70 MHz Initiative

The CEPT Working Group on Frequency Management, WGFM,
is being asked at its next meeting in mid February, to
consider a secondary allocation to the Amateur service
at 70 MHz.

This arose from an initiative by Irish Radio Transmitters Society based on a technical paper drafted by Dave EI3IO.

Arising from this, the Irish regulator ComReg has submitted a proposal inviting the WGFM to consider a secondary allocation to the Amateur Service in the band 70.0 to 70.5 MHz. This is in the context of the post WRC '07 revision of the ECA (European Table of Common Frequency Allocations) that will take place shortly.

There are allocations at 70 MHz in Croatia, Denmark,
Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, Slovenia and the UK. Other countries are reluctant to release the band for experimentation and research until it is formalised either in Article 5 of the ITU Radio Regulations or in the European Common Allocations Table.

The ComReg initiative would give effective recognition to the de facto situation in these countries and more importantly insert a provision for a secondary allocation at 70 MHz to the Amateur Service in the ECA as an enabling provision to Administrations.

This would greatly assist National Societies in countries that do not have a 70 MHz allocation in negotiating such a facility with their Administrations.

Work is ongoing through IARU Region 1, its National
Societies and others in seeking support for the ComReg
proposal. We all hope for a successful outcome.

Source: IRTS