Notification of a proposed change to the procedure and terms of issuing Notices of Variation for Internet Linking

Notification

This notification is given under section 169 of the Communications Act 2003 and is addressed to all holders of an Amateur Radio Licence who also hold a Notice of Variation permitting the interconnection of their station with the Internet (Internet gateway).

Summary

Existing Notices of Variation (NoVs) for voice links to other amateur Stations via the Internet are valid indefinitely; provided the associated licence remains valid and neither has been revoked. Consequently it is not possible to identify inactive or retired stations, leading to unwanted sterilisation of that frequency in the location concerned and loss of potential service to the amateur community.
It is proposed, therefore, to set a date by which all existing NoVs are revoked and move to an annually renewable NoV scheme. Existing holders will have priority in applying for the replacement NoVs.

Replies to this notification should arrive no later than 2 July 2004.

Background

Amateurs, historically, have made contact by h.f., v.h.f, u.h.f. and microwave frequencies on a one to one basis or as a small group. The range of contact being limited by the radio propagation factors concerned. At v.h.f. and u.h.f. these ranges are limited, especially for mobile and portable stations.

To offset these limitations, amateurs developed repeater stations, prominently located, that received mobile and portable transmissions and simultaneously re-transmitted them on a paired frequency, over a greater range. As the number of repeaters increased, a further development saw two repeaters being linked together, usually via a microwave amateur link. The two linked repeaters then re-transmitted the input signal (on either repeater) over the coverage areas served by both repeaters. The repeaters and the linking needed individual licensing and approval.

With the advent of the internet and personal computers equipped with soundcards able to digitise the voice transmissions; the internet has become an attractive alternative means of linking the two repeaters concerned. Indeed it in no longer necessary for the two repeaters to be within radio link range or even on the same continent. Given suitable control mechanisms, any number of such devices could be accessed anywhere in the world.

Neither is the concept confined to existing repeaters. Indeed the majority of such links are not now based on traditional repeaters but rely on facilities provided on non-repeater frequencies by individual amateurs (or small groups) and the devices themselves are now known as Gateways. Each gateway requires individual permission from the licensing authority (Ofcom), granted by way of an NoV to the individuals own licence.

In the UK, the national society, the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), co-ordinate the applications for gateway NoVs to ensure mutual interference is avoided and to maintain good spectrum management on behalf of the amateur community as a whole.

The RSGB keep a record of gateway NoVs issued and use this information to process and recommend the issue of further NoVs to new applicants. Unfortunately not all NoV holders advise when they retire from offering a service or return their NoV as no longer required. Consequently considerable effort is expended protecting these unavailable facilities and denying new applicants the opportunity of providing a service or carrying out the related technical investigations. This also deprives other amateurs in the area from carrying out their own investigations.

Issue to resolve

How to identify and recover for reuse, those NoVs that have fallen into disuse and are sterilising the related amateur frequency from issue to others.

If renewable NoVs are the solution, what renewal period represents a reasonable balance between identifying lapsed facilities and the inconvenience of making or processing renewals?

Proposal

1. That a date is set, towards the end of 2004, on which all existing NoVs are revoked.

2. That existing NoV holders have priority in applying for replacement NoVs.

3. That a suitable provision of service condition is required, defined and administered by the amateur community, for national society support for NoV application.

4. That NoVs are annually renewable and issued initially for a period between 12 and 23 months to provide for a staggered future renewal.

Replies to this notification

Licence and NoV holders are invited to make representations to this proposal, in writing or by e-mail.

The key issues are an agreement in principle with the proposed change and confirmation that annual renewal is an appropriate time span.

Replies should be sent to arrive no later than 2 July 2004, to:

Mail:
Internet NoV response
Denise Carter
Ofcom
2-130 Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London SE1 9HA

E-mail: amateurcb@ofcom.org.uk

Please quote 'Internet NoV response' as the subject.