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
But what is interference?
If none is reported, none is caused.
And who is going to report interference to a service no one uses
On 15 February 2012 21:40, Clemens Paul <[email protected]> wrote:
Greetings all,
I wonder what "secondary user on non-interference basis" means in
practice.
As we know most NDBs are AM modulated with about 1kHz.
Now it would be interesting to know what selectivity/bandwidth DF receivers
for NDBs in aeroplanes might have.
Imagine they have 1kHz or even 2kHz (quite possible).
For non interfering such a receiver one would have to stay well without that
BW.
Hence with a few NDBs spread between 422 and 479kHz there would
virtually remain no usable frequency for us amateurs if we wanted to make
100% sure not to interfere any aeroplanes' beacon reception.
73
Clemens
DL4RAJ
