WIA consults - Increased Foundation Power

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The Wireless Institute of Australia is holding a consultation about increasing the Foundation power level to 50 watts and removing some of the restrictions
 
When Foundation was introduced into Australia in 2005/6 holders were given a very low power level, were banned from using Digital Modes or doing DIY and could only use a limited number of bands. They were also given unusually long 7 character callsigns in the format VKnFxxx.
 
The WIA is now seeking to remove these restrictions.  ‘
 
The Institute also wishes to increase the power of the Standard license, which is equivalent to UK Intermediate, to 200 watts output and to remove the bandwidth restrictions. 
 
For Advanced they want 1 kW output and additional frequencies.
 
The WIA License Consultation - https://www.wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/FutureLicenceConditionsConsultationPhase2/

FCC Part 97 Ham Radio Changes

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FCC WRC–12 Implementation Report and Order has recently been published in the US Federal Register
 
The Federal Communications Commission has implemented allocation changes from the World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 2012) (WRC–12) and updated its service rules. The Commission took this action to conform its rules, to the extent practical, to the decisions that the international community made at WRC–12. 
 
Among the changes are: 

  • Part 97 - Allocation of 472–479 kHz and 135.7–137.8 kHz bands to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis.
  • Part 15 - § 15.113 Power line carrier systems - An electric power utility entity shall not operate a new or modified power line carrier (PLC) system in the 135.7–137.8 kHz and/or 472–479 kHz bands if a previously coordinated amateur station pursuant to § 97.301(g)(2) of this chapter is located within one kilometer of the transmission lines conducting the PLC signal.
  • Part 80 to authorise radio buoy operations in the 1900–2000 kHz band under a ship station license.

Regarding the implementation date the Report and Order states: 

Effective July 14, 2017, except for amendments to §§ 97.3, 97.15(c), 97.301(b) through (d), 97.303(g), 97.305(c), and 97.313(k) and (l), which contain new or modified information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Public Law 104–13, that are not effective until approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Commission will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date once OMB approves. 

FCC Part 97 Ham Radio Changes - https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2017-06-14/pdf/2017-09887.pdf


 

5 MHz for Jamaica

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Jamaican Spectrum Management Authority (SMA) has updated their National Frequency Allocation Table, providing spectrum allocation in accordance with the WRC-15 5Mhz allocation at 5351.5 – 5366.5 kHz, with a maximum power of 25 watts EIRP.
 
2nd Vice-President of the Jamaican Amateur Radio Association (JARA) Ivor Barrett 6Y5DW is promoting the use of the 60m Band.
 
Our Field Day is coming up on the weekend of June 23-25 where we will be setting up communications both voice and digital in the town of Port Antonio in the Parish of Portland on the North Eastern end of the Island. We will be operating  under the Jamaica Amateur Radio Assoc. (JARA) club's callsign 6Y5RA/p.  If you would like to make a 'sked' let me know. We can probably resonate an all band wire ant. somewhere within this "new" band.
 
Jamaica SMA National Frequency Allocation Table (p.8) - http://www.sma.gov.jm/sites/default/files/Jamaica_National_FrequencyAllocationTable_Aug_26_2016.pdf
 
Jamaican Amateur Radio Association (JARA) - http://www.jamaicaham.org/