> Doc.IWG-6/014 (Rev.3)

11 July 2001

Paul Rinaldo

prinaldo@arrl.org

***Informal Working Group 6***

**PRELIMINARY VIEW ON WRC-03**

**WRC-2003 Agenda Item 1.23:** *to consider realignment of the
allocations to the amateur, amateur-satellite and broadcasting services
around 7 MHz on a worldwide basis, taking into account Recommendation
**718 (WARC-92)**;*

**ISSUE:** The need for a worldwide exclusive spectrum allocation for
the amateur and amateur-satellite services in the three ITU Regions.

**BACKGROUND:**

Before 1938 the amateur service was allocated 300 kHz, 7000-7300 kHz, on
a worldwide basis. At the 1938 Cairo Conference, the 300 kHz was reduced
to 150 kHz for Regions 1 and 3 by the insistence of the Europeans. The
allocation was further reduced to 100 kHz for Regions 1 and 3 at the
1947 Atlantic City Conference. The 200 kHz from 7100-7300 kHz was
reallocated to the broadcasting service on a primary basis for Regions 1
and 3 for broadcasting within those regions.

Although the amateurs in Region 2 retained a 300 kHz exclusive
allocation, 7000-7300 kHz, they have to protect the broadcasting service
in Regions 1 and 3 that were broadcasting to areas within Regions 1 and
3 (RR Footnote S5.142). In addition, certain national footnotes further
limited the amateurs\' allocation by assigning 7000-7050 kHz to the
fixed service on a primary basis (RR Footnotes S5.140 & S5.141).

At WARC-92, the United States proposed a worldwide amateur allocation in
band 6900-7200 kHz as a consequence of proposed additional allocations
for the broadcasting service above 7 MHz. That proposal failed because
the modification of broadcasting service allocations was insufficient to
cause a consequential change in the amateur allocation. WARC-92 agreed
to Recommendation 718 (WARC-92) to consider realignment of the bands
around 7 MHz at a future conference. A CEPT position was presented at
WRC-97 that supported action at WRC-99 to carry out a realignment of the
bands around 7 MHz and set out a number of facts and principles on which
the re-alignment should be based. The proposed agenda item was
eventually agreed to for inclusion on the provisional agenda for WRC-03.

As the only primary allocation to the amateur service between 4 and 14
MHz, the 7 MHz band is in heavy use 24 hours each day. During daylight
hours, the band carries the bulk of amateur sky wave communication over
distances of less than 1300 km. During the winter and during periods of
low solar activity, and at other times when the maximum usable frequency
(MUF) falls below 10 MHz, it must support the bulk of amateur
intercontinental communication during the hours of darkness. As such,
the Amateur Service is heavily dependent upon the 7 MHz band during
natural disasters, when communications provided by radio amateurs may be
the only means of maintaining critical communications links.

The requirement for at least a 300 kHz allocation is even greater today
than in the past, owing to the increasing number of amateur stations and
the expanding diversity of modes of emission used in the amateur
service. However, the requirement is being met only in Region 2 and in
certain countries in Regions 1 and 3 that permit their amateur stations
to operate in the band 7100-7300 kHz under the provisions of Radio
Regulation S4.4, and then only at those times (mostly during daylight
hours) when broadcasting interference does not preclude full use of the
band by amateur stations. In most countries in Regions 1 and 3, amateurs
are limited to the portion of the band that is exclusively amateur,
worldwide: 7000-7100 kHz.

Congestion in the amateur service is a significant problem and a return
to the previous allocation of 300 kHz, worldwide, in the vicinity of 7
MHz is *strongly* indicated (RES 641, Rev.HFBC-87).

**PRELIMINARY VIEW:**

> The U.S. supports the alignment of the bands around 7 MHz to eliminate
> the Regional differences between the allocations to the broadcasting
> service and the amateur services. The U.S. supports the allocation of
> a contiguous 300 kHz of spectrum around 7 MHz on a worldwide primary
> basis to the amateur services. The spectrum allocated on an exclusive
> basis to the maritime mobile, aeronautical mobile (OR), and
> aeronautical mobile (R) services should not be considered for any
> reallocation (July 11, 2001)