MHz (CB radios) in 1977.

In 1979 the Post Office decided not to reissue licences to ORRA for the 27MHz frequency but to change the licence for use by ORRA to the 29MHz frequency that is still being used today.

In 2005 ORRA decided to approach ICASA with a request for the issuing of VHF licence for use in the 4x4 environment as well. In 2006 ICASA issued the first two frequencies to ORRA.

During 2011 ORRA approached ICASA for an additional VHF frequency. This request was approved and a third VHF frequency was licenced. This resulted in that ORRA decided to extend the use of the VHF band and 9 channels were allocated for use by its members.

[Mad Manny]

Can you use your Radio, legally, in Botswana & Namibia if you have an ORRA User Authority?

In 2018 ORRA obtained licenses for our current VHF frequencies in Botswana and Namibia.
The Communication Regulatory Authorities on both Namibia and Botswana have after protracted negotiations agreed to license ORRA to use the same frequencies that we are currently licensed for in South Africa, in their Countries.

This implies that ORRA may authorise its members to use the ORRA license for their VHF radios in Namibia
as far as Botswana is concerned their laws provide that each unit must be licensed. In this regard ORRA has obtained a license.
The ORRA license will be used as basis to apply on behalf of our members for a temporary license for the said member.

Members planning trips to Namibia and/or Botswana must contact our administrator for assistance to obtain the necessary documentation.
The process must be initiated at least four weeks before your date of departure.

A member will have to complete an internal application form and provide proof of payment of the relevant fees in order for the Administrator to initiate the process to either issue an additional authorization for Namibia and/or apply for a temporary license for Botswana.

These documents must be accompanied by your ORRA User Authorisation Card when visiting these countries.
The User Authorisation Card on its own will not be sufficient proof of licensing in Namibia and/or Botswana.

[Mad Manny]

Which of the 4x4 Clubs are recognised by ORRA & can obtain an ORRA User Authority?

There are 29 Clubs, 6 are for Land Rovers & a further 6 are Brand-Specific.

They have the 4x4 Action Group down as a Gauteng Club, but we are a National Club.

1. 4x4 ATV Club - National Club
2. Four Wheel Drive Club of Southern Africa AWDCSA - National Club
3. Land Rover Owners Club of Southern Africa LROC - National Club
4. SARZA - National Club
5. Unimog Freunde Club of South Africa - National Club
6. Mercedes Gelandewagen Club of SA - National Club
7. 4x4 Offroad Adventure Club - National Club
8. Jeep Club SA - National Club
9. Isuzu Offroad Club IOC - National Club
10. 4x4 Megaworld Off Road Club National Club
11. Toyota 4x4 Owners Club Gauteng
12. 4x4 Action Group
13. Fintastic All Wheel Drive Club Gauteng
14. Nissan Off-Road Club Gauteng
15. Off Road Marshall Unit Gauteng
16. Lowveld 4x4 Club Mpumalanga
17. Elands 4x4 Club Mpumalanga
19. Land Rover Owners Club SA Lowveld Chapter Mpumalanga
20. Cradock 4x4 Klub Eastern Cape
21. Cederberg 4x4 Club Western Cape
22. Land Rover Family Club Western Cape
23. Cape Land Rover Club Western Cape
24. Western Cape Off-Road Camping Club Western Cape
25. FWDC of SA – KZN Midlands Club KwaZulu-Natal
26. Amatola Off Road Club East London, Border
27. Land Rover Owners Namibia Namibia
28. Land Cruiser Club of Southern Africa National
29. Allroad Adventures SA Club Gauteng

You will notice that the Hilux Club is not listed, this is because they have their own frequencies.
The 4x4 Community Forum is also not listed, ORRA does not recognise the 4x4 Community Forum as a Club (which it isn't) but they do issue ICASA Licenses, also for different frequencies.

[iandvl]

To be technical, it's not actually a license but an authorisation. The authorisation is valid for specific frequencies.

An ORRA authorisation entitles you to use three different frequencies - 161.1500MHz, 160,4500MHz and 152.6625MHz.

These are split into 9 different channels using different tones.

ORRA1, ORRA3 and ORRA8 all use 161.15MHz. The first two are toned with 131.8 and 118.8 respectivly. The last one is untoned.
ORRA2, ORRA4 and ORRA9 all use 160,4500MHz. The first two are toned with 131.8 and 118.8 respectivly. The last one is untoned.
ORRA5, ORRA6 and ORRA7 all use 152.6625MHz. The first two are toned with 131.8 and 118.8 respectivly. The last one is untoned.

The 4x4community authorisation is valid for the same frequencies as ORRA and they make use of the same tone arrangement, which makes their radio programming fully compatible with ORRA.

Tones are an inaudible code that is transmitted along with the voice. The tone will ensure that squelch will only open if the channel you are using is programmed to receive on the same tone.

So, for example, if you are on ORRA8 and somebody transmits on ORRA1, you will receive the transmission but you will not be able to speak back.

Interestingly enough, the Hilux authorisation is for a single frequency - 152.6625MHz. This is broken up into two channels - one toned with 192.8 and the other with D114N. This frequency is also covered under the ORRA authorisation, so in short, if you want to listen in on the Hilux club, you can by switching your transceiver to ORRA7. You just won't be able to speak back unless you have your radio programmed to include the last mentioned tones too.

[Mad Manny]

Thanks Ian.
Most interesting.

[Bugger]

Interesting info re the Hilux club

[BushWacker]

... there are generally active police/military anti-poaching units etc in Botswana G-Reserves and , as I recall, they use Ch4 ... and get upset if visitors use it.

( ... They also didnt appreciate me driving into one of their camps by mistake ... but there were no Guards at the gate!)

[PsyPhin]

Sooo, checking the ORRA rules, who is 4x4AGs radio officer?

[Mad Manny]

Ian and I...

[BushWacker]

“ … Copy … “