Hello
All,
I was member of the German delegation at
WRC-23. These results of WRC-23 are
recommendations in case administrations
have issues of interference to Galileo
receivers which can be proved to be
caused by amateur radio emissions. They
are not mandatory. It is just a toolbox
where administrations affected can make
use of - or not.
However, the French administration is
still busy – officially and behind the
scenes – trying to make these
recommendations mandatory at least for
EU or CEPT territories. Nothing is
decided about this yet, however.
Hence, I would strongly advise NOT to
take any premature actions as this will
harm the negotiation position on EU or
CEPT basis.
Of course one can think of what to
do…just in case.
vy 73 Bernd DF2ZC
www.df2zc.de
____________________________________________
144 MHz
EME NewsLetter:
www.df2zc.de/newsletter
twitter.com/…2zc
144 MHz
DXCC #21
144 MHz WAC
Von:
Moon-Net@groups.io <Moon-Net@groups.io>
Im Auftrag von LB6B Ingebrigt via
groups.io
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 18. Dezember
2024 14:25
An:
Moon-Net@groups.io
Betreff: [Moon-Net] 2025
approaching. Ready for QSY on 23cm?
Last year at this time, WRC-23
concluded with new and constrained
operational rules for the 23 cm band.
2024 has been a significant year for
23 cm activity and operations, but
starting
January 1, 2025, the new
regulations will take effect.
But - where are we going?
Key Changes from 2025 a reminder of
WRC23
For most of us, we now need to move
our operating frequencies
above 1298 MHz. In some
cases, operations may need to go even
beyond 1299 MHz, which is just above
Galileo's frequency top. However, this
brings operations closer to the
over-the-horizon radars that operate
above 1300 MHz, particularly in areas
with increased military presence.
Finding the sweetspot will be the
challenge.
IARU, hopefully in close cooperation
with the EME community, is responsible
of finding our new operating frequency.
As
ITU-R M.2164 states:
"The ITU Radiocommunication
Assembly,
considering
a)
that the International Amateur Radio
Union (IARU) develops, maintains and
publishes detailed band plans for the
operation and development of the
amateur and amateur-satellite services
in all three Regions;"
There is little time to decide before
2025. If not already done, we need to
act accordingly.
For all I know, this might already have
been resolved?
Understanding the Legal Framework
From a legal standpoint, this is all
about law and regulations, and we are
required to comply.
It is critical not to dismiss these
changes as "just footnotes". In a legal
and regulatory context, footnotes are
entirely valid and binding.
Recap: ITU Radio Regulations (RR)
The ITU Radio Regulations, often
called the
"Red Book" or
RR, is where all WRC-23
decisions are formally recorded. This
document serves as the foundation for
all telecom authorities.
The 2024 edition, which includes
changes from WRC-23, can be downloaded
here:
ITU Radio Regulations 2024
Volume 1 of the RR
states:
"The majority of the provisions of
these Regulations shall
enter into force as from 1 January
2025; the remaining
provisions shall apply as from the
special dates of application indicated
in Article 59 of the revised Radio
Regulations."
Under
Chapter II – Frequencies
(pages 101–103), the following footnote
regulates 23 cm operations:
"5.332A":
"Administrations authorizing operation
of the amateur and amateur-satellite
services in the frequency band
1240-1300 MHz, or portions thereof,
shall ensure that the amateur and
amateur-satellite services do not
cause harmful interference to
radionavigation-satellite service
(space-to-Earth) receivers in
accordance with No. 5.29 (see the most
recent version of Recommendation ITU-R
M.2164). The authorizing
administration, upon receipt of a
report of harmful interference caused
by a station of the amateur or
amateur-satellite services, shall take
all necessary steps to rapidly
eliminate such interference. (WRC-23)"
The final sentence here is
significant: it mandates and dictates
telecom authorities to address
interference immediately and decisively.
Power Limits and Frequency Bands for
EME
The referenced document
ITU-R M.2164 can be
downloaded here:
ITU-R M.2164
Page 3 outlines the
following options for Earth-Moon-Earth
(EME) operations:
-
1296-1298 MHz: Maximum
transmitter power =
17 dBW
-
1298-1300 MHz: Maximum
transmitter power =
22 dBW
- For
narrowband EME applications with a
high-performance antenna (≥30 dBi)
pointing
at least 15° above the horizontal:
-
1298-1300 MHz:
Maximum transmitter power =
27 dBW
Clarifications:
-
17 dBW = 50 W
-
22 dBW = 158 W
-
27 dBW = 501 W
- A
30 dBi antenna
corresponds roughly to a
3-meter dish.
Implications for EME Operators
Much has already been said about
these limitations from an EME
perspective. Unfortunately, these rules
favor large, high-performance stations
operating with antennas above 15°
elevation. This has impacted smaller,
highly optimised stations like that of
KB2SA, who demonstrated remarkable
results with a small antenna setup in
2024. The art of optimising RX and
compensating TX power now faces new
challenges.
Why This Matters
All of these changes stem from one
key issue:
interference.
Interference concerns fall into two
categories:
-
Actual interference events
that have occurred.
-
The fear of interference,
particularly with Galileo E6, which is
now operational.
This situation was foreseen nearly 20
years ago by
G3LTF:
Galileo Interference Paper
Since then, both the EU and France
have expressed strong concerns about
interference, leading to proposals at
WRC-23.
Aviation Security: A Critical
Concern and worst case scenario...
The stakes escalated during the
lead-up to WRC-23 when interference
concerns expanded to include
aviation systems.
Aviation safety is a top priority, and
the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO)
oversees this area.
When ICAO identifies a security risk,
the response is swift and
uncompromising. For example, a minor
aircraft issue can ground an entire
fleet. If interference from amateur
operations is reported, there is a real
risk that all activity on the 23 cm band
could be suspended.
While no such actions have been taken
yet, it remains a possibility. The
restrictions imposed are intended to
ensure secure operations and avoid
interference.
The Risk to 23 cm
Let’s be clear: some telecom
administrations would prefer to
eliminate amateur operations on 23 cm
entirely. For them, it simplifies their
responsibilities if that would be the
case. Some national telecom regulators
have already further restricted or
outright prohibited 23 cm activity.
(That is one way of dealing with the
risk.) This is an unfortunate
development, but in most countries,
operations remain possible under the new
framework.
Final Thoughts
The future of 23 cm, particularly for
EME, is not yet fully determined.
However, compliance with these rules is
critical to ensure we retain access to
this band. It is up to us as a community
to operate responsibly and demonstrate
that we can coexist with other services.
Let’s work together to preserve the
23 cm band for the years to come.
Wishing everyone a successful and
interference-free 2025 and beyond.
73 de LB6B
