To clarify the 73kHz permit situation once and for all, for the benefit
of Mal and anyone else who is confused, the RSGB has never
issued Notices of Variation for the 73kHz band. These were, and still
are, issued by the Radiocommunications Agency. I can appreciate
there may be some confusion as, in order to speed up the original
applications, the RSGB offerred to help the RA by processing the
original paperwork. The NoVs were, however, issued by the RA.
When the life of the band was first extended, this was done on the
RA's insistence that no new NoVs would be issued.
The recent three-year extension and additional Novs were the result
of a detailed proposal made by the RSGB. To quote the RA's press
release:
-------------
The reasoning behind the Agency acceding to this request from the Radio
Society of Great Britain (RSGB) is as follows:
Experimentation on 73kHz has been slower than anticipated due to the
high-noise floor towards the top end of the allocation.
There have been recent developments within Europe to allow reception
on 73kHz and transmission on 136kHz
Additional work is being undertaken on how propagation is affected by
the current enhanced solar flare activity and an opportunity to experiment
with large antennas has been provided by the de-commissioning of the
Decca Navigation System.
---------------
I think this shows quite clearly that the Society is, and always has
been, very much in favour of as many people as possible
experimenting for as long as possible on this interesting band. What
a pity that of the several hundred Novs issued initially, only a handful
were ever used.
Mike, G3XDV (IO91VT)
http://www.lf.thersgb.net
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