Good news for the two-metre band

The past week has seen CEPT meet in Turkey, where it finalised positions on a wide range of WRC-19 Agenda Items, including proposals for WRC-23.

So let’s look at the matters that interest radio amateurs.

At 144MHz, after a major effort, the 144 to 146MHz frequency range was successfully withdrawn from the French WRC-23 aeronautical proposal.

This hot topic had been the subject of detailed submissions by the IARU, France and Germany.

This excellent result for amateur radio occurred in parallel to a number of other proposals being adopted to support aeronautical interests.

There’s more positive news at 50MHz.

CEPT confirmed its common position for an overall 50 to 52MHz secondary allocation for IARU Region 1.

Following requests from both the RSGB and the UK Six Metre Group to Ofcom, we are pleased to announce that the UK has signed an optional footnote in the CEPT proposal for national Primary status in the 50 to 50.5MHz segment, along with a number of other countries.

In most microwave bands it is pleasing to report that the CEPT positions adopted should result in no further regulatory change to the amateur 5GHz Secondary and 47GHz Primary allocations, as well as innovative UK usage above 275GHz.

However, for the 23cm band, following intense discussions, a WRC-23 proposal was considered necessary to ensure the protection of new satellite navigation systems such as Galileo from amateur emissions in the 1240 to 1300MHz range.

The draft Resolution that would guide such studies excludes the removal of the existing amateur Secondary allocations.

Commenting on the overall outcome, IARU Region 1 President Don Beattie, G3BJ praised the IARU team of volunteers and their contributions; and was pleased that regulators had recognised the strength of the amateur case.

The RSGB will shortly add further details and copies of key papers to its online focus pages at rsgb.org/wrc-19.

The October edition of RadCom will also feature further information as the process now moves towards the final stage at the World Radio Conference this autumn.

Category: Front Page News, GB2RS Headlines, WRC-19