IARU Eyes Global Coordination of Amateur Radio's BPL/EMC Response:

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Administrative Council will explore ways to improve the coordination of Amateur Radio's representation on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) issues at national, regional and global forums. Meeting September 17-18 in Zurich, Switzerland, the Council also made further progress firming up plans to deal with Amateur Radio-related issues at World Radiocommunication Conference 2007 (WRC-07).

The Council requested the International Secretariat (ARRL)--in conjunction with the EMC advisor--seek ways to better harmonize Amateur Radio's EMC response at meetings and conferences. The study, prompted mainly by concerns about interference from broadband over power line (BPL), is to be completed by year's end. The objective is to recommend steps, subject to Council approval, to arrive at a more unified Amateur Radio position regarding BPL and EMC and to "maintain a favorable EMC environment for radio services."

At its October 2004 session, the Administrative Council adopted a resolution concerning potential interference to radio services from BPL systems. The Council resolved to urge member-societies to make national administrations and standards bodies aware of their obligations under the international Radio Regulations. Those rules, in part, call on administrations to "take all practicable and necessary steps to ensure that the operation of electrical apparatus or installations of any kind, including power and telecommunication distribution networks . . . does not cause harmful interference to a radiocommunication service."

A principal focus was on WRC-07 preparations. The Administrative Council affirmed the IARU's positions on agenda items. WRC-07 issues facing Amateur Radio include the possible identification of additional HF spectrum between 4 and 10 MHz for broadcasting, which could put pressure on other services. A possible international amateur allocation in the vicinity of 136 kHz is also on the agenda.

In other business, the Council established a small working group to develop an international emergency communications handbook for radio amateurs based on existing texts. The International Secretariat (ARRL) was requested to produce a brochure on Amateur Radio response to emergencies.

The Council thanked Bob Knowles, ZL1BAD, for his more than 20 years of volunteer service as IARU Monitoring System (IARUMS) International Coordinator. Knowles recently stepped down from the position, which he'd occupied since the inception of IARUMS.

Attending the gathering were IARU President Larry Price, W4RA; Vice President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA; Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ; Ole Garpestad, LA2RR; Don Beattie, G3BJ; Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T; ARRL International Affairs Vice President Rod Stafford, W6ROD; Dario Jurado, HP1DJ; Y. S. Park, HL1IFM; Chandru Ramchandra, VU2RCR; Yoshi Sekido, JJ1OEY, and Recording Secretary Paul Rinaldo, W4RI.

Source:

The ARRL Letter Vol. 24, No. 38 September 30, 2005

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