Comreg: Proposed Strategy for Managing the Radio Spectrum - 2019 to 2021

The following item was in the IRTS radio news recently (9th Sept 2018)...

Spectrum Strategy 2019-2021
IRTS responded to ComReg's draft Radio Spectrum Management Strategy 2019 to 2021 contained in document ComReg 18/74, which was published on 3 August 2018. The response deadline was rather short, 31 August which unfortunately made it impracticable to seek members' comments. Members will recall that it was the last spectrum strategy which provided the Irish amateur service with new opportunities in the range 30 - 70.5 MHz. The IRTS response for 2019 to 2021 includes a request for access to sub 8.3 kHz spectrum as well as spectrum above 50 GHz. Additionally some 5 MHz issues are addressed.

Concerning ITU WRC-19, IRTS has reflected the IARU position on various agenda items of interest to the amateur service (including 50-54 MHz) and has asked to be involved in national preparations for this major ITU event. Lastly IRTS requested clarification on text relating to radio astronomy experiments at the LOFAR site at Birr Castle. The full text of the IRTS submission to ComReg can be downloaded from the IRTS section of the downloads page on the Society's website. The URL is www.irts.ie/downloads

There is a fair bit in it so I had a closer look at the Comreg document and the IRTS response. I noted the following items...




Non-Amateur....

1) Comreg link.... You can download the relevant Comreg document here... https://www.comreg.ie/publication/proposed-strategy-for-managing-the-radio-spectrum-2019-2021/

2) Mobile Data.... The huge growth area in the Irish RF spectrum at present is the demand for mobile data. Think about all those smart phones with people on social media and the like.

Just to illustrate the growth in mobile networks, Comreg said that there were 6,056,975 mobile subscriptions in Ireland while the Irish population is 4,805,900.

The chart below from Comreg shows the growth of what they term 'End User Demand for Mobile Data'...

Comreg also forecast that there will be huge growth in mobile data over the next few years. Note that the chart above is for million GB (Gigabytes) per quarter where as the chart below is per annum.

All this growth will require more RF spectrum and this will come from UHF bands around 700 MHz and up in the GHz range. The band at 700 MHz is currently used by DTT (Digital TV) and they will now have to move.

3) UHF demand... One of the recurring points in the Comreg document is the demand for allocations in the UHF spectrum.

Amateur definition... Comreg defines the Amateur radio service as follow......"The Amateur Service and Amateur-Satellite Service is recognised by the ITU as a service for the purpose of self-training and technical investigations and has specific spectrum allocated in the International Radio Regulations."

1,868 EI callsigns....... According to Comreg, the number of radio amateur licences has increased to 1,868 licences in June 2018 an increase of 12% on June 2012.

Radio Telescope at Birr Castle.... The Comreg document also had the following item...

5.2.9 Aeronautical, Maritime and Scientific Services
5.15 ComReg’s proposed strategy for the duration of this period is to: Consider whether it is possible to promote and potentially establish “quiet zones” for particular frequency bands around specific areas of radio spectrum research such as Birr Castle.

The IRTS have asked for a clarification on what is meant by a 'quiet zone'.

IRTS assumes that this issue refers to the Irish Low Frequency Array (I-LOFAR) website. I-LOFAR is the Irish station in the European-wide network of radio telescopes, used to observe the Universe at low frequencies in the range 10-240 MHz. After examining the LOFAR web-site it appears that there are two distinct antenna types: the Low Band Antenna (LBA) operates between 10 and 90 MHz and the High Band Antenna (HBA) between 110 and 250 MHz. These "sensors" are organised in aperture array stations. The stations (currently, 36 stations are being constructed in the Netherlands) are distributed over an area about one hundred kilometres in diameter (located in the NorthEast of the Netherlands). Several international stations are to be built in Germany (5), Sweden (1), the UK (1) and France (1).

This is a very wide frequency range and for the amateur service in Ireland alone could impact allocations at 10 MHz, 14 MHz, 18 MHz, 21 MHz, 24 MHz, 28 MHz, 40 MHz, 50 MHz, 60 MHz, 70 MHz and 144 MHz. Of course many of the lower frequencies will be influenced by long distance ionospheric propagation during periods of high solar flux.

At present IRTS would like to note this development and seek clarity on how amateur licensees would be impacted by this development. Also how many licensees would be affected by the quiet zone(s) envisaged?