Series of important ITU meetings coming up

Beginning on March 29th, a series of meetings will be taking place in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) which will move us one step closer to decisions at the World Radio Conference on 2007.

Since last fall, countries around the world have been doing their homework and are beginning to solidify their positions on items of importance to amateur radio.

In Canada, Radio Amateurs of Canada and the IARU have been developing arguments in support of retention of the top of the 40 metre band between 7200 and 7300 kHz, for excluding broadcasters in Europe and Asia from that band, and for securing a world wide allocation for amateur radio from 7000 to 7300 kHz.

In another area, we have been developing studies to support our case for an amateur band at 136 kHz.

We have also been working to secure the support of other spectrum user's in Canada for our proposals. And finally, Canada has taken proposals to the CITEL meetings of all countries in North, Central and South America to try to develop a united position to take to the conference. Similar actions have been taking place in Europe and in Asia.

So when everyone meets in Geneva in April and May, the studies and recommendations to the conference will be revised and updated, hopefully in our favour.

The IARU will be represented in four different groups. The Broadcast group meets in the last week of March and the first week of April. The Mobile and Amateur group meets in mid April, and the Fixed service group meets towards the end of April. Then, in May, representatives of all three groups will meet for a short meeting in Geneva, to try to agree on an overall approach to the review of 4-10 MHz, hopefully with a place in there somewhere for amateur radio.

We will keep you updated.
Ken Pulfer, VE3PU

Source: Radio Amateurs of Canada

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