Friday, March 28, 2014

UK Hams may get Added Spectrum on 2 Meters

The two meter band in the United Kingdom may soon be a megahertz larger. This as United Kingdom telecommunications regulator Ofcom publishes a consultation on the release of around 6 MHz of VHF spectrum in the 143 to 169 MHz band, which has been returned for civil use.
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For ham radio operators in the U-K, the key point of the Consultation is the proposal to permit temporary access of the spectrum from 146 to 147 MHz for amateur radio use, until or unless it might be needed by Business Radio or other services. Should additional spectrum be needed to meet those operational requirements, Ofcom says that it will re remove the temporary ham radio allocation.

Amateur Radio use of 146 to 147 MHz will be on a non-protected and non-interference basis with any other service. There will also be some geographical restrictions to ensure that there is no interference to neighboring countries. Authorization to use this spectrum by U-K hams will be by an individual Notice of Variation to an applicant’s amateur radio license.

A notice of Variance is the equivalent of a Special Temporary Authority while an Ofcom Consultation is about the same as an FCC Notice of Proposed Rule Making here in the United States. 

source; Stephen Kinford, N8WB 

Responses to the Ofcom proposals in the Consultation by United Kingdom citizens are due by May 26th.
Those in the United Kingdom wishing file a response can do so on-line at
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/con.../howtorespond/ 

My Stamp Collecting Blog

Counter Added January 1, 2011

free counters

HOW TO READ PROPAGATION NUMBERS

The A index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 1 to 6 is BEST
  • 7 to 9 is OK
  • 11 or more is BAD

Represents the overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Ap" if averaged from the Kp-Index) (an average of the eight 3-hour K-Indices) ('A' referring to amplitude) over a given 24 hour period, ranging (linearly) typically from 1-100 but theoretically up to 400.

A lower A-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Ap-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

SFI index [ HIGH is GOOD ]

  • 70 NOT GOOD
  • 80 GOOD
  • 90 BETTER
  • 100+ BEST

The measure of total radio emissions from the sun at 10.7cm (2800 MHz), on a scale of 60 (no sunspots) to 300, generally corresponding to the sunspot level, but being too low in energy to cause ionization, not related to the ionization level of the Ionosphere.

Higher Solar Flux generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; Solar Flux rarely affects the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

K index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 0 or 1 is BEST
  • 2 is OK
  • 3 or more is BAD
  • 5 is VERY VERY BAD

The overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Kp" if averaged over the planet) over the past 3 hours, measured by 13 magnetometers between 46 & 63 degrees of latitude, and ranging quasi-logarithmically from 0-9. Designed to detect solar particle radiation by its magnetic effect. A higher K-index generally means worse HF conditions.

A lower K-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Kp-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

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