Irish radio amateurs get new MF allocation

The Irish Radio Transmitters Society have been informed by ComReg that the band segment 472 to 479 kHz becomes available to all licensed radio amateurs in Ireland, on a secondary basis, with effect from 1 January 2013.

The maximum power is 5 watts (7 dBW) and the modes available are CW, QRSS, and narrow band digital modes.

Stations in the Amateur service operating in this band shall not cause harmful interference to, or claim protection from, stations of the aeronautical radionavigation service or stations of the maritime service. The amateur service shall ensure that no harmful interference is caused to the frequency 490 kHz which is used exclusively for the transmission by coast stations of navigational and meteorological and urgent information to ships.

This announcement arises from a decision taken at WRC-12 and is the result of a number of years of lobbying by the IARU and its Member Societies worldwide. The Test Licence held from ComReg by IRTS under which a number of licensed amateurs were given permission to operate in the band segment 501 to 504 kHz expires on 2 January 2013.

Licensed amateurs who had received such permission must cease operation on 501 to 504 kHz as and from Wednesday 2 January 2013 at the latest.

The Society appreciates that ComReg has made this new allocation available to licensed radio amateurs from the earliest date possible under the WRC-12 decision.