wrc-19

144 – 146 MHz Removed from French Proposal for Additional Aeronautical Applications

Posted on by VA3DBJ

— From IARU

The 144 – 146 MHz Amateur Radio segment has been removed from a French proposal to study spectrum additional for Aeronautical Mobile Service (AMS) applications. France had included the band, which comprises the entire 2 meter band in ITU Region 1, for consideration as a European Conference of Telecommunications and Postal Administrations (CEPT) position for World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19). Heading into a just-ended CEPT Conference Preparatory Group (CPG) meeting in Turkey this past week, France was holding firm on the proposal to have AMS share 144 – 146 MHz with Amateur Radio. The CPG meeting considered CEPT ECC positions on this and other issues for WRC-19.

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) had called the French proposal for 144 – 146 MHz “unsound” and contended that sharing of the current amateur allocation with AMS radio systems would not be possible “without a significant likelihood of mutual interference.”

The French spectrum study proposal would have had to gain approval from at least 10 CEPT countries at the CPG meeting — with not more than 6 opposing — to appear on the agendas of WRC-19 and WRC-23, where a final decision would be made.

Also at the CEPT meeting, at the insistence of the European Commission, a WRC-23 agenda item was considered necessary to address world-wide protection of Regional Navigational Satellite Systems (RNSS) from amateur emissions in the 23 centimeter band, 1240 – 1300 MHz. Delegates agreed to a draft WRC Resolution that stresses the importance of the band to the Amateur Service and explicitly excludes the removal of existing allocations as part of the proposed agenda item. The issue stems from reported incidents of interference to the Galileo GPS E6 signal on 1278.750 MHz.

Other Amateur Radio-related issues addressed at the CEPT CPG included:

  • Agreement to a European Common Proposal (ECP) on allocating 50 – 52 MHz to the Amateur Service in Region 1 (Europe, Africa, and the Middle East) on a secondary basis, with a footnote listing those countries where the Amateur Service will have a primary allocation in the band 50 – 50.5 MHz (WRC-19 Agenda Item 1.1).
  • Agreement to an ECP on spectrum to be considered for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), which does not now include the primary Amateur Radio band at 47 – 47.2 GHz (WRC Agenda Item 1.13).
  • Agreement to an ECP that retains the current regulatory position in the 5725 – 5850 MHz band that includes secondary Amateur Radio and Amateur Satellite allocations (WRC Agenda Item 1.16).
  • No change to an already agreed upon CEPT position on wireless power transmission (WRC Agenda item 9.1.6). This calls for no change in the Radio Regulations to address the question of operating frequency for wireless power transmission for electric vehicle charging (WPT-EV), but leaves open the question of spurious emissions from WPT-EV.

IARU Region 1 President Don Beattie, G3BJ, said that the IARU team at Ankara — the only representatives of the Amateur Service at the meeting — had presented clear and convincing arguments for Amateur Radio positions and that he was pleased that regulators had recognized the strength of the amateur case. He expressed his thanks to everyone who contributed to the outcome at CPG.

CEPT is one of the six regional telecommunications organizations but viewed as the most influential. The issues now move to WRC-19 in Egypt this fall for final resolution. IARU will be represented at the international gathering, which gets under way in late October.

IARU Focuses on WRC-19 Preparation and Succession Planning

Posted on by VA3DBJ

The Administrative Council (AC) of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) held its annual in-person meeting on September 8 and 9, 2018 in Seoul, Republic of Korea, immediately prior to the IARU Region 3 Conference. The AC is responsible for the policy and management of the IARU and consists of the three IARU international officers and two representatives from each of the three IARU regional organizations.

With the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) now little more than a year away, the efforts of two dozen IARU volunteers to defend Amateur Radio’s frequency allocations against commercial pressures and to seek worldwide harmonization of the 50-54 MHz band are reaching a critical stage. Coordination of this team is an ongoing task leading up to the ITU Conference Preparatory Meeting in Geneva in February 2019 and to WRC-19 itself in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt, in October and November. The work involves presenting the IARU positions on the WRC-19 agenda items to national administrations through the IARU member-societies and actively participating in the ongoing preparations being done in regional telecommunications organizations and the ITU Radiocommunication Sector. The potential for crippling levels of interference to radiocommunications from High Power Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) for electric vehicles is high on the list of concerns.

With these challenges in mind the AC reviewed its strategic plan to develop support for Amateur spectrum allocations and approved the action plan for implementation during the remainder of 2018 and 2019. To resource the plan, the IARU budget for the years 2019-2021 was reviewed and adopted. The budget is based upon anticipated financial contributions from the IARU International Secretariat (IS) and the three regional organizations and reflects ongoing efforts to minimize expenses while maintaining the essential activities for achievement of the plan.

The IARU Constitution and Administrative Council policies define the process for filling the positions of IARU President and Vice President for five-year terms. Member-societies and the three IARU regional organizations are invited to participate in identifying qualified candidates for consideration in a consultative process between the AC and the member-society acting as the International Secretariat (IS), currently the ARRL. This process for the terms of office beginning on May 9, 2019 was initiated at the 2017 meeting of the AC and completed at the 2018 meeting. ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, formally reported that there was consensus that the incumbent President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, and Vice President Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, should be nominated for an additional term. These nominations will be submitted to the IARU member-societies for ratification by mail vote.

Looking to the future, the AC recognized the importance and urgency of succession planning and assigned it an immediate and high priority. Individuals with the qualifications, skills, and willingness to fill volunteer technical and leadership positions must be identified on an ongoing basis in order to maintain the availability of essential personnel resources. Training must be provided so that the volunteer team can function effectively in a rapidly changing regulatory environment.

The growth of Amateur Radio, especially how to attract young people, is a common concern of IARU member-societies. The AC will set out to identify those barriers to growth that the IARU can assist member-societies to address and will encourage member-societies to share successful strategies for growth with one another.

The AC noted with pleasure that considerable progress has been made to develop consistent branding across the IARU and its three regional organizations and thanked the team that has been working on a common design for the four websites. The design was agreed and plans are underway for implementation in the coming months.

The IARU policy on QSL bureaus has been under review for several years. While the IARU QSL bureau system continues to be important for many member-societies and individual Amateurs, escalating expenses represent a growing financial burden for others. Unwanted and undeliverable QSL cards are increasingly recognized as an environmental concern. Possible amendments to the policy continue to be developed for consideration.

In addition to the ITU Radiocommunication Sector the IARU is engaged with the Development Sector, particularly with regard to emergency communication. Additional areas of continuing activity that represent significant effort by volunteer coordinators, advisors, and others include Amateur satellite frequency coordination, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and the International Beacon Project. Reports from these coordinators and advisors were received with thanks. The AC agreed to maintain its modest annual financial support of the Beacon Project.

The AC noted the actions taken by the IS and the regions to address the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union and agreed to review its implications on an ongoing basis.

After consideration of several possible alternatives the theme for World Amateur Radio Day, April 18, 2019, was confirmed as “Celebrating Amateur Radio’s Contribution to Society”.

Attending the meeting were IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA; Vice President Ole Garpestad, LA2RR; Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ; regional representatives Don Beattie, G3BJ, Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, Reinaldo Leandro, YV5AM, Ramón Santoyo, XE1KK, Gopal Madhavan, VU2GMN, and Peter Young, VK3MV. Present as observers were regional executive committee members Jay Bellows, K0QB, Ken Yamamoto, JA1CJP, and Don Wallace, ZL2TLL.

The next in-person meeting of the AC is scheduled to be held immediately prior to the IARU Region 2 Conference in Lima, Peru at the end of September 2019. Virtual AC meetings will be held by teleconference as required.

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