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Author: Hans, PB2T

DJ3KR silent key
· EC · Hans, PB2T

With deep regret I inform you that Dr. Jürgen Röttger, DJ3KR passed away on Sunday 31 May 2020 at the age of 83.
Jürgen served as IARU Region 1 Executive Committee Member from 1975 to 1984.

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Another COVID-19 initiative
· Spectrum · Hans, PB2T

The Finnish Amateur Radio League (SRAL) cordially invites radio amateurs around the world you to join them in a global special event featuring their STAYHOME campaign and its radio actvity that will be held on 6 – 7 June 2020.

The United Nations Amateur Club 4U1UN, as well as its sister stations 4U1GSC (operated as 4U9STAYHOME) and 4U1A (operated as 4U2STAYHOME) will participate and look forward to making contact with many stations during this special event. Details can be found at https://​www​.qrz​.com/db​/OH2STAYHOME

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7X7X
· Youth General · Hans, PB2T

Back in March 2014, The Algerian and Tunisian Member Societies have signed a cooperation agreement to reinforce relations through joint activities. Part of the agreement was to exchange visits and conduct DXPeditions.

excellent take-off

The idea of arranging a DXPedition in Algeria in 2019 was appreciated by both societies. Preparations started end of October 2019. The idea was to activate Algeria on low bands and benefit from the low solar cycle conditions. 

We wanted to make this DXPedition a good opportunity to boost youngsters interest in the hobby so we involved 4 youngsters in the event; Sarra 7X2QV (23 years, YL), Lotfi 7X2QC (24 years), Marwa 3V8CB (24 years, YL) and Ahmed 3V1B/KG5OUE (22 years). Three of these youngsters were in YOTA events held by IARU. 
The involvement of the youngsters was from the preparation work to the stations dismantle. In addition to being on the air, everyone had something to work on. 

  • Marwa 3V8CB
  • Ahmed 3V1B
  • 7X2RO and 7X2QV
  • 7X2QC

The rest of the team included Afif 7X2RO (co-Leader), Ash 3V8SF/KF5EYY (co-Leader), Mohamed 7X3TL (27 years), Redha 7X5QB and Abdelghani, 7X2TT/M0NPT. The responsibility of these OMs was to drive the event and prioritize knowledge transfer over being on-the-air.

The Tunisian team flew from Tunis to Algiers. They arrived late on December 28th to Bejaia city joining the Algerian Team. We immediately started putting up antennas. 

Abdelghani 7X2TT kicked off operation through Eshail and continuously making demonstrations and providing information to the youngsters on satellite operation and set up. 
The rest of the team built a 26m high inv‑L for 160, a full Quarterwave vertical for 80, a 2 element Fritzel yagi for high bands, a 7 elements yagi for VHF, a K9AY receiving loop, a GP for 30m then adding a coil for it to operated on 40 as well. 
We did our best to operate 2 stations at a time. We had a quite few technical issues but we overcome them.

Part of the DXPedition objectives was to socialize and build a strong team capable of making bigger plans in the future. Although we ended up with 5800 QSOs in 4 days, the operating schedule was intentionally not made tight. 

On December 31st, we had a nice BBQ dinner together insitue that we really enjoyed!

The log inluded QSOs split as follows: 38% CW, 55% SSB, 7% FT8. It was nice to see youngsters favoring SSB operation over FT8.
We had 1121 QSOs on 160m and 798 QSOs on 80m. 356 US stations and 30 JAs worked on 160. 

The DXPedition team highly value the support we got from NCDXF, LSDXA and MDXC along with some other individual hams. This support is a solid investment into the future of ham radio hobby. We urge all DXPeditioners to involve youngesters in their future trips and do their best to make it easy and least costly for them. 

Written by Ashraf Chaabane, 3V8SF/KF5EYY

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WRC-19 more details on the 50 MHz changes
· Spectrum · Hans, PB2T

IARU has released a more detailed report on the outcome of Agenda Item 1.1 (50 MHz) at the recent WRC in Egypt. Proposals from administrations and Regional Telecommunications Organisations (RTO) around the world ranged from no allocation at all to the provision of a 4 MHz primary allocation. The IARU position was to seek a 4 MHz primary allocation in Region 1 in common with that in other ITU regions.

Pre WRC situation in Region 1

Prior to WRC 2019, a number of countries in Africa enjoyed a primary allocation in all or part of the band. A number of other countries in Region 1 had secondary allocations on a national non-interference basis.

Post WRC situation in Region 1

A secondary amateur allocation in Region 1 in the band 50 – 52 MHz is included in the Table of Frequency Allocations in the ITU Radio Regulations.
In Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, 50 — 54 MHz on a primary basis with protection from other services. 
In Senegal, 50 — 51 MHz on a primary basis with protection from other services. 
In Angola, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Burundi, the United Arab Emirates, Gambia, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Uganda, Qatar, South Sudan and Tanzania, the frequency band 50 — 54 MHz is allocated to the amateur service on a primary basis. 
In Djibouti and Lebanon, the frequency band 50 — 52 MHz is allocated to the amateur service on a primary basis.
In Guinea-Bissau, the frequency band 50.0 — 50.5 MHz is allocated to the amateur service on a primary basis. 
In Austria, Cyprus, the Vatican, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Slovakia and Slovenia, the frequency band 50.0 — 50.5 MHz is allocated to the amateur service on a primary basis.
In the Russian Federation the frequency band 50.080 50.280 MHz is allocated to the amateur service on a secondary basis. 

Main Outcome of WRC-19

Final approval of the outcome was delayed until Thursday 21 November as a consequence of sensitive political issues. However following approval:

  • Pre WRC-19 countries retain their current status in the 50 — 54 MHz frequency band.
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo removed itself from the list of pre WRC-19 countries.
  • The amateur service has a secondary table allocation in most of Region 1 in the 50 — 52 MHz band.
  • 44 Region 1 countries have a primary allocation in all or part of the 50 — 54 MHz band.
  • 14 CEPT countries have a 500 kHz primary allocation in the 50.0 — 50.5 MHz band.
  • The Russian Federation has a 200 kHz secondary allocation in the 50.08 — 50.28 MHz band.
  • The Final Acts of WRC-19 enters into force on 1 January 2021, however administrations may make provisions to provide 50 MHz spectrum at an earlier or later date.
  • Amateur service shall not cause harmful interference to stations of other primary or secondary services, with the exception of the pre-WRC-19 countries.
  • Individual amateurs should not use (unless already licensed to do so) the newly allocated spectrum until their national licensing authority has given the go ahead for its use.
  • Prior to WRC-19 a number of countries in CEPT had authorised national usage in the 50 — 52 MHz band on a non-interference basis to stations of other primary and secondary services. In practice little is likely to change here, although the amateur service with a secondary table allocation in Article 5 of the ITU Radio Regulations (and hopefully the European Common Allocation Table) will now have a higher status internationally in the 50 — 52 MHz frequency band after the entry into force of the Final Acts. Furthermore, amateurs will benefit from the additional stations likely to be authorised in other countries as a consequence of the WRC-19 decisions.

Next Steps

To address the 50 MHz issue at CEPT’s Working Group Frequency Management meeting when the European Common Allocation table is revised.

Country by Country situation

The table at http://​www.iaru-r1.org/wiki​/VHF​#50 – 54_MHz_.286_m.29is IARU’s understanding of the before and after WRC19 position on 50 MHz allocations in Region 1. IARU cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies and the definitive position is the responsibility of individual national administrations.

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