WARC 2003 band realignments

[Sandy]

Follows W1AW bulletin on preliminary WARC realignment of the 40 meter band.
This is of paramount importance to users of vintage US made gear!
40 meters has undergone changes that have been beneficial to some and catastrophic to
others,
especially in Region 2 in the CW sub-band which is filled with SSB stations now.
Also, we really need to subdivide the "telegraphy" sub-band into manual Morse and
digital sub-bands.  There is a lot of cooperation between these modes, but a lot of
people are ignoring the "gentlemen's agreement".
Now is the time to organize and let your feeling be known!

I strongly recommend that the sector from 7000-7200 be retained as presently allocated
as regards "sub-bands", and the "new" proposed segment from 6900 to 7000 be
allocated to the same uses as 7200-7300 is presently.  This will allow a SWBC-QRM free
SSB segment, and hopefully keep all regions exclusively telegraphy in the 7000-7100
khz. segment subdivided between digital and manual modes.

73,
Sandy W5TVW
Bulletin follows
=======================
 ZCZC AG15
 QST de W1AW
 ARRL Bulletin 15  ARLB015
 From ARRL Headquarters
 Newington CT  May 4, 2001
 To all radio amateurs

 SB QST ARL ARLB015
 ARLB015 7 MHz "realignment" among WRC-2003 Advisory Committee
 preliminary views

 The FCC's World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 Advisory
 Committee has approved several "preliminary views" --or PVs--on
 expected WRC-03 agenda items. Among these is a US preliminary view
 supporting a realigned 40-meter amateur allocation at 6900-7200 kHz
 on a worldwide primary basis. The FCC is soliciting public comment
 on all preliminary views by May 9.

 The preliminary view was developed by Informal Working Group 6,
 which is dealing with most issues of concern to amateurs. ARRL
 Technical Relations Specialist Walt Ireland, WB7CSL, serves as vice
 chairman of IWG-6. The PV says that, alternatively, the US could
 support a 7000-7300 kHz worldwide primary amateur allocation.

 Only amateurs in Region 2, which includes North and South America,
 have access to 7000-7300 kHz; the rest of the world has only
 7000-7100 kHz, with the upper 200 kHz allocated for broadcasting.
 ARRL Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, says the ARRL
 would prefer going back to the pre-World War II worldwide 7000-7300
 kHz scheme. Some broadcasters, on the other hand, would like
 amateurs worldwide at 6800-7100 kHz, he said, so they would not have
 to move. A Radio Conference Subcommittee backgrounder from the
 Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee--which reflects views of
 the federal government--said the issue "is liable to be very
 controversial."

 Further complicating matters, Rinaldo said, is the fact that
 international HF broadcasters want to fold the 7 MHz realignment
 question into another WRC-03 agenda item examining the adequacy of
 HF broadcasting allocations from approximately 4 MHz to 10 MHz.
 Broadcasters are expected to seek additional HF elbow room to
 accommodate digital transmissions to complement their existing AM
 channels.

 Another PV with implications for amateurs would oppose the use of
 420-470 MHz for use by the Earth Exploration-Satellite Service for
 so-called synthetic aperture radars, or SARs unless it can be shown
 that the satellites "do not cause harmful interference to amateur
 systems and stations." SARs are used to map regions on Earth's
 surface and are expected to be deployed primarily over tropical rain
 forest areas.

 Rinaldo emphasized that the preliminary views do not represent
 formal US positions and are subject to change as preparations for
 WRC-03 move forward.

 Comments on WAC preliminary views may be filed via e-mail to
 wrc03 at fcc.gov. The FCC's WRC-03 Web site, http://www.fcc.gov/wrc-03,
 includes additional information as well as links to related
 documents.

 WRC-03 is scheduled to begin June 9, 2003, and continue until July
 4, 2003. The conference is expected to take place in Venezuela.
 NNNN
 /EX

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