Austria gets 60m and 630m

Southgate News reports that Austrian amateurs will have access to these bands.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/december/austria-receives-60m-and-630m-christmas-present.htm#.X-RRHNGTLrc

Spectrum issues 2025-30

Southgate News has a piece on a recent meeting that the IARU attended on this subject. I think the regulators are trying to see what issues are on the horizon in region 1. I have not yet read the minutes.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/november/iaru-r1-attends-radio-spectrum-policy-group-workshop.htm#.X7E9Q7uTLrc

Possible IARU-R1 8m and 5m proposals?

Yesterday, I think on Facebook, I read about the possibility of a proposal being made to the IARU about the possibilities of allocations at 8m and 5m in Region 1.

8m especially could be really interesting sandwiched between 10m and 6m.  Even very limited access at low power would be worthwhile as this is a band where real radio science could occur especially with Es and MS.

Already, these allocations are available in Eire and a few other countries have given special permission for  some to access 8m.

It requires someone to write the paper.

RF interference levels

At the moment, I am quite rare in having a quiet RF noise level. Others are not so lucky and HF operating is all but impossible. Southgate News reports on an IARU submission to CISPR on this.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/june/rising-rf-noise-levels-iaru-submits-paper-to-cispr.htm#.XtkLr4jYrrc

IARU Newsletter

Southgate News has a piece on the IARU newsletter with the outcomes from WRC-19 in Egypt as it effects amateur radio.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/december/iaru-r1-vhf-uhf-microwave-newsletter.htm#.XfS9aeiTLnE

6m Region 1 allocation

Good news! 6m has been agreed as an official amateur allocation in Region 1 following an agreement at WRC-19 in Egypt.

See https://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/174-news/latest-news/1917-wrc-19-approves-region-1-50-mhz-amateur-allocation

80m chirps?

Southgate News has a report from the IARU about odd chirps that have recently appeared on 80m.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/october/mysterious-chirps-in-80m-band.htm

New VHF and up only licence?

According to Southgate News the IARU is considering a new VHF and up only licence in the hope of encouraging activity. I guess many these days head to HF as contacts tend to be over longer distances. In the past quite some fun could be had on 144MHz and 432MHz. Often tropo was better on 432MHz.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/june/could-a-new-licence-counter-threats-at-vhf-and-above.htm#.XQd_SPZFy00

DX VHF FM QSO

The IARU VHF/UHF Region 1 Newsletter has details of the FM 2m QSO between ZS3 and ZD7,

See https://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/vhfuhsshf

High Power Wireless Power Transmission

According to Southgate News the IARU is taking seriously the threat of RF pollution from this source.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/december/iaru-addresses-new-radio-spectrum-pollution-threat.htm#.WkZwNUx2vIU

6m band

Many countries in Region 1 have allocated the 6m band, but this is at the discretion of individual administrations. At WRC19, according to Southgate News, the amateur service may get a Region 1 "real" allocation.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/november/iaru-notes-progress-toward-50-mhz-region-1-allocation.htm#.WhsYELp2tMs  .

IARU Region 1 Conference

Southgate News reports on the IARU Region 1 Conference in Germany last month. Sadly, the link does not work, so I have added it here. A reminder that the next WRC meeting is in 2019, so lobby your national society now.

See https://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/downloads/func-startdown/977/

What attracts young people?

On my return from Liverpool, I see Southgate News has picked up on an address by the IARU president.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/september/traditional-ham-radio-no-longer-so-attractive.htm#.Wc6odrpFzIU

Old mans hobby?

Many times I have cautioned that our hobby could die unless we attract and keep younger people. According to Southgate News, this will be discussed at a forthcoming IARU session.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/september/the-future-of-the-amateur-radio-service.htm#.Wb7fr7pFzIU

Region 1 IARU Conference near Munich

Southgate News reports on the IARU Region 1 Conference in Germany next month. I hope they discuss a 4m allocation in Region 1 . At one time there was talk of CEPT countries recommending a 4m allocation, although I cannot remember what became of this.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/august/24th-iaru-region-1-general-conference.htm#.WaMOk7pFzmI

Amateur band intruder?

Southgate News reports that a military station, probably in the Falkland Islands has been copied within the 40m amateur band.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/march/iarums-stanag-4285-in-40m.htm#.WMVrIYXXLIU

WRC 2019

The next WRC is in 2019. I understand the IARU is trying to get a harmonised 6m band 50-54MHz in all parts of the world.

These are the things I'd like to see:

• a 500kHz wide 4m allocation worldwide
• a 100kHz wide allocation at 60m worldwide
• a small 8m allocation worldwide. 50-100kHz wide would do
• open sub 8.3kHz to all worldwide on a non-interference basis
• a small allocation worldwide at 73kHz.

I doubt these will happen. What would you like to see?

New HF band Plan

See http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/downloads/Documents/HF/IARU-Region-1-HF-Band-Plan-2016/  .

Southgate News has a link to the new Region 1 HF band plan.

IARU

See http://www.iaru.org/ .

The IARU is the "umbrella" organisation guiding the amateur communities around the world.

In region 1 I very much hope that a 100kHz wide 5MHz band will be allocated to radio amateurs in Europe despite a 15kHz wide band being allocated worldwide at WRC15.

There is quite a bit going on to persuade amateurs to adopt a new band-plan for 6m which involves relocating beacons slightly further up the band. It will mean more space for CW lower down, as for most HF bands.

IARU VHF news

The next WRC, to be held in 2019, could see some threats to some of our microwave bands. I have to confess very little interest in microwaves. I preferred lightwaves as I was able make all my own kit and test gear. Although 10GHz operation is possible without that much test gear, having some decent 10GHz test equipment must help.

At present, the after effects of my stroke have meant very little building, or field work, has been possible. I sincerely hope that things will get better next year.

See http://www.iaru-r1.org/images/VHF/newsletters/Newsletter_68.pdf