INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION
RADIOCOMMUNICATION
STUDY GROUPS
6E/UK7-E
16 March 2001
Original: English
Received:
Question(s):
UNITED KINGDOM
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SPECTRUM ALLOCATION ASPECTS OF
AGENDA ITEMS INVOLVING THE BROADCASTING SERVICE
IN THE HF BANDS AT WRC-2003 AND WRC-2005/6
Introduction
The following agenda items for WRC-2003 and WRC-2005/6 relate to spectrum
allocations to the broadcasting service in the HF bands:
WRC-2003
1.2
to review and take action, as required, on No. S5.134 and related Resolutions
517 (Rev.WRC-97) and 537 (WRC-97) and Recommendations 515 (Rev.WRC-97), 517
(HFBC-87), 519 (WARC-92) and Appendix S11, in the light of the studies and actions set
out therein, having particular regard to the advancement of new modulation techniques,
including digital techniques, capable of providing an optimum balance between sound
quality, bandwidth and circuit reliability in the use of the HF bands allocated to the
broadcasting service;
1.23
to consider realignment of the allocations to the amateur, amateur-satellite and
broadcasting services around 7 MHz on a worldwide basis, taking into account
Recommendation 718 (WARC-92);
1.36
to examine the adequacy of the frequency allocations for HF broadcasting from
about 4 MHz to 10 MHz, taking into account the seasonal planning procedures adopted by
WRC-97;
WRC-2005/6
2.5
to review the allocations to services in the HF bands, taking account of the
impact of new modulation and adaptive control techniques and any recommendations by
WRC-03 on the adequacy of the frequency allocations for HF broadcasting and the fixed
and mobile services (excluding those bands whose allotment plans are in Appendices 25, 26
and 27), from about 4 MHz to 10 MHz;
The relationship between these agenda items, particularly as regards their associated
allocation aspects are discussed below with the intention that suitable elements will be
incorporated into the output of the forthcoming WP6E meeting.
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WRC-2003 Agenda Item 1.2
This item is directed towards the introduction of digital modulation techniques for
broadcasting in the HF bands. Part of its scope is to consider making the additional
HF bands agreed for broadcasting service use at WARC-92 available in advance of
the set date of 2007, but only where new modulation techniques are employed.
There has been sufficient progress in ITU-R SG6, that the modulation techniques to
be considered under this agenda item may be limited to just the digital modulation
techniques recommended in Recommendation ITU-R BS.[6/63].
The additional HF bands allocated to the broadcasting service at WARC-92 are not
due to become fully available for broadcasting until 1 April 2007. The question of
advancing access to these extension bands was considered at some length during
WRC-97. Although there was no agreement on allowing general use for these bands
for broadcasting earlier than 2007, it was agreed that, subject to decisions of a
competent conference, the bands could be used by the broadcasting service provided
that only SSB emissions in accordance with Appendix S11 or other spectrum-efficient
techniques recommended by the ITU-R are employed. The intention was to promote
the introduction of digital modulation techniques, but at the time it was not possible to
be more precise on which specific modulation techniques would prove suitable.
WRC-2003 will therefore be fully competent, in this context, to set specific dates and
conditions for early access to the WARC-92 extension bands using the recommended
digital modulation techniques from Recommendation ITU-R BS.[6/63].
The primary purpose of gaining access to the WARC-92 extension bands before 1
April 2007 will be to encourage the introduction of digital modulation in the HF
bands by familiarising listeners with the new possibilities, to assess the reliability of
the digital broadcasts to be assessed and, through that, the impact on planning and
scheduling for the new digital services.
A subsidiary benefit would be the availability of 50 kHz of additional spectrum in
both the 6 MHz and 7 MHz broadcasting bands. This could help alleviate congestion
in these bands and would be a factor for consideration under agenda item 1.36
activities. However, action taken under agenda item 1.23 on the realignment of
services around 7 MHz could complicate matters considerably, especially if solutions
are only possible with a significant shift in the band limits for the broadcasting service
allocation at 7 MHz - a development which could in turn impact on the usefulness of
the 6 MHz allocation.
WRC-2003 Agenda Item 1.23
This item is directed towards remedying the long-standing difficulties experienced by
the amateur service and the difficult planning constraints placed on the broadcasting
service as a result of the changes made to the frequency bands around 7 MHz before
and after the 1939 - 1945 conflicts.
Until the 1938 Cairo Conference, the band 7000 - 7300 kHz was allocated exclusively
to the amateur service. This was reduced to 7000 - 7150 kHz in Regions 1 & 3 in
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order to relieve the pressure on broadcasting service which had resulted from the rapid
increase of political propaganda throughout Europe and Asia in the unstable period
preceding the 1939 - 1945 conflicts. Continuing political uncertainty in the post-war
period resulted in a further changes at the 1947 Atlantic City Conference, where the
amateur service was reduced to secondary status in the band 7100 - 7150 kHz. This
secondary allocation was removed at the 1959 Conference.
The broadcasting service now has an exclusive allocation in Regions 1 & 3 of 7100 7300 kHz. In Region 2, however, the allocation to the amateur service has remained
unchanged at 7000-7300 kHz exclusive since 1929 and there is currently no allocation
to the broadcasting service around 7 MHz. The band 7300 - 7350 kHz was agreed at
WARC-92 for future use as an additional worldwide exclusive band for broadcasting,
however, with its use being subject to the provisions of Nos. S5.134 an S5.143, it is
not yet available to the broadcasting service. Several Article S5 footnotes changing
the allocation status of services around 7 MHz in some countries further complicate
the pattern of use.
For the amateur service the usefulness of the allocations around 7 MHz for worldwide
links are limited because only 100 kHz of spectrum between 7000 and 7100 kHz is
common to Region 2 and Regions 1 & 3. The band 7100 - 7300 kHz is allocated
exclusively to the broadcasting service in Regions 1 and 3, and exclusively to the
amateur service in Region 2. Because of the large disparity in signal levels between
the two services, broadcasting transmissions cause interference to the sensitive
receivers used in the amateur service during periods of good propagation between
Regions 1 and 2. The degree of interference experienced in Region 2 varies with timeof-day, season, solar activity and distance from broadcasting stations in the other
regions.
The major objective of re-aligning the bands around 7 MHz is to remove this
particular sharing difficulty between the amateur and broadcasting services. A parallel
aim is to study the spectrum needs for HF broadcasting in Region 2 where there is
currently no allocation to broadcasting around 7 MHz and only 50 kHz will eventually
become available as a result of the changes agreed at WARC-92.
This situation creates considerable scheduling difficulties for broadcasters serving
Region 2 and encourages uncoordinated broadcasting transmissions in Region 2 to the
further detriment of the amateur service.
The relaxation of the Morse code requirement by an increasing number of
administrations has meant an increase in radio amateurs using the HF bands. The
possible dropping of the Morse code requirement at WRC-2003 will only serve to
encourage this situation. In addition there are increasing numbers of amateurs
becoming active in Africa and some of the more populated areas of Region 3. Many
Region 3 countries have developing electronic manufacturing technologies and
actively encourage the growth of amateur radio in high schools, colleges and
universities. The amateur radio population of Japan exceeds one million and is still
increasing. All this helps to make the existing 100 kHz overcrowded and sometimes
unusable.
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While older modes of communications, i.e., Morse code (A1A) and SSB (J3E),
continue to be used, there is continued experimentation in the amateur services, much
of this being based on new digital techniques including spread spectrum and digitised
speech systems. The convergence between amateur radio and new digital technology
is progressing rapidly but is hampered by shortages of suitable frequencies
The International Amateur Radio Union objective is, and has been for a number of
years, a worldwide exclusive allocation of 300 kHz, an allocation that the amateur
service in Region 2 has enjoyed since 1929. In recognition of this objective the recent
liaison statement from WP8A Working Group 1 to WP6E & WP9C (Document
8A/TEMP/2) suggests the options available are to harmonise the amateur services
allocation around the existing Region 2 segment of 7000 - 7300 kHz or alternatively
to move the amateur services allocation down 100 kHz to 6900 - 7200 kHz.
These options do not, however, appear to take account of the complexity of the issues
involved and may therefore be considered as unrealistic. A major consideration in
making changes to the allocations around 7 MHz has to be the planning and
scheduling criteria used by broadcasting service. The diurnal and seasonal changes in
propagation conditions and absorption around these frequencies are such that small
changes in band limits will result in large changes in the criteria used for planning and
scheduling; changes which may well differ according to whether service is required
on a continuous, seasonal, day or night basis.
Another major complication is that the needs of the fixed service constitute a third
factor that has to taken into account as part of the search for a solution. This is
because any movement of the boundary between the amateur service and the
broadcasting service, or the amount of spectrum allocated to each service, around 7
MHz will inevitably have an impact on the allocations to the fixed service below 7000
kHz and above 7350 kHz.
WRC-2003 Agenda Item 1.36
This item is directed towards examining the pressures on the spectrum available to the
broadcasting service between 4 and 10 MHz as a result of the changing pattern of
operation by international broadcasters and proposing means of alleviating any
restrictions apparent on HF broadcasting, taking account of the needs of other services
involved. The situation below 6 MHz poses particular difficulties for the broadcasting
service.
Some aspect of the adequacy of the spectrum available to the broadcasting service in
the HF bands has been considered at nearly every world radio conference for at least
the last twenty years, notably WARC-79, HFBC-84, HFBC-87, WARC-92, WRC-95,
WRC-97 and WRC-2000. Nevertheless, progress in actually gaining access to
additional spectrum has lagged far behind demand and, except for the band 9775 9900 kHz that became available on 1 January 1996, no additional spectrum below 10
MHz has become available in the last few decades. It was planned to hold a world
conference on HFBC issues in 1993, but in the event WRC-93 became purely an
organisational conference to take account of the changes to the ITU structure
introduced at the 1992 Plenipotentiary Conference.
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The adequacy of the spectrum available to the broadcasting service in the range 4 - 10
MHz was first identified as a specific and urgent issue by the Vatican City at
WRC-95. Unfortunately pressure on WRC agendas has meant that detailed
consideration of this issue was finally set for WRC-2003 in response to document
CMR2000/135 submitted jointly by the Vatican City, The Netherlands, United
Kingdom and Ukraine.
The immediate objective at WRC-2003 under agenda item 1.36 will be to assess the
needs of the broadcasting service, if necessary on the basis of Regional or subRegional demand, and to identify blocks of frequencies from which additional
spectrum for HF broadcasting may be allocated. The work on defining precisely the
additional bands needed is more problematic and this aspect may require further
consideration at WRC-2005/6 under the preliminary agenda item 2.5. Because of
propagation, geographical and demographic factors, frequency congestion below
10 MHz is particularly severe in Europe, it may be that regionally-based solutions for
the frequency bands below 6 MHz will turn out to be the most appropriate.
However, a key factor in resolving spectrum allocation considerations in respect of
agenda item 1.36 will necessarily be developments under agenda item 1.23. The
allocation issues associated with the two agenda items have to be considered in
tandem because any substantial rearrangement of the present allocations to the HF
services around 7 MHz will necessarily have a direct impact on work related to the
future spectrum requirements for broadcasting in the range 4 - 10 MHz.
It is vital to be able to consider the impact of changes on the broadcasting service
throughout the range 4 - 10 MHz in response to allocation changes around 7 MHz
resulting from any proposals considered under agenda item 1.23. The ability to
consider the spectrum allocation implications for the broadcasting service at
WRC-2003 will actually increase the range of options that can be considered in detail
under agenda item 1.23 because the particular sensitivity of the seasonal planning and
scheduling criteria for broadcasting at frequencies between 5 and 8 MHz is such that
the location and extent of the possible allocations for broadcasting following a
settlement on the 7 MHz re-alignment would condition the decisions on the optimum
location of spectrum for broadcasting above and below 7 MHz for the future.
A conclusion on the optimum allocation of spectrum for HF broadcasting between 4
and 10 MHz is therefore part of a twofold dependency. It will depend to a great extent
on reaching a definitive conclusion on the frequency allocations around 7 MHz and
equally, solutions on the 7 MHz realignment will be constrained if, during
WRC-2003, the other interested users of the HF bands are unable to address the
consequential changes needed to their operations. Therefore, being able to consider
the spectrum allocation considerations for broadcasting over the range 4 - 10 MHz in
tandem with those for all services around 7 MHz will increase the chances of a
successful conclusion on both agenda items.
There is also a connection, though far less strong, with the spectrum allocation issues
associated with agenda item 1.2 through the possibility of advancing the date of
access to the additional WARC-92 bands in the case of digital HF broadcasting
operations. Earlier availability of these bands would go some way to easing
congestion in the HF broadcasting bands generally. However, with two blocks of 50
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kHz only, the amounts of spectrum involved are too small to solve the particular
problems being experienced in the broadcasting bands around 6 MHz and 7 MHz.
WRC-2005/6 Preliminary Agenda Item 2.5
The preliminary agenda for WRC-2005/6 includes the item 2.5 in anticipation that
WRC-2003 will recommend changes to the current allocations to the HF services as a
result of its conclusions on agenda items 1.2, 1.23 and 1.36. Some of these changes
may be brought into effect following WRC-2003 within the normal timescales for
implementing WRC Final Acts. Other changes though, especially those involving
further examination of allocation proposals and agreement on transition arrangements,
may well require action at WRC-2005/6 to complete the implementation of any
recommended changes coming out of WRC-2003.
This two stage consideration of issues is in line with PP-98 Resolution 80 which, in
order to improve the efficiency of WRCs, requires WRC agendas to be set in two
conference cycles so that the preliminary work of one WRC is brought to a swift
conclusion by the following WRC. The clear link between the agenda items
concerning allocations in the HF bands being proposed for WRC-2003 and
WRC-2005/6 was made clear in document CMR2000/135. In addition, Council-2000
accepted the view that the proposed agenda item 1.36, in particular, should be treated
by WRC-2003 because of its implications for the work of the subsequent Conference.
Should WRC-2003 confirm the need for additional spectrum for HF broadcasting,
possibly including a worldwide allocation around 7 MHz, together with any other
rearrangements resulting from agenda item 1.23 and earlier access to the WARC-92
extension bands under agenda item 1.2, then any outcomes that require further
consideration will need to be completed at WRC-2005/6. In addition, specific
proposals directly related to the amateur and fixed services may emerge from
WRC-2003 for consideration by WRC-2005/6.
The scope of the work under WRC-2005/6 agenda item 2.5 can therefore only be
indicative at this moment and will have to be kept under review in order to adapt to
the precise proposals made to WRC-2003 and the outcomes agreed in respect of HF
services. It is conceivable that any substantial progress on agenda items 1.23 and 1.36
may largely eliminate the need to consider broadcasting requirements in the HF bands
below 10 MHz bands at WRC-2005/6.
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