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<H1>Non-ham use of 70cm band in VK</H1>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is
proposing to allow land mobile service radio users access to the edges of the
amateur radio 440-450 MHz band for up to three years.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>In the latest development on the re-arrangements for the
403-520 MHz band the ACMA said that in order to make long-term changes, the
bottom and top 500 kHz of the Amateur Radio Service 70cm band could be used by
land mobile services in some areas.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>The ACMA held a briefing on 19 July in Sydney attended by
radio industry, emergency services, government users and the Wireless Institute
of Australia (WIA) as a follow up to its paper <EM>‘The Way Ahead – Decisions
and Implementation Options for the 400 MHz band’</EM> that was released in
April.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Within the information presented by ACMA Executive Manager,
Spectrum Infrastructure Branch, Andrew Kerans confirmed the need for the ad-hoc
use of the spectrum segment, 440 to 450 MHz by affected landmobile radio
licensees.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>The temporary use of the 70cm band will be contained to the
bottom and top 500 kHz on this band and most likely only in the heavily spectrum
congested areas of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>The Amateur Radio Service 70cm band is a secondary
allocation and temporary use of it has occurred in the past mainly for major
sporting events and has not resulted in any reported interference
issues.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>The WIA is now working with the ACMA on arrangements for
this to occur again, to enable identified spectrum use changes for the land
mobile service in the broadly termed 400MHz band.</FONT><FONT
face=Tahoma> </FONT></P>
<P><EM><STRONG><FONT face=Tahoma>Jim Linton
VK3PC</FONT></STRONG></EM></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>