German Request More 5 MHz power

/

A coalition of most of the German Amateur Radio Clubs, the RTA, are pushing for 100 watts output in the new WRC-15 60m allocation 

The General Assembly of the World Radio Conference in 2015 in Geneva (WRC-2015) set a maximum effective radiated power in the region of 15 watts EIRP.

However, as some countries already deviate from this limitation the RTA hopes that Germany can have a higher power of 100 W PEP, the same level Dutch radio amateurs have had since 3 December. 

DARC in Google English - http://tinyurl.com/GermanyDARC

Amateur Radio Kids Day 2016

/

Kids Day 2016, taking place on Sunday 3rd January 2016, is a fantastic way to introduce young people to the magic of Amateur Radio by getting them on the air!

One Amateur / Ham Radio Club taking part in Kids Day is New Providence Amateur Radio Club who will set up two operating ham radio stations in the DeCorso Community Center, 15 East Fourth St., New Providence, on Sunday, 3rd January 2016. Kids of all ages from Berkeley Heights, New Providence and surrounding communities are invited to participate, and make direct radio contacts with other kids.

In the past, the club have made many radio contacts to the eastern United States, as far west as Oklahoma, Colorado and California, and to foreign countries such as Ireland and Australia. This year they expect to make many contacts with stations around the world.

Full Story - http://www.nj.com/independentpress/index.ssf/2015/12/
nj_kids_to_get_radio-active_at.html

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