Ofcom selling off the 2-metre amateur band !!

[lenseman]

I always was under the impression that it was exclusive to the amateur service worldwide.

In the past, they stole to top 2 MHz (146-148MHz) and allocated it to the Home Office (police), now it looks like Ofcom (Kevin Delaney) are going after the rest of the 2-metre amateur band? Not good!

If they allocate this sell-off to any form of pulsed digital or paging service, it will not only impinge on the amateur band but might also interfere with the VHF marine band which starts at 156MHz!

When 137MHz was used for paging, it caused all sorts of problems interfering with aircraft radio systems and weather telemetry service co and adjacent channel.

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/co...&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=call-for-input

For a wide audience, cross posted in The Lounge

 

[Bru]

Looking at the document, 144mhz to 146mhz (the 2m band in ITU Region 1 eg. Europe, Africa and Russia) is not affected

146mhz to 148mhz, which is being released, has only ever been part of the 2m band in the Americas not in Europe

So this is a large block of non-contiguos bandwidth that historically (in the UK) has been used by the emergency services which is now being released into the private sector and very clearly the target market is the existing PMR (personal mobile radio) sector which already operates in adjacent frequency bands

Radio spectrum is a valuable asset so the chances of the government allocating 146-148mhz to amateur radio use (bringing the 2m band in the UK in line with the USA) are practically zero I'm afraid

 

[lenseman]

Looking at the document, 144mhz to 146mhz (the 2m band in ITU Region 1 eg. Europe, Africa and Russia) is not affected
. . . . .

The sell off starts at 143MHz right up to the edge of the VHF marine band 156MHz.

How can that not effect the 2-metre band. We lost 146-148MHz some years ago and only the USA still retains this allocation.

The 2-metre amateur band is listed in the ITU as "exclusive".

With any form of 'pulsed' modulation, there will be spread into adjacent RF frequency bands.

 

[ProDave]

How long have you had an amateur licence?

I passe my RAE in about 1976, and even then, the 2M band in the UK was 144 to 146Mhz

So if the UK ever had 146 to 148 it was a long time ago.

 

[Bru]

The sell off starts at 143MHz right up to the edge of the VHF marine band 156MHz.

How can that not effect the 2-metre band. We lost 146-148MHz some years ago and only the USA still retains this allocation..

It doesn't directly affect it because if you look at the table of what is being released, whilst it includes frequency bands either side of the 2m band, the 2m band itself is NOT included in the spectrum release

The 2-metre amateur band is listed in the ITU as "exclusive"..

And as lying between 144-146Mhz in Europe etc. As ProDave said, I can't recall 146-148Mhz ever being included in the 2m band outside of the Americas

With any form of 'pulsed' modulation, there will be spread into adjacent RF frequency bands.

And your point is?

Given that the spectrum in question has been in use for emergency services radio coms for many years and given that the intended market for the spectrum release (as clearly indicated by the OfCom document) is the personal mobile radio market I can't see what the problem is here?

BTW, just for clarity I'm not a radio HAM, I'm a PMR and radio mic user. Be thankful, frankly, that the 2m band IS being left alone, go look at what they've done to radio microphone frequency allocations in the entertainment industry - that really is a frequency grab to make a quick buck (there's a lot of money for the treasury in radio bandwidth and if they can get their paws on it, they will) which is going to cost the industry a lot of money as it makes a significant amount of existing older but still serviceable kit obsolete

 

[lenseman]

How long have you had an amateur licence?

I passe my RAE in about 1976, and even then, the 2M band in the UK was 144 to 146Mhz

So if the UK ever had 146 to 148 it was a long time ago.

I started in the mid 50's (G3MHX, Mike Tate) was my friend at Grammar School.

I think we lost the top two megs when the police required VHF radios (Pye Cambridges) long before Z-Cars but after Dixon of Dock Green.

Possibly late 50's or early 60's but by that time I was at HMS Collingwood (The Green Empire) studying radio and RF propagation.

 

[mikemanor]

2m not included.

Looking at the main document, 2m is definately not included. The consultation includes 143-144 and then 146 upwards.

I was licensed in 1969 - when 2m was 144 to 146 MHz. Actually it was Mc/s then

It would be a long long time ago if at all that 2m included 146 to 148 MHz in the UK.

 

[wizard]

I started in the mid 50's (G3MHX, Mike Tate) was my friend at Grammar School.

I think we lost the top two megs when the police required VHF radios (Pye Cambridges) long before Z-Cars but after Dixon of Dock Green.

Possibly late 50's or early 60's but by that time I was at HMS Collingwood (The Green Empire) studying radio and RF propagation.

Those were the days when you could open the FT290 to listen on the 146-148MHz . Not that anyone would of course

 

[lenseman]

Those were the days when you could open the FT290 to listen on the 146-148MHz . Not that anyone would of course

Both my FT290 and Trio 9130 have been expanded.

 

[wizard]

Both my FT290 and Trio 9130 have been expanded.

Somewhere in the loft is my FT290 so you have still got yours too?

 

[VicMallows]

Still have my modified PYE Ranger in the loft. Are we still licensed to use AM on 2m? (suppose I should re-read that perpetual license )

G3TSM

 

[lenseman]

Still have my modified PYE Ranger in the loft. Are we still licensed to use AM on 2m? (suppose I should re-read that perpetual license )

G3TSM

Hello Vic - Yes of course you can still use A3E but as you will be aware it is very bandwidth hungry and you will get a few complaints if you don't follow the band plan!

ILBCNU 73 de G6UXD/MM