Ofcom may Remove Product Listings from eBay

Media reports suggest the online sales platform eBay is handing Ofcom the power to remove listings, theoretically this could enable Ofcom to remove products that do not conform to EMC requirements

eBay said the move was designed to speed up the removal of "illegal or unsafe items" without waiting for approval from the company.

Only selected, trusted authorities will have access to the new tools. But those that do will have "the ability to take down any listings from the marketplace themselves", the company said.

More than 50 authorities around the world are already involved in the early stages of the project, it added.

Media Story - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57021383

SRAL Annual Report

Finland's national amateur radio society, the SRAL, has made available their annual report for 2020

Page 4 of the report shows that 58% of the SRAL membership are now aged 60 or over and 32% of members are 70 or over. Just 4% are under 30.

The SARL notes in 2020, 103 members joined the national society SRAL (2019: 74), however, 32 died (2019: 49).

Overall membership continued to decline, the figures for last three years are:

• 2018 - 3623

• 2019 - 3478

• 2020 - 3470

Annual Report - https://www.sral.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Toimintakertomus2020.pdf

Financial Statement and Audit for 2020 - https://www.sral.fi/kevatkokous-2021/

More Ham Radio Spectrum in 3-12 MHz Needed

The WIA Spectrum Strategy Committee has released their response to the ACMA Five Year Spectrum Outlook 2021, they highlight the need for more amateur radio spectrum in 3-12 MHz

Global demand for the HF amateur spectrum has grown, particularly since the start of the COVID pandemic. Congestion (particularly on the 7 MHz band) from both legitimate and unauthorised illegal transmissions is often severe during times of increased ionospheric propagation.

Additionally, heightened tensions across the globe have increased the use of high-power HF radar systems which frequently disrupt HF amateur communications across large segments of spectrum, particularly on the lower frequency bands. Increasing spectrum access within the 3-10 MHz range is seen as vital to enable sufficient frequency agility for the amateur service, so that communications can be maintained when large amounts of spectrum are suffering interference from international radar based intruders.

The WIA intends to seek expansions to amateur bands in the 3-12 MHz segment over the next 5 years for Australian amateurs, at least in alignment with international allocations, although the WIA acknowledges that this is a lower priority than other items proposed.

You can download the full WIA response document - https://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2021/20210428-1/