VK radio amateurs set lose 420-430MHz
The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) has been told by the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) that the commercialisation of spectrum between 420-430MHz is going ahead, with the first such allocation being made to the Land Mobile Service in Western Australia (VK6).
The WIA was advised at a recent WIA/ACA Liaison meeting that a Tetra trunk radio system has been licensed to be used by Western Australian emergency and government agencies in that band.
The frequencies allocated are: 420420.75MHz and 421.25422MHz, with a 7MHz split above this on 427427.75MHz and 428.25429.5MHz.
The Department of Defence, having relunctantly surrendered part of its primary allocation, will be left with three sub-bands: 420.75421.25MHz, 424.75425.25MHz and 427.75428.25MHz.
A radiolocation system called Quicktrak that enables vehicle passenger personal security and stolen motor vehicle tracking, currently uses 422-424MHz, and in the Perth area also 424-424.5MHz.
Left out in the cold is the Amateur Service, initially in Western Australia, but as the ACA clearly indicates it is under pressure to retrieve the lower end of 70cm spectrum for the Land Mobile Service in other parts of Australia.
The WIA band plan for 70cm will now need to be revised. Currently 420-430MHz has frequencies band planned repeater inter-linking and amateur television (ATV).
VK radio amateurs will continue to have on a secondary basis 420-450MHz which includes the Amateur Satellite band 435-438MHz. _____________________________________________________________________ Amateur Radio: If you're not having fun, you are not doing it right!
ARRL, Santa Barbara Section
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