Necessary Steps - national and international - towards harmonized WBHF Test Frequency Licensing Some - admittedly also personally coloured - thoughts

Preceding Correspondence with HFIA secretary R&S as a long term holder of quite a number of HF channels for trial operations is in the process to apply for channel bandwidth extensions for these channels – an indespensable requirement for contiguous channel field tests. This process turns out to be more difficult than we had been originally expected. On the other hand a short look towards (former) HF (broadcast) coordination conferences shows clearly that the necessary international coordination is the clue. Since not only national but international field tests should be our common goal, our working group should foster an intensive exchange of expertise in this licensing area. Relevant headlines e.g. run as follows: 1. Which processes are started / already running on a national basis 2. Which institution is the national POC 3. Which "barriers" towards international coordination are presented by the national authorities 4. Which way ahead is (or is not) pointed out by the national authority 5. What can be done by our group to accelerate the process on the international floor Each participating nation should report. I would be glad to start with a short presentation (abt. 10 minutes) addressing the points 1. … 3. for company ROHDE&SCHWARZ, resp. Germany SP-T - wir

Headlines of my Presentation ı Motivation ı National  What did we do?  What do we do? ı International  What is our common interest?  How are the processes? ı Information Exchange ı Which common Actions are required? ı Time Schedule SP-T - wir

Motivation  WBHF is a big chance for the continuation of HF communications even for non-military users.  This chance presently is enhanced by the withdrawl of many former HF users. International HF broadcast being one of the most prominent and powerful retiring services.  The operational advantages of WBHF must be "aggressively" demonstrated to the potential users. Transmission of high datarates over long distances forming the focus of demonstrations.  Prerequisite - we all know this - is the availability of sufficiently "broad" frequency spectra.  Coming closer to this prerequisite has been an topic in recent meetings.  Since I suppose that a common interest in advancing WBHF technology exists, it is my motivation to clarify what we commonly can do to accelerate the boring inert process of international licensing of WBHF (at least test- ) frequencies.  This acceleration is urgently required since - I suppose again - the market windows for WBHF will not remain open permanentlyand... ... for the HF spectrum the motto: "Use it or loose it" certainly holds true! I think of PLC, PLT, Plasma screens,...) SP-T - wir

National What did we do?  As a HF manufacturer ROHDE&SCHWARZ is a long-term licensee of HF test frequencies. Due to the appearance of ALIS and ALE the number and position in the HF spectrum of granted test- frequencies has been extended over the years and hence can be described as being firstly "sufficient".  Licensing in Germany still is a sovereign act which formerly has been executed by Deutsche Bundespost (German Federal Post) Due to deregulation, licensing matters today are allocated to Bundesnetzagentur für Elektrizität, Gas, Telekommunikation, Post und Eisenbahnen (shortly BNetzA) which still is a federal authority.  Cooperation with BNetzA in the recent decade took place in a very constructive way. This statement especially applies to processes which could be decided nationally or whose boundary conditions were already well regulated on an international basis. These basics are valid for our current (single channel) HF test-frequencies SP-T - wir

National How does a Test-Frequency Allocation look like? SP-T - wir The complete document e.g. for HF consists of 6 pages, showing all technical and organizational conditions. It must be renewed annually. The costs for this are fair. It is worth mentioning that even a callsign (DI2KM) has been allocated in context with this license. The background for this might be the international character of this assignment. All our testfrequencies above 30 MHz do not go along with a callsign.

National What do we do? The Goal: Extension of the permissible bandwidth of the currently allocated testfrequencies  Informal contacts to BNetzA  First results / statements:  Our basic request is understood by BNetzA.  A quick response targets to the frequency range 25,7 MHz bis 26 MHz.  The unusability of this proposal for tests inside Germany and Europe is understood by BNetzA as well.  The further treatment of HF licensing implies the inclusion of "all HF stakeholders" This process can't be awaited!  An "at any time revocable license" on a nib (non interference base) on some frequencies was not excluded in a recent conversation. This (inofficial) statement makes me feeling hopeful.  No doubt: The official, international process has to be started asap and has to run in parallel to our (i.e. WG) needs SP-T - wir

International What is our common interest?  Carrying out long haul, international tests  The problem: Providing identical WBHF channels in all participating countries. Here I'll tellyou a funny side story between the Netherlands and Germany  Creating new WBHF channel frequency ranges on an international basis (in which particular WB-channels will be defined?).  SP-T - wir

International How are the processes? Currently (Feb. 2014) I was told that  the further treatment of WBHF licensing (even nationally!) implies the inclusion of "all HF stakeholders"  Former frequency users (Potential problem "Maintenance of Living Standards")  National Radio Frequency Agency (NARFA)  ITU (The difficulty: Long intervals between international conferences)  NATO ??   This means that all steps must be supported strongly with the goal of acceleration of the processes. I.e.:  National contacts to licensing authorities  Providing basic material about current HF usage and trends, i.e. (my personal plea)  Putting the planned HF observation campaign on a broad basis SP-T - wir

Setup Participate in the HF observation campaign; not too much will be needed SP-T - wir

Information Exchange  Am I right / wrong with my ideas?  Which national licensing-relevant actions have been done / are planned?  BNetzA is interested in getting informed about our discussions / decisions. I think it feels more comfortable if others do the same or similar things.  Are there restrictions in information policy towards official institutions?  SP-T - wir

Which common Actions are required? Invitation to discussion SP-T - wir

Time Schedule SP-T - wir Asap, best "yesterday"

Further ideas? Thanks! SP-T - wir 14