Close down of channel 1 and Amateur use of 50 to 51 MHz

New Zealand's last Channel 1 Television transmitter is due to close down at the end of November and RSM has advised that from 6th December 2013 onwards (just in time for the annual VHF/UHF/SHF Field Day Contest) Amateurs throughout New Zealand will have access to the bottom end of the 6 metre band (50 to 51 MHz) without needing to apply for a permit.

Note that the management right under which the channel 1 television transmitters operated does not expire until August 2015 so 50 - 51 MHz can not appear on the  Amateur General User Radio Licence until after this date.

Instead RSM are putting in place licence No 4122 which will say that“Persons who hold a New Zealand General Amateur Operator’s Certificate of Competency and a callsign issued pursuant to the Radiocommunications Regulations 2001 may operate an amateur radio station under this licence”.

The power on the licence will be 30 dBW (1 kW) to bring it into line with the power on the General User Radio Licence for Amateur Operators.

When Management Right 47 expires on the 30 August 2015, 50/51 MHz will be added to the General User Radio Licence for Amateur Operators.

Final spectrum plan for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

Ofcom has published the final update to its plan for managing the airwaves during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

The final spectrum plan sets out how Ofcom will make spectrum available for applications such as wireless microphones and cameras and the wireless communications equipment used by team members, sports officials, organisers and support staff.

The plan outlines how Ofcom will license the use of spectrum and minimise the risk of interference, to meet the UK and Scottish Governments’ guarantees on allocating spectrum for the organisation of the 2014 Games between 23 July and 3 August 2014.

Regarding amateur radio the statement says:

RSGB highlighted the support they had provided to London 2012, for example in supporting sharing of the 430 MHz with Games Family users. They stressed that such arrangements would take time to implement and that adequate notice would be needed to facilitate them. As set out in Section 4, lower spectrum demands means that we have no such plans. However, should demand exceed significantly our projections we may review this position, and Ofcom would engage with the amateur community at the earliest opportunity.

More generally the RSGB highlighted the popularity of such events with the amateur radio community and indicated a desire to engage in a dialogue with Ofcom about how such activity could be supported

The statement notes that wireless cameras will be operating in 1900–2500 MHz, 3400–3500 MHz and 10300-10400 MHz

In cooperation with the UKSSC Ofcom will seek to ensure that no GPS Jamming Trials are carried out during the period of the Games that could affect the availability of radionavigation satellite services (e.g. Global Positioning Service).

Statement PDF - http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/glasgow2014/statement/CWG14_update_final.pdf

The Spectrum Plan for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games: Statement - http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/glasgow2014/statement/

New IARU Region 2 Band Plan

One of the most important achievements of the IARU Region 2 General Assembly held in Cancun, Mexico, September 2013 was the revision of band plans

Band plans are recommendations for the voluntary use of the frequencies assigned to radio amateurs. They seek an efficient use of our spectrum, the prevention of interference between compatible modes, and a standardized use in the three IARU Regions.

IARU Region 2 counts on a specific procedure for modifications to its band plan. It starts practically one year before the General Assembly, and all Member Societies in IARU Region 2 are invited to participate.

For the first time ever, definitions are included to organize the concepts used in the band plan, as well as the proposed use of spectrum for the bands between 6 meters and 1 millimeter. As in previous years, the allocation of bands between 2200 meters and 10 meters was revised.

The IARU Region 2 band plan - http://www.iaru-r2.org/documents/explorer/files/Plan%20de%20bandas%20|%20Band-plan/R2%20Band%20Plan%202013.pdf