Responses needed to OFCOM 24GHz Car Short Range Radar Consultation

As you may know the 24-24.05GHz band is now about to be subject to ultrawideband Car Short Radar encroaching onto it as an interim measure to its long term allocation at 79GHz

Microwavers have been opening 24GHz up quite a bit over the past few years and it is a Primary Amateur allocation.
If we don't comment on this, other allocations could also suffer.

The latest Ofcom doc is largely a fait-accompli but it may still be worthwile having a go at it, if only because of the wider signifcance in the current climate with the overall Amateur Licensing consultation due to start shortly after the deadline.

Mike Dixon G3PFR has written an excellent critique of the Ofcom doc which along with related info has been added to the Operating page of the UKuG website at http://www.microwavers.org/. Also on the webpage
are the notes below and a pre-formatted cover sheet which should be used for all replies so Ofcom can publish them without delay.

NOTE that all replies need to be in by May-23 - only 3wks

All amateurs, and especially 24GHz Operators, are encouraged to reply. Ofcom 'consultations' are also open to non-UK entries provided there is some relevance to the input.

Whilst 24GHz Car Radar can't be directly stopped you could highlight...

a) How the rights of Primary Allocations are being violated
- a worrying precedent for all

b) Emphasise that there are high power Amateur stations and so defuse future legal liability issues (and perhaps undermine the 24G business case)

c) Point out flaws in the CEPT process and Ofcom impact
assessment which largely ignored Amateurs

d) Stop 24GHz Car SRR kit being used as a loophole / precedent for other wideband (non-car) 24GHz systems,
such as alarms, perimeter fences etc in our Primary segment
(This is very likely to happen on the 79GHz band - Qinetiq etc)

e) Highlight to others how amateur bands are under threat generally - very timely ahead of the main Amateur Licensing Consultation

f) Highlight that it may undermine timely development of
79GHz Car Radar gear (which we could actually benefit from!)

g) Query how anyone can enforce the issue of 'harmful' interference from a tertiary system which is highly mobile, license exempt and thus difficult to trace

h) If you are a radio astronomers/weather forecaster
- there is a flagrant intrusion into their passive band at 23.6-24GHz. These guys have already done an excellent job at getting restrictions put into the rules on these devices. Provided they are not breached it shouldn't be too bad, but we don't want it to be the thin end of the wedge.

i) Also need to ensure that the spec covers restrictions
on harmonic levels so we dont get hit on 47GHz and 76GHz
Primary Amateur bands as well as well as degrading spectrum efficiency for lots of others

Murray G6JYB

Other recent stories..

Other News Stories

• Get our news headlines for your website - click here
• Submit your news story - click here