[1] Through its work, it represents the interests of the UK's 80,000 licensed radio amateurs in the United Kingdom and certain dependent territories of the United Kingdom at the International Amateur Radio Union, acting as a medium for communication between the licensed operators and the UK government.

The RSGB has traditionally acted as the organisation through which its members interact with the telecommunications regulatory authority of the United Kingdom, Ofcom.

Although Ofcom has used its web site to solicit opinions directly from all amateur radio enthusiasts and other interested parties, the RSGB continues to advise and to seek to influence Ofcom on the likely impact of proposed changes in many areas – from decisions on spectrum and licensing, through to interference arising from intruders or from spurious emissions from electronic equipment such as Solar Panels, VDSL or PLT.

The roots of the Radio Society of Great Britain can traced back to the formation of the London Wireless Club, inaugurated in West Hampstead on 5 July 1913.

[citation needed] During World War II, the entire RSGB Council and many of its members were recruited into MI8, also known as the Radio Security Service.

[10][11] On 28 March 2011, the Board announced that the RSGB's general manager had left the Society's employment after the discovery of financial irregularities, allegedly for the amount of £41,000.

[14] It has exhibits and demonstrations of wireless technology, the GB3RS radio station, and the RSGB archives in a newly constructed building close to the main Bletchley Park entrance.

There are two other online publications: The Radio Society of Great Britain has had a Royal Family Member as their patron for many years.