Google use 71-76 and 81-86 GHz Amateur Bands

Google has told the FCC its secret airborne network is “nothing to worry about” 

Google has told the US government that it believes its secret airborne network won't interfere with any existing networks and won't harm any people or animals. Google has been hoping to perform a "two-year nationwide test" of the network and recently addressed some concerns people had raised about it.

In the filing, Google only calls the project a "nationwide testing of airborne and terrestrial transmitters in the 71-76 and 81-86 GHz bands (collectively, the E-band)." It wants to keep the project a secret, but all signs point to it being for Project Loon, Google's airborne network of balloons which it has primarily tested in New Zealand. The application is signed by Astro Teller, the head of Google's "X" division, which houses Project Loon.

Full Story -  
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/01/google-tells-the-fcc-its-secret-airborne-network-is-nothing-to-worry-about/

Google Project Loon - https://www.google.com/loon/how/ 

Google's letter to FCC regarding 0747-EX-PL-2015 - https://apps.fcc.gov/els/GetAtt.html?id=171957&x

Irish Spectrum Strategy Consultation

ComReg, the communications regulator in Eire, is consulting on the Draft Radio Spectrum Strategy for 2016 to 2018

Amateur radio in mentioned several times in the consultation document including:

• 3.27 Licences for business radio, aircraft radio and radio amateurs are the next most voluminous licence type. As of 30 June 2015, there were 4,179 live licences for these services, representing circa 24% of all live licences. While the number of radio amateur and aircraft radio licences has remained relatively constant over the few years, the number of business radio licences has declined significantly from 2,682 licences in 2009 to 1,051 licences in 2015 (a 61% decrease over this 6 year period).
• 6.2 ComReg has identified the following work plan items for radio amateur services for the period 2016 to 2018:
  • i. Consider a possible new allocation to the amateur service on a secondary basis in the band 5 351.5-5 366.5 kHz in line with the outcome of agenda item 1.4 of WRC15; and
  • ii. Consider additional spectrum allocations to the amateur services in the bands 30 – 49 MHz and 52 – 70.5 MHz to facilitate propagation beacons, digital amateur television repeaters and to align current allocations with those in the European Common Allocation Table.

The consultation closes on Monday 18th January 2016.

Download the consultation document - http://www.comreg.ie/publications/consultation_on_radio_spectrum_
management_strategy_2016_to_2018.583.105008.p.html

60m Access for Dutch Amateur / Radio Hams

Amateur / Ham radio operators in the Netherlands have gained access to 5350 to 5450 kHz at 2300 UT from Tuesday 2nd December 2015 

The 5350 to 5450 kHz band (60 meters) was incorporated into the Netherlands National Frequency Plan published in the Official Gazette on Monday 2nd November 2015, however official permission to use the band was not received until early December 2015.

Holders of the Dutch Full amateur licence are permitted to run up to 100 watts PEP. VERON is recommending that Upper Sideband (USB) is be used in the new band.

VERON News - http://tinyurl.com/VERON-news
VERON Twitter - https://twitter.com/VERON_Nederland

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