WRC-19 Day-7: 23cms and A Long Day

A somewhat difficult start to the day’s proceedings began with another AI-10 Proposal being introduced for WRC-23 – protecting RNSS (Galileo etc) from secondary amateur usage in the 23cm band. From an amateur viewpoint this is more complex and unwelcome as a top level WRC item, than as a local CEPT work item (which has already started).

Introducing the proposal for ‘protecting 23cm’ from secondary amateur usage

Future mobile/IMT was also being discussed in the 3-18 GHz range (inc our 10 GHz band). Another item may even affect 241 – 700GHz. It will be a while before the WRC-23 agenda down-selection gets agreed at the conference. A busy day then continued as a raft of topics was attended, with few signs of positive progress.

AI-1.16 (5GHz) finally started on the detail of the 5725-5850 MHz band – where both amateurs and primary radars may both be impacted if unrestricted Wi-Fi was introduced. Some regional groups do have a ‘No Change’ view, whereas some have other ideas. It is an example where the secondary status of amateur service has led to it being excluded from the studies for this agenda item.

AI-1.15: This is the highest frequency item – for bands >275 GHz. Quite esoteric for most, but it is fought over just as hard as any, with earth monitoring and science lined up against new identifications (not allocations) for mobile and fixed applications.

AI-8: A standard WRC item is AI-8 regarding Allocation Footnotes. Countries are regularly asked to delete their names from these to simplify the radio regulations. However as was the case here, all too often it is used as a backdoor to expand usage. The top culprit for this was more national identifications for mobile/IMT in the 3300-3400 MHz range in Africa, the Americas etc – an amateur secondary allocation in other regions.

50 MHz – AI-1.1: A late session whose aim was to refine a grand compromise (built around the CEPT proposal) nearly unraveled. Informal discussions and assistance was lent to those concerned and more homework called for by the Chairman. Time is also overrunning too. So last week’s catchy blog title re ‘Don’t count your chickens (yet)’ really came home to roost!

A key discussion on 50 MHz – snapped by IARU President Tim Ellam VE6SH

Category: Front Page News, GB2RS, WRC-19