Andy is absolutely right. Most of the countries that objected to this allocation are the “usual suspects” often not permitting any amateur radio and certainly objecting to any increase in allocations to the amateur service as a matter of principle. A similar footnote in the International Radio Regulations (agreed in 2007) exists for the 136 kHz band:

 

5.67 Additional allocation: in Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, the band 130-148.5 kHz is

also allocated to the radionavigation service on a secondary basis. Within and between these countries

this service shall have an equal right to operate. (WRC-07)

 

5.67A Stations in the amateur service using frequencies in the band 135.7-137.8 kHz shall not exceed a

maximum radiated power of 1 W (e.i.r.p.) and shall not cause harmful interference to stations of the

radionavigation service operating in countries listed in No. 5.67. (WRC-07)

 

5.67B The use of the band 135.7-137.8 kHz in Algeria, Egypt, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Libyan

Arab Jamahiriya, Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic, Sudan and Tunisia is limited to the fixed and maritime

mobile services. The amateur service shall not be used in the above-mentioned countries in the band

135.7-137.8 kHz, and this should be taken into account by the countries authorizing such use. (WRC-07)

 

It was extremely unusual and completely unnecessary to have such a “non-allocation” footnote in the RR. These countries are unlikely to have sufficient monitoring capability to prepare a detailed interference submission to the ITU. Also, the relevant assignments must be registered with the ITU to claim protection.

 

Each Head of Delegation at a WRC signs the Final Acts but this is simply an undertaking that there is no major reservation and the country concerned “promises” not to do anything that would jeopardise the operation of this International Treaty. However, each country is supposed to formally ratify the Final Acts at some future date – in some cases this can take forever as some countries simply do not have the national legislation in place to achieve it. Even developed countries take some time e.g. Australia ratified the WRC 2003 Final Acts in 2006 – only a year before the next WRC!

 

The CEPT (includes Western Europe as well as Eastern Europe including Russia and CIS) makes joint proposals to each WRC. All EU countries are supposed to formally support these positions. Non EU countries usually do (e.g. Norway, Switzerland) but Russia and CIS usually also make their own proposals which can oppose CEPT. There were 42 CEPT countries supporting the CEPT proposal for this agenda item (only Russia and some CIS did not). All EU countries supported. The CEPT proposed 472-480 kHz at 5w e.i.r.p., so a result of 472-479 kHz was a good compromise!

 

Once the WRC has completed and Final Acts signed, the CEPT Electronics Communication Committee (ECC) will incorporate the WRC results into the current recommendations for European harmonised frequency use which all EU countries normally adopt into their national frequency allocation tables. This can take time! For UK amateurs, Ofcom is rather busy organising the massive amount of frequency use associated with the Olympic games in London this summer. We might have to wait. Although I was pleasantly surprised to get my 5 MHz permit issued within 5 days just after New Year 2012. The 5 MHz use is of course also on a non-interference basis and has far more international interference potential but seems to work without problem.

 

73 Terry