Could a new licence counter threats at VHF and above?

None of it was reallocated. In fact, what was reallocated in 2008 to cellular carriers was the 700 MHz band, channels 52 through 69. Just recently, the 600 MHz band (channels 38 through 51) was auctioned and stations are currently being repacked. Some of those stations being repacked are ending up back on VHF channels 2 through 6.

https://rabbitears.info/repackchannels.php

After 2020, the TV bands will be:

54 to 72 MHz - channels 2 thru 4 - VHF low

76 to 88 MHz - channels 5 thru 6 - VHF low

174 to 216 MHz - channels 7 thru 13 - VHF high

470 to 608 MHz - channels 14 thru 36 - UHF

 

Brennan,

Any helpful suggestions on a possible solution?

73
Chip W1YW

 

It's not just the UHF/VHF bands that have become valuable...HF data communications has been tested for financial transactions to improve timing on the order of milliseconds faster via HF. WE need to be vigilant of all bands. And...keep building kits!
73 de K0NEB

 

Yep. I had some of those people wanting me to build them stealth antennas so they could do low latency transactions on 30m. I told them I wouldn't do it.

 

What about reparations?

 

Thanks for the ask, Chip, but the case is in good hands, and to quote the greatest television series of my 30s and one of the greatest of all time:

"Kimmy been retired."

--The Wire, S4E13

 

There is still digital TV in the VHF spectrum. While many stations moved to UHF there are still allocations and active stations on VHF. Public Service has however been moved into some of the evacuated analog TV channels. A search of the FCC database will turn up licenses that occupy those frequencies.

 

Um, ah, 50 years? Well, 1958 is not much more than that, and we lost 11 Meters to the Chicken Band.

 

We've lost other spectrum. However, it's all microwave spectrum, so it's not well known.

1215 to 1240 MHz allocated to GPS.

2310 to 2390 allocated to satellite radio (Sirius/XM).

Just recently, the 76 to 81 GHz band has been crippled with a maximum EIRP of 316 watts. With a 1 meter dish, that's just 1 milliwatt of output power.

Going back 50 years, hams were allocated everything above 40 GHz. Now, it's everything above 275 GHz.

 

And nobody ever missed it.

 

1958... I was 10 years old. Didn't know what ham radio was. Eight years later I got a Novice license. Didn't miss 11 meters, mainly 'cuz anyone could get on it (and I did). 2019 minus 50 is 1969. I think I'm covered.

 

Just like EVERYTHING ELSE?
Inclusivity is not a valid argument.

 

When I first qualified in the UK as a G1 in 1983 as a "B" licencee, it only allowed me access to 2 meters and 70 cms. However the UK introduced the Novice licence which allowed novice users restricted use of the HF Bands. They did away for the need to use Morse code which ungraded my "B" class licence automatically to an "A" class licence, allowing me full access on all Amateur bands. The introduction of the Novice licencee almost killed the 2 meter band stone dead. There is no shortage of repeaters in the UK. I can access 5 from my location just on 2 meters.

 

Being a relatively new ham it's my understanding that during in the inception of 2m repeaters, many of the younger guys were struggling to get the older guys in their clubs to put up a 2m repeater. It was a new thing and of course many people don't like change. Just like a lot of old guys say now, "digital, that's not radio, you can use a cell phone" or "Isn't that the same as Skype". I suspect that old guys long ago said, "repeaters, that's not radio, what fun is that. So we can talk to each other via another radio, big deal". Eventually those younger guys persuaded their club to install the latest technology and they were finally up and running with a 2m repeater. Life was good, everyone was using the repeaters and it was time to play radio in a different way than they had in the past.

These days, many of those younger guys are now the older guys in their club and the "new" younger guys are trying to persuade those now older guys to get a DMR, D-Star or Fusion repeater on the air. Just like back in the beginning of 2m repeaters these old guys that were begging their clubs to put up a 2m repeater don't see the benefit in having a digital repeater on the air.

When I listen to these digital modes via one of my a hotspots, many of the talk groups, reflectors and such are swamped with guys using a hotspots from their home, vehicle or office. When you listen on many of the known allocated analog repeaters in your area you'll hear birds chirping, silence, na-da. You can key them up, you get a courtesy tone but yet nobody comes back to you when you throw your call out. Then listen on one of the digital modes and there's great conversation to be had. They even had the novel idea to do nets on them their digital modes. What a concept!

That lack of activity on repeaters today could be quickly converted over to active digital repeaters. I'm not saying that the whole world needs to go digital but these guys that are holding these hardly used repeaters will be the first to bellyache if they decide they want reallocate 2m or even 70cm for that matter for another use becuase they are not being used by us amateurs. I really think they are sitting on an untapped gold mine of revenue to fund their repeaters by guys that already own a digital radio of some sort.

Curt
KC3HJP