146 MHz allocation for UK Full licence holders

Ofcom has published a statement setting out plans for the release and allocation of spectrum returned to civil use by the Emergency Services

The statement sets out Ofcom's decision for portions of the 5.875 MHz of Very High Frequency (VHF) spectrum in the 143 - 169 MHz band. They believe this spectrum will be of most interest to business radio users, such as utility and construction companies.

The spectrum will be made available on a first-come-first-served basis. However, it will also be released through a managed and gradual approach in order to maintain maximum flexibility for the band in the future, should new types of demand emerge.

As part of this process, Ofcom will also allocate and licence spectrum to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to replace channels no longer available due to changes in international frequency arrangements.

This approach will not require the use of all available spectrum immediately, therefore some of this spectrum will be made available, on a temporary basis, for amateur radio at 146.0 – 147.0 MHz and Ofcom will continue to provide short term access to Programme Making and Special Events users.

Subject to some geographical restrictions Full licence holders will gain access to the new allocation via a Notice of Variation (NoV) which should be available via the RSGB website from the end of October.

Read the Ofcom statement - http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/vhf-143-169mhz/statement/VHF_Release_statement.pdf

Brazil proposes 5275 kHz to 5450 kHz allocation

The National Telecommunications Agency of Brazil will propose new Amateur Service allocation from 5275 to 5450 kHz in the next meeting of the PCC.II (Permanent Consultative Committee II: Radio communications) of CITEL (Inter-American Telecommunication Commission), from 29 September - 4 October 2014 at Mérida City, Mexico.

The new allocation in secondary status for Amateur Service around 5300 kHz has been discussed since 2012 as agenda item 1.4 of the World Radio communication Conference 2015 (WRC-15 by International Telecommunications Union - ITU), while since 2002 the band is subject of various authorized experimental transmissions did by amateurs around the world.

The decision occurred last 11 September 2014 at the Brazilian Communications Commissions (CBC in Portuguese), a consultative committee for WRC-15 subjects lead by Anatel and formed by government, industry and representatives of the society.

LABRE, the Brazilian Amateur Radio Association, is one of the very active members of CBC through your ad-hoc working group devoted to Spectrum Defense and Management (GDE in Portuguese). The LABRE suggestions were approved at CBC and will constitute a Preliminary Proposal for CITEL.

The 5275-5450 kHz contiguous secondary allocation is the widest segment recently suggested by compatibility and sharing studies at ITU, but the Preliminary Proposal will also consider national adaptations since it will include a footnote where is described that each national administration can provide additional constraints to provide further compatibility with existing services, considering their national and local spectrum realities, for example taking effective by their national regulations lower power outputs levels, selections of specific modes, adoptions of restricted frequency segments or channels, etc.

Despite Canada and Brazil being the first countries in Region 2 to officially support Amateur Service around 5300 MHz, several others already have authorized domestic allocations considering past successful experiments. LABRE is working with Anatel to provide experimental licensees and also join the international activities and keep studying the spectrum.

The LABRE/GDE presentation at Anatel/CBC is available at GDE´s library weblink.

The GDE working group of LABRE not only involves spectrum management field, but also radio monitoring and national EMC rulemaking process. LABRE Sao Paulo and voluntaries are regularly supporters for keep the institutional activities.

More information - http://www.radioamadores.org

No Ham Radio 4 metre band for US

The FCC has denied a Petition for Rule Making filed earlier this year by Glen E. Zook, K9STH, of Richardson, Texas, seeking to add a 4 meter band to Amateur Radio's inventory of VHF allocations.

Zook had floated the proposal in 2010, and his petition was dated 27 January 2010, but the FCC said it did not receive it until last May.

Zook asked the Commission to allocate 70.0 to 70.5 MHz to Amateur Radio because, Zook's Petition asserted, "the recent migration of broadcast television stations to primarily UHF frequencies basically eliminates any probable interference to television channels 4 or 5." VHF TV channel 4 occupies 66 to 72 MHz.

"Because the Zook Petition is based on a faulty premise - that broadcasting use within the 70.0-70.5 MHz band will diminish or cease - its argument that amateur band users could operate without causing harmful interference to any existing service lacks sufficient support to warrant our further consideration, The FCC said in a September 17 Order denying the Petition.

The FCC pointed out that three full-power TV stations, 110 low-power TV stations and translators, and six Class A TV station now occupy channel 4 in the US. In addition, the Commission, through an "ongoing incentive auction proceeding," is attempting to "repurpose" a portion of television broadcast spectrum for broadband operations and "repack the remaining TV stations into a smaller frequency range." Under certain scenarios, the FCC said, channel 4 could become even more heavily populated by broadcast users in the future.

"Given the complexity of the incentive auction proceeding, we also conclude that it would not serve the public interest to further complicate that unique undertaking by proposing to introduce a new service into the broadcasting frequencies at this time," the FCC said. The Order noted that fixed and mobile services will continue to operate in the frequencies between channels 4 and 5 (76 to 82 MHz).

As Zook noted in his petition, a 4 meter band has been authorized for Amateur Radio use in the UK and in a number of other European and African countries. The FCC said that since it wasn't planning to grant Zook's petition, it declined to evaluate his claims "regarding the benefits that amateurs would derive from use of the band."

Zook's original proposal asked to have the FCC open up the allocation to all classes of Amateur Radio licensees.

Brian Justin, WA1ZMS, operated an Experimental Service beacon transmitter from Virginia on 70.005 MHz under the call sign WE9XFT.

At the time his Experimental license was granted in 2010, Justin told the ARRL that he was not seeking to have the FCC create a 4 meter band. "This beacon is purely for radio science for use as an E-skip detection device," he explained.

Order - http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2014/db0917/DA-14-1347A1.pdf