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Trevor
M5AKA
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Comment on Spectrum Framework Document
by Trevor M5AKA
Ofcom's Spectrum Framework document clearly indicates that Amateurs will
lose some of the Microwave spectrum as a result of spectrum trading and
the introduction of new services such as WIMAX, UWB etc.
The Amateur Bandplans give the impression we have 100's of Megahertz
of Microwave Spectrum. In fact it's almost all Secondary allocations and
we have always had to share it with other Primary users such as MOD.
We need to support our National Society in it's efforts to ensure that
Amateurs have access to sufficient spectrum in the Microwave and Millimetric
wavebands to enable us to continue the valuable experimental work that
is done on these frequencies.
Interestingly the review raises the possibility that Amateurs may be
able to share spectrum with other users in new and inovative ways.
One sentence reads - "However, under trading legislation we
will allow licence holders to agree cognitive access with third parties
if they wish to do so".
This opens up the possibility of Amateurs through the National Society
negotiating with other spectrum owners to make use of their spectrum for
Amateur operation using Cognitive Radios.
A Cognitive Radios radios looks for momentarily unused parts of the spectrum,
makes use of the frequency and then vacates the frequency for another.
The owner of that spectrum would be obvilious to Amateur QSO's going on
in their spectrum.
Ofcom acknowledges the input from Amateurs to the Spectrum Framework
Review. As a result they have been some revisions in line with responses
received from Radio Amateurs.
The document says: "Overall 101 responses were received to the SFR.
Of these 47 were from Amateurs Radio Users.
The Amateurs were concerned with the proposal that the licensing regime
might be changed. This is now being dealt with in a separate consultation
document, references to deregulation have been removed from this statement,
and this matter will not be discussed further here. The remaining 54 responses
came from a wide range of organisations."
Ofcom stress that they do not believe that deregulation is feasable for
the Amateur Service nor are they proposing any changes to the qualifications
needed.
They say: "Ofcom has recently issued a consultation on simplified
arrangements for amateur licensing. A range of options for creating a
lighter licensing regime is discussed, full deregulation is not felt to
be feasible but free online lifetime licences are considered as is the
option of maintaining current licence arrangements. None of the proposals
will alter the licence spectrum access rights.
Ofcom will continue to ensure spectrum is made available for radio amateurs,
will represent their interests in the relevant international fora, will
notify them as usual of changes to spectrum access and will amend licence
terms and conditions where necessary.
A number of concerns were expressed by radio amateurs about plans to
change the arrangements for amateur licensing. They were concerned that
full deregulation would lead to a free for all in amateur spectrum use
and that Ofcom would no longer deal with interference in the amateur bands.
We are not proposing full deregulation, nor any changes to the qualifications
needed to use this band and will continue to deal with interference in
the amateur bands."
Ofcoms Amateur Licencing Consultation is taking place at the moment.
Make sure you have your say on the matter. The Consultation document and
an editable reply sheet can be downloaded from:
http://tinyurl.com/ambho
Replies must be in by 18th August 2005.
73 Trevor M5AKA
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Trevor is a member of The Chelmsford
Amateur Radio Society
Support Essex Air Ambulance - Apply for the Chelmsford Award
See CARS website http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/
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