New Amateur / Ham Radio Band on 5 MHz

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During the recent WRC-15 convention in Geneva,  a new amateur service allocation at 5 MHz was approved 

The small 15 kHz allocation between 5351.5 - 5366.5 kHz is the first new allocation at HF since the WARC of 1979.  

After intense pressure from the Fixed service primary user, power limits have been set at 15 Watts eirp in Regions 1 and 3, 20 Watts eirp in Mexico and 25 Watts eirp in Central America, South America and most of the Caribbean area.

Region 1 Member Societies not having an allocation under Article 4.4 of the Radio Regulations are urged to contact their administration to have this narrow segment included in their licence, although the new Radio Regulations will not come into force until January 1, 2017.

IARU Region 1 - http://iaru-r1.org/

New Amateur Radio Licence Guidance

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Ofcom have  issued its long-awaited updated 'Amateur Radio – Guidance for Licensees' document 

The PDF document is intended to offer advice and clarification on the updated licence conditions.

Some Foundation and Intermediate holders had been under the mistaken impression they could not operate from a vessel in areas such as the Bristol Channel, the Solent, the Thames Estuary or the Wash. 

The guidance provides further clarification on this matter and references a map, The Territorial Sea Limits of the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, which show the "Internal Waters" where Foundation and Intermediate Amateur Radio Licence holders can operate from a vessel.

In these water Foundation and Intermediate holders may either sign their home call sign or optionally add a /M suffix if they wish.

The Ofcom guidance can be download - http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radiocommunication-licences/amateur-radio/licensing-updates/guidance-oct2015/

Territorial Sea Limit Map - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/
attachment_data/file/447200/UK_TS_2015_A4.pdf

Netherlands 5 MHz Allocation

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The 5350 to 5450 kHz section of the 5Mhz Amateur / Ham Radio Band (60 metres) has been incorporated into the Netherlands National Frequency Plan, published on 2nd November 2015 in the Official Gazette. 

Holders of the Dutch Full amateur licence are expected to be able to use the new band from the middle of November.

VERON News - http://tinyurl.com/Netherlands-5MHz

Dutch regulator Agentschap Telecom announcement - http://tinyurl.com/Netherlands-AT-5MHz