Conférence mondiale des radiocommunications (CMR-23)
The Importance of Showing Up!
From left: Jon Siverling, WB3ERA, Paul Coverdale, VE3ICV, Barry Lewis, G4SJH, Flavio Archangelo, PY2ZX, Bernd Mischlewski, DF2ZC, Tim Ellam, VE6SH, Murray Niman, G6JYB, Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, Joel Harrison, W5ZN, Yudi Hasbi, YD1PRY, Peter Pokorny, VK2EMR, Dale Hughes, VK1DSH and Roland Turner, 9V1RT.
Update December 15, 2023 | “The Final Week”
RAC Special Advisor Paul Coverdale, VE3ICV
In the final week of WRC-23, an allocation was made for a spaceborne radar sounder operating in the 40-50 MHz range. There was some concern expressed about whether some signal would spill over into the lower portion of the 6m band, but geographical and operational limitations as well as allowable power flux density at the Earth’s surface make the likelihood of this happening very low in practice.
A footnote to the Radio Regulations for Region 2 identifies frequencies for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) in the band 10-10.5 GHz. This is only applicable to a number of central and south American countries and does not apply to Canada and the United States.
Agenda items have been determined for the next World Radiocommunication Conferences in 2027 and 2031. These include an opportunity for a possible new Amateur allocation in the frequency range 275-325 GHz; a definition of frequencies for Wireless Power Transmission (WPT) to avoid harmful interference to radiocommunications services (including Amateur); and initial studies which could lead to an Amateur allocation for communications on the lunar surface and between the lunar orbit and the lunar surface.
For more information please see the next two issues of The Canadian Amateur magazine.
Update December 8, 2023 | “Agreement has been reached…”
RAC Special Advisor Paul Coverdale, VE3ICV
The third week of WRC-23 in Dubai has passed, and a number of the Agenda Items have been completed, and the associated changes to the Radio Regulations and Resolutions have been approved.
In particular, after much discussion, agreement has been reached on the important topic of interference by Amateurs to the Radio Navigation Satellite Service (RNSS) in the 23 cm band.
There was initial strong disagreement as to whether Recommendation M.2164 “Guidance on technical and operational measures for the use of the frequency band 1240-1300 MHz by the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Service in order to protect the Radionavigation-Satellite service (Space-to-Earth)” should be interpreted as being mandatory, or left as guidance for individual Administrations if they feel it is necessary.
The final outcome introduces a new footnote in the Radio Regulations regarding Amateur and Amateur Satellite Service operation in the 1240-1300 MHz range. This footnote recognizes that receipt of a report of harmful interference caused by a station of the Amateur or Amateur-Satellite Services, should be the trigger for Administrations to invoke the guidance in the most recent version of M.2164.
WRC-23 also agreed to suppress Resolution 774 “Studies on technical and operational measures to be applied in the frequency band 1 240-1 300 MHz to ensure the protection of the Radionavigation-Satellite service (Space-to-Earth)”, which closes the issue and satisfies the agenda item.
Update December 3, 2023 | “The Second Week”
The second week of WRC-23 in Dubai has passed, now at the half-way point. There has been intense activity this week in numerous detailed drafting groups working on the details of proposals for changes to the Radio Regulations and associated Resolutions, a number of which have implications for the amateur radio service.
Amateur Radio interests were bolstered by the arrival of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) President Tim Ellam, VE6SH and IARU Secretary Joel Harrison, W5ZN.
For the 23 cm issue of interference into the Radio Navigation Satellite Service (RNSS), there is cautious optimism that a compromise has been reached between the Amateur Service and RNSS operators, but this still needs to go through further levels of approval.
For the issue of the 45 MHz spaceborne radar sounder interfering into the lower edge of the Amateur 6m band, progress has been made and it seems that the likelihood of interference will be very low, and only in polar regions.
Amongst proposals for agenda items for future WRC’s there is one for initiating a new study on regulatory issues for lunar communications. One proposal includes specific operational frequencies some of which intersect with Amateur bands, and this is being monitored carefully.
November 30, 2023 | “The First Week”
The World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) is being held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates – from November 20 to December 15 – bringing governments together for negotiations on the allocation of radio-frequency spectrum.
The first week had good representation by Amateurs, with not only participation by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), but Amateurs participating on the national delegations of several countries, as does Canada.
In introductory remarks, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, KD2JTX, specifically mentioned Amateur Radio:
“It’s the Amateur Radio operators who were able to send damage reports in the epicentre of an earthquake when all other communication channels were down”.
The structure of the Conference has been agreed and Chairs for Working and sub-Working Groups approved. Dale Hughes, VK1DSH is the Chair of the sub-working group dealing with Amateur Radio matters.
On the important topic of interference by Amateurs to the Radio Navigation Satellite Service (RNSS) in the 23 centimetre band, after much discussion over many months a new Recommendation M.2164 – “Guidance on technical and operational measures for the use of the frequency band 1240-1300 MHz by the Amateur and Amateur-satellite Service in order to protect the Radionavigation-Satellite Service (Space-to-Earth)” – had finally been agreed at the Radiocommunication Assembly which took place immediately before WRC-23. However, there is still strong disagreement as to whether M.2164 should be interpreted as being mandatory or left as guidance for individual Administrations if they feel it is necessary.
In other topics, some proposals have been made regarding frequencies to be used for space weather (solar events etc) sensors which cut into Amateur bands, which will be opposed by Amateurs.
Proposals for the agenda for the next WRC (WRC-27) are also being brought to the table, some of which may raise concerns for Amateurs.
Media release:
November 20 – “The World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) opened today in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, bringing governments together for negotiations on the allocation of radio-frequency spectrum.” – link here
Useful Links:
Dubai – November 20 to December 15
Paul Coverdale, VE3ICV, RAC Special Advisor
The next World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23) is quickly approaching. It will be held in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from November 20 to December 15 and RAC Special Advisor Paul Coverdale, VE3ICV, will participate as a member of the Canadian Delegation.
World Radiocommunication Conferences, which take place every four years, are the venues for updating the rules (known as the Radio Regulations) governing all types of radiocommunications services on a worldwide basis. This includes the Amateur and Amateur Satellite Services.
In the past, World Radiocommunication Conference – and their predecessor World Administrative Radio Conferences (WARC) – have been beneficial to Amateurs in opening new spectrum such as the WARC bands and 60, 630 and 2200 metres. However, with the proliferation of commercial wireless services (especially 5G and 6G) there is increasing pressure on existing Amateur frequency allocations in the VHF, UHF and microwave regions. It is therefore important for the Amateur Radio community to participate in World Radiocommunication Conferences.
The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) provides a consolidated voice at World Radiocommunication Conferences and several other national Administrations include Amateurs in their delegations. Radio Amateurs of Canada works with the IARU and has participated in previous WRCs and the associated preparatory meetings for many years, under the auspices of our regulator Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).
There are several Agenda Items related to Amateur Radio for WRC-23, but the one of most concern to the Amateur community is Agenda Item 9.1b:
“Review the amateur service and the amateur-satellite service allocations in the frequency band 1240-1300 MHz to determine if additional measures are required to ensure protection of the space-to-Earth segment of the Radio Navigation Satellite Service (RNSS) operating in the same band.”
The origin of this Agenda Item was an isolated case of interference in Germany several years ago from a high-power Amateur TV station. This case of interference was quickly dealt with by the German authorities.
The concern to Radio Amateurs is the possibility of unrealistic restrictions being applied to all Amateur operation in the 23cm Amateur band (a secondary allocation) due to the perceived potential for interference with a radionavigation-satellite service (RNSS) – a primary allocation.
The Amateur position has always been that any interference can be dealt with on a national basis – as it was in Germany – and doesn’t require any new Radio Regulations. Nevertheless, a new ITU-R Recommendation providing technical and operational requirements is being developed which is intended to assist Administrations and the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services to ensure the protection of the RNSS (space-to-Earth) in the frequency band 1240-1300 MHz.
These technical and operational requirements have been the subject of intense discussion over several meetings to try to reach a compromise between the Amateur and RNSS communities, which would allow Amateur operation in the 23-centimetre band to continue, albeit with some restrictions, while minimizing the possibility of any interference into RNSS systems.
Tentative agreements have been reached with respect to preferred specific frequency blocks and associated power levels for Amateur operation, but a key issue remains as to whether the technical and operational requirements should be seen as guidelines for use by Administrations if they feel it is necessary or be considered as mandatory for all Administrations to implement.
Stay tuned to the RAC website for updates during the conference. A complete report of the outcome of WRC-23 and its implications for the Amateur Radio and Amateur Satellite Services will be featured in a future edition of TCA.
Dubai – 20 novembre au 15 décembre
Le conseiller spécial de RAC, Paul Coverdale, VE3ICV
La date de la tenue de la prochaine Conférence mondiale des télécommunications (CMR-23) approche à grands pas. Elle aura lieu à Dubaï (Émirats arabes unis) du 20 novembre au 15 décembre, et le conseiller spécial de RAC, Paul Coverdale, VE3ICV, y participera en tant que membre de la délégation canadienne.
Organisées tous les quatre ans, les conférences mondiales des radiocommunications offrent l’occasion de mettre à jour les règles (connues sous le nom de Règlement sur la radio) applicables à tous les types de services de radiocommunications à l’échelle mondiale. Cela englobe les services d’amateur et d’amateur par satellite.
Dans le passé, la Conférence mondiale des radiocommunications, de même que les conférences administratives mondiales des radiocommunications (CAMR), se sont avérées bénéfiques pour les amateurs en leur donnant accès à de nouveaux segments du spectre tels que les bandes WARC et celles de 60, 630 et 2200 mètres. Toutefois, suite à la prolifération des services commerciaux sans fil (en particulier par les réseaux 5G et 6G), on a assisté à une augmentation de la pression dont font l’objet les fréquences actuellement attribuées aux amateurs dans les gammes VHF, UHF et des hyperfréquences. C’est pourquoi il est important que la communauté des radio amateurs participe aux conférences mondiales des radiocommunications.
L’Union internationale des radio-amateurs (IARU) permet à ces derniers de s’exprimer d’une seule et même voix à l’occasion des conférences mondiales des radiocommunications, et plusieurs autres administrations nationales comprennent des amateurs dans les délégations qui les représentent. Radio Amateurs du Canada collabore avec l’IARU et participe depuis de nombreuses années aux CMR et aux réunions préparatoires qui les précèdent, sous les auspices de notre ministère de tutelle, Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada (ISDE).
Plusieurs points de l’ordre du jour de la CMR-23 concernent la radio amateur, mais celui qui suscite le plus de préoccupations au sein de la communauté des amateurs est le point 9.1b :
« Examiner les attributions au service d’amateur et au service d’amateur par satellite dans la bande de fréquences 1 240-1 300 MHz, afin de déterminer si des mesures additionnelles doivent être prises pour garantir la protection du service de radionavigation par satellite (espace vers Terre) – SRNS – fonctionnant dans la même bande. »
Il a été décidé d’inscrire ce point à l’ordre du jour en question suite à la survenue d’un cas isolé d’interférence en Allemagne il y a plusieurs années, cet incident ayant été provoqué par une station de télé amateure à haute puissance. Cette affaire a été rapidement réglée par les autorités allemandes compétentes.
Ce qui préoccupe les radio amateurs, c’est le risque que des restrictions irréalistes ne soient appliquées à toutes les activités menées par des amateurs dans la bande amateur de 23 cm (une attribution à titre secondaire) en raison du risque perçu d’interférence avec un service de radionavigation par satellite (SRNS) – une attribution à titre primaire).
La position adoptée par les amateurs a toujours été qu’il est possible de remédier à toute interférence par le biais de mesures prises au niveau national, comme cela s’est fait en Allemagne, et que cela ne nécessite pas l’adjonction de nouvelles règles au Règlement sur la radio. Néanmoins, une nouvelle recommandation (UIT-R) énonçant les exigences techniques et opérationnelles à satisfaire est en cours d’élaboration, en vue d’aider les administrations et les services d’amateur et d’amateur par satellite à assurer la protection des SRNS (espace vers Terre) dans la bande de fréquences de 1240 à 1300 MHz.
Ces exigences techniques et opérationnelles ont été l’objet d’échanges de vues animés dans le cadre de plusieurs réunions visant à aboutir à un compromis entre les communautés d’amateurs et les utilisateurs de SRNS, ce qui permettrait aux amateurs de continuer d’exercer leurs activités dans la bande des 23 centimètres, bien qu’en se pliant à certaines restrictions, tout en réduisant à un minimum le risque d’interférence, de quelque type que ce soit, susceptible de perturber le fonctionnement des systèmes SRNS.
Des accords provisoires ont été conclus en ce qui concerne les blocs de fréquences préférées et les niveaux de puissance associés pour les activités qu’accomplissent les amateurs, ce qui n’empêche qu’un point essentiel reste encore à régler, c’est-à-dire la question de savoir si les exigences techniques et opérationnelles devraient être considérées comme lignes directrices à utiliser par les administrations si elles le jugent nécessaire, ou être jugées comme obligatoires pour toutes les administrations, qui n’auraient alors d’autre choix que de les appliquer.
Ne manquez pas de consulter le site Web de RAC pour vous tenir au courant des mises à jour qui seront publiées à ce sujet pendant la conférence. Un compte rendu détaillé sur les décisions prises par la CMR-23 sur cette question et sur leurs incidences pour les services de radio amateur et d’amateur par satellite sera publié dans l’un des prochains numéros de TCA.