NZ 77-81 GHz Radiolocation and Vehicle Radar

/

The New Zealand communications regulator has announced that ground-based radio location including automotive radar will be permitted to use 77-81 GHz 

The Radiocommunications Regulations (General User Radio Licence for Short Range Devices) Notice was updated to include a new provision covering the frequency range 77-81 GHz.  This provision is for the purpose of ground-based radio location use, including automotive short range radar technology. 

The provision is in line with the outcomes of the World Radiocommunication Conference that concluded in November 2015. 
 
The decision made under WRC-15 Agenda item 1.18 is to allocate the frequency range 77.5-78 GHz to radio location on a primary basis.  This enables a contiguous block of spectrum in the band 77-81 GHz for use by radio location service globally.

New Zealand Gazette - https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2016-go5551

50 Watts for Australian Foundation?

/

Director of the WIA Roger Harrison in a recent submission to the ACMA has reviewed the future of the Australian Foundation Licence, including an increase in power.

The WIA board, as part of a recent review, are seeking to increase the power for all licence grades, with the hope to increase the foundation level to 50 watts.

The proposed increase will bring amateur / ham radio operators in Australia in line with other countires.

Other proposed changes include

  • Use of digital modes
  • Access to more bands
  • Increased power
  • Relaxation of the restriction to commercially made rigs
  • More permitted bandwidths 
  • A review of the Foundation callsign

With the growth of digital modes, the WIA is pushing the inclusion of access at foundation level as a priority, to allow early entrants to the hobby access to digital services.

Amateurs in Argentina, Canada, Japan, UK and the USA all have access to digital modes at foundation level.

In relation to the increase in power, whilst the WIA group admit that contacts are achievable using 10 watts, it is noted that, for stations in urban areas, Foundation operators frequently struggle making contacts battling against the prevailing RF noise levels experienced both locally and overseas.

Read more of the WIA Submission - 
http://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2016/20160413-4/index.php

CEPT Novice Licence and HAREC Changes

/

Free and unbureaucratic short-term cross-border amateur radio operation is set to be expanded to more countries outside Europe 

Non CEPT countries can now join the framework of the CEPT licence and the CEPT Novice licence in a much simplified process thanks to an initiative of IARU Region 1 to change the relevant recommendations. 

At the same time the syllabus for the Harmonized Amateur Radio Examination Certificate (HAREC) has been amended to include questions on the Radio Amateur Code of Conduct and on operating practices. The changes were approved by the Working Group Frequency Management (WGFM) of CEPT and are now in force.

Full Story -  http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/regulatory-affairs

CEPT Novice Licence ECC Recommendation (05)06 - 
http://www.erodocdb.dk/Docs/doc98/official/pdf/REC0506.PDF

CEPT Entry Level Licence ECC Report 089 -
http://www.erodocdb.dk/Docs/doc98/official/pdf/ECCRep089.pdf

CEPT ECC Recommendation T/R 61-01 and T/R 61-02 - 
http://www.erodocdb.dk/docs/doc98/official/pdf/TR6101.pdf and
http://www.erodocdb.dk/docs/doc98/official/pdf/TR6102.pdf

CEPT Working Group Frequency Management - 
http://www.cept.org/ecc/groups/ecc/wg-fm/client/introduction/