WRC19 - more details on the 50MHz changes

[IK0ZCW]

Friday, 06 December 2019 12:20
Written by Don Beattie

IARU has released a more detailed report on the outcome of Agenda Item 1.1 (50 MHz) at the recent WRC in Egypt. Proposals from administrations and Regional Telecommunications Organisations (RTO) around the world ranged from no allocation at all to the provision of a 4 MHz primary allocation. The IARU position was to seek a 4 MHz primary allocation in Region 1 in common with that in other ITU regions.


Pre WRC situation in Region 1

Prior to WRC 2019, a number of countries in Africa enjoyed a primary allocation in all or part of the band. A number of other countries in Region 1 had secondary allocations on a national non-interference basis.


Post WRC situation in Region 1

A secondary amateur allocation in Region 1 in the band 50 – 52 MHz is included in the Table of Frequency Allocations in the ITU Radio Regulations.
In Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, 50 - 54 MHz on a primary basis with protection from other services.
In Senegal, 50 - 51 MHz on a primary basis with protection from other services.
In Angola, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Burundi, the United Arab Emirates, Gambia, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Uganda, Qatar, South Sudan and Tanzania, the frequency band 50 - 54 MHz is allocated to the amateur service on a primary basis.
In Djibouti and Lebanon, the frequency band 50 - 52 MHz is allocated to the amateur service on a primary basis.
In Guinea-Bissau, the frequency band 50.0 - 50.5 MHz is allocated to the amateur service on a primary basis.
In Austria, Cyprus, the Vatican, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Slovakia and Slovenia, the frequency band 50.0 - 50.5 MHz is allocated to the amateur service on a primary basis.
In the Russian Federation the frequency band 50.080 50.280 MHz is allocated to the amateur service on a secondary basis.


Main Outcome of WRC-19

Final approval of the outcome was delayed until Thursday 21 November as a consequence of sensitive political issues. However following approval:
- Pre WRC-19 countries retain their current status in the 50 - 54 MHz frequency band.
- The Democratic Republic of Congo removed itself from the list of pre WRC-19 countries.
- The amateur service has a secondary table allocation in most of Region 1 in the 50 - 52 MHz band.
- 44 Region 1 countries have a primary allocation in all or part of the 50 - 54 MHz band.
- 14 CEPT countries have a 500 kHz primary allocation in the 50.0 - 50.5 MHz band.
- The Russian Federation has a 200 kHz secondary allocation in the 50.08 - 50.28 MHz band.
- The Final Acts of WRC-19 enters into force on 1 January 2021, however administrations may make provisions to provide 50 MHz spectrum at an earlier or later date.
- Amateur service shall not cause harmful interference to stations of other primary or secondary services, with the exception of the pre-WRC-19 countries.
- Individual amateurs should not use (unless already licensed to do so) the newly allocated spectrum until their national licensing authority has given the go ahead for its use.
- Prior to WRC-19 a number of countries in CEPT had authorised national usage in the 50 - 52 MHz band on a non-interference basis to stations of other primary and secondary services. In practice little is likely to change here, although the amateur service with a secondary table allocation in Article 5 of the ITU Radio Regulations (and hopefully the European Common Allocation Table) will now have a higher status internationally in the 50 - 52 MHz frequency band after the entry into force of the Final Acts. Furthermore, amateurs will benefit from the additional stations likely to be authorised in other countries as a consequence of the WRC-19 decisions.


Next Steps

To address the 50 MHz issue at CEPT’s Working Group Frequency Management meeting when the European Common Allocation table is revised.


Country by Country situation

The table at http://www.iaru-r1.org/wiki/VHF#50-54_MHz_.286_m.29 is IARU’s understanding of the before and after WRC19 position on 50 MHz allocations in Region 1. IARU cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies and the definitive position is the responsibility of individual national administrations.