IARU speaks for the Region’s amateur radio community

Details

Category: Spectrum

Published: Monday, 06 August 2018 07:24

Written by Don Beattie

Hits: 2244

The past three months have been a busy time for IARU’s Region 1 team involved in spectrum issues of interest to the Amateur Radio service, as we work towards the ITU World Radio Conference 2019. 

In April, discussions continued in CEPT SE24 about the impact of Wireless Power Transmission for electric vehicles (WPT-EV)  on radio services in the residential environment. IARU continues to argue that tighter emission limits are needed to protect radiocommunications services from harmful interference, and submitted a study supporting its concerns.

In May, ITU WP5A met in Geneva and IARU was involved in detailed discussions about WRC Agenda item 1.1 concerning the allocation of spectrum at 50-54 MHz in ITU Region 1. Discussions focused on the means of spectrum sharing in this band and on the amount of spectrum necessary for the amateur service.

In June, ITU SG1 and its working parties met in Geneva, with IARU being represented on a number of issues, most significantly the issue of the impact of WPT-EV on radio communications services and also on the use of spectrum above 275 GHz.

Again, in June CEPT PTD met in Tallinn, Estonia, to consider those WRC19 agenda items within its remit. IARU was present and was again involved in discussion on WRC Agenda item 1.1 (50MHz) and 9.1.6 (WPT-EV)

Finally, later in June, IARU was at the CEPT Conference Preparatory Group in Turku, Finland. IARU provides the coordinator for CEPT for Agenda Item 1.1.

In parallel with the meetings in CEPT and ITU, IARU has also been active in other Regional Telecommunications Organisations in the Region (Africa, Middle East and Russia) on the same topics and also in CISPR in working groups considering appropriate spurious emission limits for WPT-EV and will be at the CISPR meeting in Busan, Korea, later this year.

IARU spectrum experts spend many weeks of their time each year preparing for, and attending, meetings such as those reported above. IARU is the only organisation present at these meetings representing the interest of the amateur radio services.  

New VHF Newsletter 78

Details

Category: VHF/UHF/SHF

Published: Sunday, 15 July 2018 18:53

Written by Verleijen Jacques

Hits: 880

IARU HF Championship

Details

Category: Latest

Published: Tuesday, 10 July 2018 20:22

Written by Alex IV3KKW

Hits: 1561

Next weekend (July 14^th-15^th) there will be the IARU HF Championship.

A good occasion to contact as many other amateurs, especially HQ stations from the IARU Societies, as possible around the world using all the HF amateur bands (except WARC) on SSB and CW.

There will be also some special multipliers for Administrative Council (AC) and Regional Executive Committee stations (R1-R2-R3).

Detailed rules are on http://www.arrl.org/iaru-hf-championship

Emergency Communications Meeting - Friedrichshafen 2018

Details

Category: Emergency Communications

Published: Sunday, 08 July 2018 15:15

Written by Greg Mossop

Hits: 1233

The 43rd HamRadio Exhibition at Friedrichshafen attracted 15460 visitors, among them around 20 Emergency Communicators who attended the IARU meeting for Emergency Communicators on Friday 1st June.

After the introduction and Region 1 report, there were interesting presentations followed by a good exchange of information in an Open Forum session which carried on beyond the official closing time of the meeting.

Michal SP9XWM and Chris SP7WME presented on emergency activities in Poland followed by Herbert OE3KJN talking about their activities in 'Exercise Solar Flare' where there was good co-operation between Radio Amateurs, the military and service providers. Finally Alberto IK1YLO and Marco IU1GJE spoke about the internet linked DMR network they were working on for disaster use. 

The presentations are available on the following links;

Region 1 Emergency Co-Ordinators Report ,  SP-EMCOM , Exercise Solar Flare ( Austria ) , RNRE DMR Network proposals .

( Content is the opinion of the presenters )

The next Ham Radio on the Bodensee is on June 21-23 2019 and will include another emergency comms meeting.

Atlantic Hurricane Season 2018

Details

Category: Emergency Communications

Published: Monday, 25 June 2018 23:30

Written by G0DUB

Hits: 1434

The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from 1st June to 30th November this year. So it is time to remind the wider Amateur Radio community that the following frequencies may be in use by nets in North and Central America to track and deal with the consequences of these severe weather events. Radio Amateurs in Region 2 play their part in gathering and distributing information for the weather and emergency services as they do every year.

Radio Amateurs in Region 1 are reminded it is possible to cause unintentional QRM to these nets so please listen carefully if operating near these frequencies:

Belize: 7.177MHz
Caribbean Emergency & Weather Nets (CEWN): 3.815 & 7.162 MHz
Caribbean Emergency: 14.185 MHz
Central America: 7.090 & 3.750 MHz
Cuba: 3.720, 3.740, 7.110 and 7.120 MHz
Eastern Caribbean Narrow Band Emergency System Net: 7.036 MHz USB (Olivia & MT63)
Guatemala: 7.075 MHz
Mexico: 3.690, 3.693(Alternative), 7.060 & 14.120 MHz
Nicaragua: Main Frequencies 3.798, 7.098, 14.298 MHz Alternate Frequencies 3.898, 7.108, 14.198MHz
Panama: 7.085 MHz
Republica Dominicana: 3.780, 7.065 (Main), 14.280 MHz

USA:
Maritime Mobile Service Net: 14.300 MHz
Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN): 14.265 MHz
Hurricane Watch Net: 14.325 MHz (day) 7.268MHz (Night)
National Hurricane Centre ( WX4NHC ) 14.325MHz

Other local emergency communications groups may also activate if a hurricane approaches their area and those frequencies would be announced at the time.

Thanks to the National Societies and Emergency Communications Groups of IARU Region 2 for updating their frequency information.

A Spanish translation of this article is available from here.

HF Managers Handbook V9.0

Details

Category: HF

Published: Thursday, 21 June 2018 09:19

Written by Tom Kamp DF5JL

Hits: 3101

The 9th edition of the HF Manager’s Handbook now available for download. Thank you to those who commented on the draft version.

This new edition contains mainly changes agreed during the 2008 IARU Region 1 Conference in Cavtat, 2011 IARU Region 1 Conference in Sun City, 2014 IARU Region 1 Conference in Varna, IARU Region 1 Interim Meeting Vienna 2016 and IARU Region 1 Conference in Landshut 2017. Compared to older editions, the structure of the chapters has been revised in order to make content more accessible to interested readers. The HF Manager’s Handbook is intended primarily as a guide for HF Managers. In some cases, you can also use the new handbook as a reference book. And it should also help member societies that want to start their own HF Committee. Therefore, this book containes some historical articles in favor of new representatives of the HF Committee, who may not always know what has happened in the past.

Chapter 1 gives an idea of what the IARU HF Committee is. Chapter 2 provides an overview of recommendations that focus on HF operations - including those for daily use. See Chapter 3 for the current bandplan. For technical standards, see Chapter 4. In Chapter 5 you will find additional documents that do not fit the other categories. And last but not least Chapter 6 gives an overview of changes to previous editions.

A number of chapters have also been transferred across to the main Region 1 website at iaru-r1.org. Also you will find some links to external websites, namely those by the ITU.

The accuracy of this book to a great extent depends on YOU - the user of the book. If you find anything that is wrong, or if you find that something should be added or changed, please tell me. Any ideas for expansions or corrections will be appreciated.

73 Tom Kamp DF5JL
HF Committee Chairman (C4), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

IARU at Ham Radio 2018

Details

Category: Latest

Published: Sunday, 27 May 2018 17:50

Written by Alex IV3KKW

Hits: 2652

IARU will be at Ham Radio 2018 in Friedrichshafen from 1^st to 3^rd June 2018. We will be at stand A1-449 in the main hall.

At the stand, we are scheduling a few informal discussions on important amateur radio matters. If you are at Friedrichshafen, please come and see us, to discuss IARU initiatives on the future of amateur radio.

• On Friday morning from 11:00 to 12:00, Ole LA2RR will be on the booth to give details on the ongoing discussions for the 50 to 54 MHz band extension in Region 1.
• On Saturday morning, from 11:00 to 12:00 Greg G0DUB, is available to discuss Emergency Communications.
• On Saturday afternoon, from 13:30 to 14:30, Lisa PA2LS will explain what is the IARU YOTA program and how it contributes to the future of amateur radio.
• On Saturday afternoon, from 15:30 to 16:30, Don G3BJ will be available to explain the possible consequences of Wireless Power Transfer on our bands.

Follow our website and social media accounts to be updated on the program : 

• IARU R1 Facebook page :  https://www.facebook.com/iarur1/
• IARU R1 Twitter account : https://twitter.com/IARU_R1/

South Africa gets 100 kHz on 60 Metres

Details

Category: Latest

Published: Saturday, 26 May 2018 16:49

Written by Dennis Green, ZS4BS

Hits: 846

On Friday 25 May, ICASA published the National Radio Frequency Plan 2018 in which amateur radio was allocated 100 kHz on a shared basis in the 60-metre band as well as channel 5 290 kHz for the 5 MHz propagation research project. The National Radio Frequency Plan 2018 is a nearly 300-page document which covers the entire radio frequency spectrum. The Frequency Plan is in Government Gazette 41650.  The SARL will carefully consider all the amateur allocations and ensure that a band plan is in place.

The spectrum 5 350 to 5 450 kHz is now available to all licensed radio amateurs on a shared non-interference basis, the SARL Council is working on the 60 m band plan using Recommendation LA17_C4_REC_02 from the 2017 Region 1 General Conference as basis. Council will publish the band plan as soon as possible and then operation on 60 metres can start.

In addition, the channel 5 290 kHz has been allocated for WSPR beacons deployed in the SARL Propagation Research project and members can continue to use this frequency. Due to licensing issues the SARL has kept low key on the 5 290 kHz beacon project. "We now can go full steam ahead", Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, the SARL Regulatory Manager said. "There are no longer any restrictions and no application for use of the 60-metre band is required."

Commenting on the 100 kHz 60 metre allocation, SARL President, Nico van Rensburg ZS6QL said that the SARL has worked on this for a long time. "Clearly our persistent interaction with ICASA has paid dividends. This is however not the end of the road as in the new band plan power on 5 MHz is restricted to the WRC-15 agreement of 15 watts e.i.r.p