WIA Announces 600 metreTechnical Study Program

At the next ITU World Radio Conference (WRC) in 2012, agenda item 1.23 that is of particular interest to the amateur service. The agenda item refers to a possible secondary allocation in the 600 metre spectrum segment:

Agenda item 1.23: To consider an allocation of about 15 kHz in parts of the band 415-526.5 kHz to the amateur service on a secondary basis, taking into account the need to protect existing services.

Various radio societies under the IARU banner have sought temporary or experimental licences in a number of segments for the purposes of conducting investigation into propagation and potential interference issues to other radio communications services as well as the potential application of this spectrum segment for amateur emergency communications services. The most recent radio society to be granted a temporary licence is the NZART, who has been granted temporary use in the 505 kHz to 515 kHz segment.

The WIA has recently applied to the ACMA and been granted six Scientific Apparatus Licences Australian wide, on a secondary service basis for study purposes. These are not amateur licences, but a separate category of licence for testing and technical investigations. The conditions of the licences are for the spectrum segment 505kHz to 515 kHz with an EIRP of 25 watts pY with narrow band emissions for CW, and digital emissions up to 1 kHz bandwidth. Each of the six licences have been issued on a non interference no protection basis.

As there are no readily available commercially made transmitters, the WIA has asked Drew DiamondVK3XU to design two solid state modern design transmitters that typically have power outputs of 50 to 100 watts. The transmitters must also meet the technical requirement of spurious emissions below -50dBc and has low keying impacts of better that -80 dB. The second and third harmonic radiation falls within the AM broadcasting band. To ensure the designs meet these requirements, each transmitter was independently tested by Noel Higgins, of Analysis Solve and Test Pty Ltd, who has generously provided his time to the project.

The WIA now invites interested WIA members who are Amateur Advanced Level licence holders with CW qualifications to participate in the study program. Interested persons will be required to use the standardised transmitter designs by Drew Diamond and have capability of accurate signal field strength measurements. Person who are willing to take part in the study program and meet the above criteria, will be issued with an authorisation under section 114 of the Radiocommunications Act to use a licence at no financial cost. These licences can also be rotated amongst persons should there be more interest than the available number of licences.

Those that are interested, or want further information can send an email to the National WIA office at: nationaloffice@wia.org.au and include 600 Metres in the subject heading.

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