Amateur Radio repeater applications

An item posted on the website of the RSGB Emerging Technology Co-ordination Committee indicates that the criteria for repeater applications will be tightened.

From http://www.ukrepeater.net/

Taking stock (3 January 2010)

It is likely that strict criteria will be applied in the new year for new repeater applications.

Against the backdrop of low activity levels, and poorly performing repeaters, the need to justify new applications is likely to be enforced to a far greater extent.

Long-term non-operational repeaters, repeaters licenced but failing to commence service and repeaters nominally operational but widely reported as being either deaf or inaccessible for other reasons has become all too prevalent.

The recent interest in digital modes, in particular GMSK, has been a welcome boost to the repeater sector of the hobby, but challenges to amateur use of bands above 2 Metres is likely to require even greater proof that we "need" and value these bands to support our society in seeing-off commercial interest in 70cm and above.

The focus on radio spectrum is going to intensify in the coming decade, radio amateurs have to be seen to have our house in order and make good use of the valuable bands at our disposal in the so called "sweet-spot" of the radio bands.

RSGB Emerging Technology Co-ordination Committee (ETCC)
http://www.ukrepeater.net/