The Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
-- the spectrum regulators for United States private sector and
government users, respectively -- have agreed to support a secondary MF
allocation to the Amateur Radio Service at 461-469 kHz and 471-478 kHz
at the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12),
to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from January 23-February 17, 2012.
FCC and NTIA officials formally presented the proposal at a meeting of
the Second Permanent Consultative Committee (PCC.II) of the
Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), held August 30-September 3 in Fortaleza, Brazil.
According to ARRL Chief Technology Officer Brennan Price, N4QX, the
proposal reconciles two widely divergent proposals for WRC-12 Agenda
Item 1.23, adopted by consensus of the private sector and government
users. Agenda Item 1.23 calls on WRC-12 “to consider an allocation of
about 15 kHz in parts of the band 415-526.5 kHz to the amateur service
on a secondary basis, taking into account the need to protect existing
services.” The FCC’s WRC-12 Advisory Committee (WAC)
had adopted a proposal for a secondary amateur allocation at 495-510
kHz, but the NTIA, acting on the advice of government maritime
interests, initially supported no change from the status quo.
“I am pleased that the United States is taking an affirmative
position on Agenda Item 1.23,” Price said “While the proposed frequency
bands differ from both what the ARRL proposed and the private sector
supported by consensus during WAC deliberations, it is gratifying that
government interests have backed off a no change position.”
Some maritime interests, both domestically and internationally, have
expressed opposition to any amateur allocation in the range 415-526.5
kHz, citing existing narrowband direct printing applications at 490 and
518 kHz, as well as future plans for the band that have yet to be fully
characterized, Price explained. To the extent future maritime uses of
the band have been discussed, the focus has been on the 495-505 kHz
segment. Despite the lack of plans for the remainder of the range under
consideration, the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
has adopted a draft position of “no change” and has communicated this
position to the ITU. IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, has met with IMO
officials in efforts to soften this position.
“The road to a favorable outcome for Agenda Item 1.23 at WRC-12
remains treacherous,” Price said. “The IMO is a respected organization,
and their opinion carries weight. It’s up to us to continue to make the
case that a secondary allocation can be made while protecting existing
services, both to the IMO and to the ITU Member States who will make the
decisions at WRC-12.”
Technical Relations Specialist Jon Siverling, WB3ERA, represented the
ARRL on the United States delegation to the CITEL PCC.II meeting. From
that meeting, he notes other matters of concern to the Amateur Radio
Service:
Regarding Agenda Item 1.14, considering an allocation to the
radiolocation service between 30-300 MHz, the United States proposed
that no change be made in ITU Region 2 and suggested that changes in
other regions should be addressed by country-by-country footnotes to the
ITU Radio Regulations. Proponents appear to be focusing on 154-156 MHz.Regarding Agenda Item 1.19, considering regulatory provisions
for software defined radio (SDR) and cognitive radio systems (CRS),
sufficient support for a United States proposal of “no change” was
garnered to have the proposal deemed a region-wide Inter-American
proposal. The status quo reduces the risk of provisions in the Radio Regulations
that could curtail experimentation in SDR and CRS by the Amateur
Service and reduce the portability of equipment across international
boundaries.
Topic: New Ham Bands ? (Read 1308 times)