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Battle to save the 9cm band

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by G4TUT/SK2022, Oct 1, 2014.

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  1. G4TUT/SK2022

    G4TUT/SK2022 Ham Member QRZ Page

    Battle to save the 9cm band

    The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) has lodged a strong submission to the Department of Communications to save loss of access to two segments of our 9 cm band – a 25 MHz block at 3400-3425 MHz and a 50 MHz block at 3492.5-3542.5 MHz.

    In August, the Minister for Communications, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, issued the ACMA a draft Direction to enable licensing of these two spectrum blocks to the National Broadband Network for fixed wireless services in metro fringe and hard to service areas of the major mainland cities.

    The Department of Communications called for comment, with a closing date of 22 September 2014.

    The block at 3400-3425 MHz overlays the narrowband, weak-signal and satellite segment in the bandplan at 3400-3410 MHz, which also includes beacons. Many countries throughout the three ITU regions have amateur allocations covering this segment. The WIA has argued for retention of 3400-3410 MHz to maintain harmonisation with amateur allocations across the world.

    In summary, the Institute’s submission put the case as follows:

    1. The WIA seeks preservation of Amateur Service use of 3400-3410 MHz Australia-wide, consistent with international allocations and CEPT footnote EU17 in Region 1, and suggests that a 25 MHz block for the NBN could be found elsewhere in the 3400–3600 MHz band.

    2. In addition, the WIA seeks preservation of Amateur Service use of 3492.5–3542.5 MHz (and the repositioned 25 MHz NBN block) outside those geographic areas where NBN fixed wireless services are deployed, such that any likely interference to the NBN service is obviated and subject to the existing provisions of secondary services.

    Roger Harrison VK2ZRH

    A copy of the WIA’s submission can be viewed below.
    WIA submission to 3.5 GHz consultation.pdf





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  2. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    For ten years I have been warning about expected loss(es) of the 9cm band. This is the first of many such losses. US will be one of the next IMO.

    There are many hams in telecom who defend ham radio, but we neither get the backup we need. nor the interst from other hams. Instead we get vilified as shills or traitors.. Quite the opposite.And this band is almost unused...even now..

    Chip W1YW
     
  3. KB2FCV

    KB2FCV Ham Member QRZ Page

    There are probably a very small amount of people who have interest in using the band or even have equipment to use the band. I would guess experimenters and EME'ers make up most of the population of hams that use it?
     
  4. W4KVW

    W4KVW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Can honestly say I have never used or even heard of this band & I'm sure I'm in the majority.Don't have room for antennas for every band nor do I need every band.Honestly I have more band space to use now with just HF,6 meters,2 meters,& 440 mhz than I will ever use.Not but so many hours in a day & other things to do other than Ham Radio.

    Clayton
    W4KVW
     
  5. G6JYB

    G6JYB Ham Member QRZ Page


    Actually not the first - The UK 3.4GHz / 9cm band is being reduced from 3400-3475 down to 3400-3410 MHz

    regards

    Murray G6JYB
     
  6. NL7W

    NL7W Ham Member QRZ Page

    I fully expect this band to be reassigned to broadband networks that better serve the public at-large -- in Austrailia and elsewhere.

    The voracious demand for "broadband" spectrum is known... especially below 1 GHz. There's similar pressure into the lower microwave bands as well.

    Technology moves on... requirements change. It is what it is.
     
  7. SM0AOM

    SM0AOM Ham Member QRZ Page

    It is only a matter of time before amateur radio will lose the majority of its UHF and microwave bands.

    The reason is simply that this is spectrum "prime estate" for mobile telephony and broadband.

    Spectrum in these regions may be auctioned for billions, as soon as the current primary users, radiolocation a.k.a. radar move on
    upwards in frequency.

    Support from the Administrations and industry cannot any longer be counted on, as
    amateur radio nowadays has got a well-founded image
    as appliance operators of dubious competence.

    73/
    Karl-Arne
    SM0AOM
     
  8. NL7W

    NL7W Ham Member QRZ Page

    Chip,

    I wish that I could join you at the upcoming RCA event. Enjoy yourself.



     
  9. WB4CS

    WB4CS Ham Member QRZ Page

    If this was to happen in the US, there would be thousands of ham's screaming "Don't take our bands away!!!!!!" Out of those thousands, probably 5 people actually use the band.

    I say, "go for it." Ham radio is a hobby, and it's not important in the grand scheme of things. Our world has become wireless and broadband dependent, and with more and more devices needing wireless network connectivity, the bandwidth has to come from somewhere. I could see the ham community raising hell if 160M-70cm were in danger, but the 900 MHz and above ham bands are just not that widely utilized in most of the US. Sure, a few major metro areas have an active 900/1200 MHz amateur community due to overcrowding of 2M/222/440 MHz (and things like crossband point-to-point links), but in the majority of the country the ham bands above 70cm are quite dead.

    It doesn't help the fact that there are virtually no off-the-shelf radios that do 900 MHz and above. A few exist for 1200 Mhz, but 900 MHz or bands above 1200 MHz require the kind of technical skill that most hams today do not have. 900 MHz is doable with some modified Motorola/LMR gear, but beyond that, you better get out your soldering iron. The hobby has changed since the 1950's. Long gone are the days of homebrew rigs being the norm, we've shifted to appliance operators as the norm and homebrew equipment being a niche hobby.

    Amateur Radio is a hobby that I hold dear to my heart. However, as a Network Admin by trade and tech geek at heart who loves the latest and greatest wireless gadget, I say "Please take our GHz bands." We don't use them, and we could all benefit from having more wireless bandwidth. But leave HF, 6 Meters, 2 Meters, and 70cm alone. (222 Mhz, what's that?? LOL) Those bands are ours and we use them.
     
  10. KI4KGR

    KI4KGR Ham Member QRZ Page


    I 100% agree. I too am a Network Admin in the CLEC/ISP world. It comes down to use it or loose it. If hams are not going to use it then turn it over to something useful. That being said that Use it or loose it should be something that is applied to ALL spectrum users, not just hams. If commercial companies are buying up spectrum just to squat on it then they should have it taken away and put that spectrum to good use.
     
  11. KY6M

    KY6M Ham Member QRZ Page

    That would apply to the 220-222 band -
     
  12. N3KO

    N3KO Ham Member QRZ Page

    I work in the webhosting industry so I deal with changes on a quarterly basis and totally agree with the others that time marches on, either you use what's available, adapt or die. If equipment for this band is rare and antennas challenging then 9cm has become a niche within a hobby that some have been fortunate to use.
     
  13. W6RZ

    W6RZ Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    Wow, you guys are pretty quick to throw this band under the bus. I'm horrified. If these frequencies are so valuable to telecom companies, then doesn't that suggest we keep them for ourselves? Also, whether a certain band is popular of not doesn't matter. If we show weakness about keeping any frequency, then we open ourselves up to losing more popular bands.

    Equipment for this band is available, but you have to think outside the box. There are tons of antennas for this band that can be repurposed from the 3.5 GHz Wimax allocation. Last May, I bought a pair of antennas on closeout for $38.

    http://www.titanwirelessonline.com/Laird-3-5GHz-17dBi-Grid-p/at-17gr-35.htm

    I also have a low power SDR based transmitter that covers the band.

    http://nuand.com

    It should also be noted that spectrum policy in the US on this band is entirely up to the DoD (through the NTIA). We have a huge military presence on this band with radars on pretty much every ship in the Navy. Australia and the UK, not so much. Just read the last section of this NTIA document.

    http://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/publications/compendium/3300.00-3500.00_01MAR14.pdf
     
  14. WB5YIW

    WB5YIW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Are there more than a dozen hams in this country even on this band? Who would I talk to even if I built a radio?
     
  15. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Ron,

    I share many of your concerns here.

    These links definitely help people with the realization that it is not onerous to get on this band.

    I tried getting on decade ago but the absence of qsos relegated that equipment as backups at work for in-chamber tests...and we're eventually chucked

    The cheapo SDR microwave xcvr options make this worth revisiting.

    Any ideas on How to drum up activity?



    73
    Chip W1YW
     
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