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DL: Temporary licence for the 160m band extended until the end of 2021
· HF, VHF/UHF/SHF · admin

In agreement with the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) and the Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg) and in accordance with Official Journal 24 of the BNetzA (published on Dezember 23, 2020), the following deviations from the usage regulations are permitted for the use of the frequency ranges 1850 — 1890 kHz and 1890 — 2000 kHz in amateur radio until December 31, 2021:

  1. in the frequency ranges 1850 — 1890 kHz and 1890 — 2000 kHz, the use of a maximum transmit power of 750 watts PEP by holders of a licence to participate in the Class A amateur radio service shall be permitted at weekends.
  2. in the frequency ranges 1850 — 1890 kHz and 1890 — 2000 kHz, the use of a maximum transmit power of 100 watts PEP by holders of a licence to participate in the Class E amateur radio service at weekends shall be permitted.
  3. in the frequency ranges 1850 — 1890 kHz and 1890 — 2000 kHz, participation in amateur radio competitions (contest operation) is permitted on weekends.

The same Official Journal also contains extensions of temporary licences for the ranges 2320 — 2450 MHz, 5650 — 5850 MHz, 50 — 52 MHz and 70.150 — 70.200 MHz.

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IARU is fully engaged in the 23cm band/Galileo radio navigation satellite service coexistence studies in CEPT
· SpectrumTagged , , · Barry, G4SJH

Throughout 2020 the IARU has been busily contributing to and participating in the work of CEPT Project Team SE40 concerning the 23cm band Galileo/GLONASS coexistence topic. Project Team SE40 conducts technical studies relating to space services under the direction of the CEPT/ECC Spectrum Engineering working group WG-SE and was assigned the task at the beginning of 2020. During this year the IARU R1 has provided 7 written contributions and 2 information documents providing the necessary details of amateur applications and activities specific to the 23cm band to enable SE40 to carry out the coexistence studies.

The last SE40 meeting in 2020 was held from 2nd to 7th December and the IARU R1 was represented by Barry Lewis, G4SJH (Region 1 SRLC chair). At that meeting the draft project team working document was further developed with the addition of the Galileo ground-based receiver protection criteria which are needed for the coexistence studies. Without these criteria no meaningful studies have been possible, however now it can be expected that the technical studies will begin in earnest as we move forward into 2021.

This work is also important in the global preparations for the next World Radio Conference where this topic is on the agenda as item 9.1b. To address this the ITU‑R Study Group Working Parties 4C and 5A are working on the issue but with a wider scope covering the global set of radio navigation satellite systems (RNSS) operating in the band 1240 – 1300 MHz.

The IARU supports the action to do this work in CEPT but continues to hold a view that the potential for interference being caused by the amateur and amateur satellite services to the RNSS is being over-stated.

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Iceland: 1850 kHz authorization renewed
· HF · admin

Iceland’s IRA received a positive response from the Post and Telecom Administration (PTA), on December 4th, to their request to renewal the authorization to use 1850 — 1900 kHz in international contests in 2021.

The authorization is granted with the full consent of the Maritime Watch Center, which has priority for the use of frequencies during this frequency range. This use is subject to the same requirements as apply to the frequency range 1810 — 1850 kHz in a regulation, but the Post and Telecom Administration’s increased conditions are as follows: (a) The authorization is only granted during the specified international competitions; (b) G licensees are authorized to use full power, up to 1kW; N‑licensees enjoy the same frequency rights, but the power limit is based on a maximum of 10W.

For more information please visit http://​www​.ira​.is/​2​5​713 – 2/.

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IARU represents the amateur service in more discussions on WPT
· News, Spectrum · Sylvain, F4GKR

The meeting of ITU‑R Study Group 1 and its subordinate working parties was held from 24th November until 2nd December. The amateur service has a particular interest in the work done in WP1A on Wireless Power Transmission. Region 1 President Don Beattie, G3BJ and Executive Committee Member Sylvain Azarian, F4GKR, on behalf of IARU, represented the amateur service at the meeting.

IARU had submitted four papers for the WP1A meeting. One was a joint paper with EBU and BBC proposing changes and corrections to ITU‑R Report SM.2449 on Generic WPT devices. A second submission was an information paper relating to the German ENAMS noise measurement system and reporting to ITU that IARU would shortly be in a position to provide data on levels of man-made noise around Germany.

A third paper was a challenge to a US submission which proposed that work on WPT emissions should stop in ITU. The US paper further proposed that if work was continued, it should be towards a Report not a Recommendation.

The final paper from IARU was a proposed set of amendments to report SM.2451 (impact of WPT for electric vehicles) and in particular a detailed critique of a proposed new US Annex to the Report covering the tests carried out in Texas in January 2020 on a pre-production WPT-EV system.

Significant discussion took place on the last two items, resulting in agreement to continue the work on WPT Emissions. Amendments were made to the proposed incorporation of the US Annex into a revised Report 2451, and these will be considered further at the next meeting.

IARU continues to advocate caution on the permitted levels of spurious emissions from WPT-EV systems. IARU’s position was supported by EBU, BBC and a number of administrations. 

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