70cms 'exclusion zone' for Melbourne hams
The bottom half of the 70 centimetre band is no longer available for
amateur radio in most of Victoria as the result of a new exclusion zone
that has just become law, through an amendment to the Amateur Licence
Conditions, our regulations.
The ACA has prohibited all amateur radio activity on the 420-430 MHz
band within Victoria in an area of up to a 250 kilometre radius of the
Melbourne General Post Office.
That band will now be used for a new state-of-the-art digital radio system
to replace the current analogue systems of the Victoria Police, Metropolitan
Ambulance Service and Metropolitan Fire Brigade.
The exclusion zone has been anticipated and comes after other permanent
Exclusion zones were imposed for similar purposes around Perth and Sydney,
including the Australian Capital Territory.
The band 420-430 MHz has been used for amateur fixed links and amateur
television. The WIA has assisted with the timely closure and migration
of those links in Victoria in liaison with the Bureau of Emergency Services
Telecommunications and the ACA.
The new digital voice and data radio system now being installed for Emergency
services will also provide common coordination channels to support multi-agency
response to major incidents and events.
The aim is to have it fully operational well in advance of the Melbourne
Commonwealth Games in 2006.
Jim Linton VK3PC
Source: Wireless
Institute of Australia
|
