5 MHz for Ireland

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The Irish Radio Transmitters Society have just announced that Irish radio amateurs can use the WRC-15 band of 5.3515 MHz to 5.3665 MHz with immediate effect.

No application is necessary and the power limit is 15 watts.

More Information - http://ei7gl.blogspot.ie/2016/12/irish-radio-amateurs-gain-secondary.html

New Australian 60m Band

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Although the updated Australian Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan commences on the first of January – the Australian Communications and Media Authority has many T’s to cross and many I’s to dot before we can begin to use the new 60 metre Amateur band at 5.3 megahertz.

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), at the World Radiocommunication Conference in November 2015 (WRC-15), approved the worldwide allocation of 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis.

The Amateur Service is not the only one affected, and many other radiocommunications stakeholders have to wait for the administrative and regulatory details to be updated before the changed provisions of the Australian Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan 2017 – posted on the ACMA website in the week before Christmas – can be exploited.

Ofcom Changes Callsign Policy

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Until September 2016 Ofcom would issue lists of unallocated amateur radio call signs to help people select a new call, this has now changed.

In December 2016, UK Amateur Radio Operator  Mike Lewis wrote to Ofcom asking for a list of available callsigns.

“We do not hold a list of call signs that are available. Due to a system change, the assignment of call signs is now done using an algorithm rather than “grabbing” from a list.”
— Julia Snape Ofcom