ITU Study Group meetings: Geneva 19/11/2013

ITU Study Group 5 and its working parties met between 19 November and 3 December in Geneva. SG 5 is responsible for Systems and networks for the fixed, mobile, radiodetermination, amateur and amateur-satellite services. The amateur and amateur-satellite service are represented by working group 5A -1 which deals with World Radio Communications Conference agenda items that affect the amateur service as well as the ongoing revision and review of ITU reports and recommendations that are relevant to the amateur service. WG5A-1 is chaired by Dale Hughes VK1DSH and the working group considered a number of WRC-15 agenda items as well as completing work on the ITU Amateur Service Handbook.

The main item of discussion was agenda item 1.4 which is considering a possible secondary allocation to the amateur service around 5300 kHz and much time was spent discussing reports from various ITU members which covered sharing and compatibility studies used to assess whether a new secondary amateur allocation around 5300 kHz is possible or not. The IARU presented a study on compatibility with the aeronautical mobile service which is in the frequency band adjacent to the proposed amateur allocation and a number of national administrations presented their views on the possibility of the amateur service sharing with fixed and mobile services that are the primary services in the frequency band being considered. Needless to say, there are diverse opinions about the possibility of sharing… It is hoped that the sharing and compatibility studies can be completed by the end of May 2014 so that the appropriate information can be fed into WRC-15 negotiations.

Other issues discussed included WRC-15 agenda item 1.18 which deals with sharing the primary amateur service allocation between 77.5 and 78 GHz with short range vehicle radar systems. Given the very different nature of the radiolocation service and the amateur service it is thought that the services are compatible in this band and that sharing is possible.

Discussions at the ITU are very important and have a direct impact on the availability and use of frequency bands for the amateur and amateur-satellite service and significant resources are devoted to attending the ITU meetings. Representing their national administration or the IARU were Dale Hughes VK1DSH, Brennan Price N4QX, Ken Yamamoto JA1CJP, Colin Thomas G3PSM, Hans Blondell Timmerman PB2T, Ole Garpestead LA2RR, Bryan Rawlings VE3QN and Ulrich Mueller DK4VW. In addition to these people, ITU delegates representing the states of Algeria, Egypt, Korea, China, Nigeria, Malaysia, Ghana, the Russian Federation, Oman, USA and others were present at many of the meetings. The meetings were always very active with a diverse range of opinions and national views being expressed. Many African countries are very supportive of amateur radio as they see it as a way to interest young people in science and technology as well as providing a vital service during disaster relief operations.

The Australian delegation at this meeting consisted of seven people and is authorised by the ACMA to present Australia’s positions on various WRC-15 agenda items and to observe and monitor studies that are relevant to Australia’s interests in maritime communications, satellite and broadcasting services, defence communications and the amateur service.

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