August 30, 2019
For immediate release:
There has been a concern understandably in the Amateur community over a proposal made by France to study reallocating144 146 MHz to the aeronautical navigation service at a World Radiocommunication Conference, likely in 2023, to accommodate the growing number of aircraft employing new navigation tracking and communication aids.
At the meeting of the Conference Preparatory Group of the Conseil Europëen des Postes et Radiocommunication (CEPT) which concluded on August 30 in Ankara, Turkey France modified its proposal that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) study several frequency segments for sharing with the Aeronautical Mobile Service and withdrew the 144 to 146 MHz segment from the proposal. This welcome development was the result of an energetic and professional representation by delegates from the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).
Several other issues which will be considered in the upcoming World Radiocommunication Conference and impacting Amateur Radio were also decided at the CEPT meeting and these are addressed in the news bulletin issued by Region 1 of the IARU and which is provided below.
CEPT CPG finalizes its positions for WRC-19
http://www.iaru.org/newsevents/cept-cpg-finalizes-its-positions-for-wrc-19
The CEPT Conference Preparatory Group met this week in Ankara, Turkey. Items of interest to the Amateur Service which were finalized were:
Agreement to a European Common Proposal (ECP) on allocating 50 – 52 MHz to the Amateur Service in Region 1 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 Agenda Item 1.1)
Agreement to an ECP on spectrum to be considered for International Mobile Telecommunications, which does not now include the primary Amateur 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 frequency band which includes secondary allocations to the Amateur Service and the Amateur Satellite Service (WRC Agenda Item 1.16)
Removal of 144 – 146 MHz from a French proposal for study of additional spectrum for aeronautical applications. (WRC Agenda Item 10)
At the insistence of the European Commission, a WRC-23 agenda item was considered necessary to address the worldwide protection of Regional Navigational Satellite Systems from Amateur emissions in the band 1240 – 1300 MHz. A draft WRC Resolution was agreed which underlines the importance of this frequency band to the Amateur Service and explicitly excludes the removal of existing allocations as part of the proposed agenda item. (WRC Agenda Item 10)
There was no change to the already agreed CEPT position on Wireless Power Transmission (WRC Agenda item 9.1.6). This states that no change is needed in the Radio Regulations to address the question of operating frequency for WPT-EV, but leaves open the question of spurious emissions from WPT-EV.
Commenting on the outcome of CPG, 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 the Amateur Service position and he was pleased that regulators had recognized the strength of the Amateur case. He expressed his thanks to everyone who had contributed to the outcome at CPG.
The issues now move to the World Radiocommunication Conference in Egypt in November for final resolution. The IARU will be there.
Closing Comments
These developments, highlighted by the threat to our two-metre band worldwide, draw attention once again to the important role being played by dedicated Radio Amateurs throughout the world working through the IARU as well as on the delegations of numerous ITU national delegations including Canadas and who are helping ensure that the Amateur Radio Service as we know it will continue to survive and thrive.
Bryan Rawlings, VE3QN
Special Advisor to World Radiocommunication Conferences
Radio Amateurs of Canada
More info: https://www.rac.ca/update-on-two-metres-sharing-proposal/
Also available in Español (Spanish).