Innovation & New VHF Amateur Spectrum John Regnault RSGB VHF Manager April 2019

Contents Background & discussions with UK Regulator - Ofcom 146-147MHz UK Licence conditions Feedback to Ofcom and business radio community Access to 70.5-71.5MHz in the UK What next?

Discussions with the UK Radio Regulator - RSGB started discussions asking for new spectrum for innovation with Ofcom in 2012 Many people who now regulate radio spectrum do not come from an engineering background Radio spectrum often simply equates to money But sometimes other ‘value statements’ are accepted A very clear picture evolved that we would not get any more radio spectrum for existing amateur activities based upon the traditional value statements for amateur radio! You currently have enough spectrum for that!

RSGB Messages Perhaps the current understanding of ‘amateur radio’ (HF SSB/CW & VHF voice) was too narrow? Amateur radio is undergoing a ‘digital’ transformation. Amateur communications can also involve machines Value of novel spectrum usage Value of new technologies; SDR etc 85% of UK children now have their own smart phone 33% also have a tablet computer (2014 figures + very few become ‘traditional’ radio amateurs) Imagine what apps could sit over simple tablet (USB) to tablet VHF radio communications! Text, voice, data, video etc Amateur radio requires spectrum just to ‘experiment’

Public Consultation Question March 2014 Q4. Do you agree with the proposal to make some spectrum not currently assigned to other applications available on a temporary for Amateur Radio use with restrictions?

Sixty positive consultation inputs published on Ofcom website! Yes. I believe this 'clear' amateur spectrum presents a marvelous opportunity for amateur technological developments that would be very hard to achieve elsewhere in the amateur allocations. Yes. This would provide an opportunity for experimentation with innovative digital communications projects (perhaps based on the Raspberry Pi) to help build the UK's future advanced technology base. and (b) the Notice of Variations were available to ALL three classes of UK Amateur Radio Licence (Foundation,Intermediate and Full).

UK Amateur access 146 MHz TO 147 MHz October 2014 Lower band limit1 Upper band limit Maximum transmit power Maximum antenna height (effective radiated power) above ground level 146.000 MHz 147.000 MHz2 25 Watts 20 metres Permission granted on application only to ‘Full’ Amateur licence holders Notes 1 These band limits are absolute limits and not centre frequencies. 2 In Scotland or anywhere within 40km of the border between England and Scotland or within 40 km of the Scottish coast, the upper band limit is 146.93750 MHz.

RSGB 146 – 147 MHz UK Band-plan! Moderate (<500KHz) bandwidth TV and data Unpopular with some amateurs as not ‘more of the same’ No CW, SSB or FM ! 9

Reduced-Bandwidth DATV at VHF From Oct 2014 UK amateurs had access to 146–147 MHz The amateur television community(BATC) responded Allocated middle 500 KHz for digital modes including reduced bandwidth DATV (RB-DATV) Initial RB-DATV is reduced bandwidth DVB-S below 1 Msymbol / sec Bandwidth = <1 MHz wide DVB-S does not like Multipath UK standard is 333kSym/s 7/8 FEC = ~450Khz bandwidth (450 Kbit/s video) Spectral re-growth is an issue with digital modes 146MHz target is -60 dB! Professional satellite uplinks = -30 dB!! Ranges of up to 250Km achieved!!!

Amateur Reduced Bandwidth DVB-S2 Published DVB standard so consumer equipment is available It is capable of carrying more bits/Hz than DVB-S HD in the same bandwidth as SD Operates closer to the Shannon Limit 2 -3 dB gain over DVB-S Proven in on-air tests Significant with limited ERP Helps achieve 50+ dB spectral re-growth! Also enable higher bit rates in reduced bandwidth Experimentation with advanced codecs H265 has 50% gain over H264 The RSGB presented 146MHz HD R-B DATV to an audience from Ofcom and business radio users H264 (MPEG-4) encoding at true HD resolution 1920 * 1080i An overwhelming positive response!!!!!!!!

Access to 70.5-71.5 MHz in the UK The day following the first presentation of R-B DATV to OFCOM’s ‘business users’ audience the RSGB was offered access to 70.5-71.5MHz Access via Special Research Permit started in April 2015 Similar Conditions to 146-147MHz RSGB has agreed new processes with Ofcom From June 2018 access to 146-147MHz and 70.5-71.5 is now a simplified ‘Notice of Variation’ on standard amateur licence RSGB hosts the application process & sends out emails March 2017 Ofcom increased the permitted power on 146MHz to 50W ERP and on 71MHz to 100W ERP.

What Next? We need to encourage new higher data rate modes Some of the IARU-R1 case at 50 MHz was based on RSGB input. We need more amateur innovation at VHF/UHF to keep up the momentum and keep the radio regulators ‘on-side’  Activity on the experimental 71 and 146 MHz bands has been testing existing technologies not normally deployed at VHF - they occupy useful bandwidths –100s kHz not just a few kHz Digital Voice using proprietary modes (DMR, D* & Fusion) is not seen as different enough from commercial VHF/UHF usage Many of the newer narrowband digital modes fail at VHF/UHF due to Multipath/Doppler (FreeDV etc) We need to encourage new higher data rate modes We need to allow all UK licence classes experimental access

John Regnault G4SWX vhf.manager@rsgb.org.uk Thank You John Regnault G4SWX vhf.manager@rsgb.org.uk