1. USE OF THE HF BROADCASTING BANDS A SHORT OVERVIEW EBU TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT HISTORY CONGESTION HFBC PLANNING PARAMETERS THE THREAT OF PLT DIGITAL FUTURE TERRY O’LEARY For associated text, see attached notes

2. HISTORY (1) BEFORE 1979: 2350 kHz BELOW 10 MHz : 725 kHz WARC–79: + 780 kHz( after 1996 ) BELOW 10 MHz : + 125 kHz WARC–92: + 790 kHz( after 2007 ) BELOW 10 MHz : + 200 kHz * excluding tropical bands : 2300-2498 MHz3200-3400 MHz3950-4000 MHz 4750-4995 MHz5005-5060 MHz

3. HISTORY (2) BAND 6 MHz 7 MHz 9 MHz 11 MHz 13 MHz 15 MHz 17 MHz 19 MHz 21 MHz 26 MHz PRE – 79 5950 – 6200 7100 – 7300 9500 – 9775 11700 – 11975 – 15100 – 15450 17700 – 17900 – 21450 – 21750 25600 – 26100 WARC–79 5950 – 6200 7100 – 7300 9500 – 9900 11650 – 12050 13600 – 13800 15100 – 15600 17550 – 17900 – 21450 – 21850 25670 – 26100 WARC–92 5900 – 6200 7100 – 7350 9400 – 9900 11600 – 12100 13570 – 13870 15100 – 15800 17480 – 17900 18900 – 19020 21450 – 21850 25670 – 26100 +125 +200 +150 +100 -70 +50 +100 +200 +70 +120

4. HISTORY (2´) BAND 6 MHz 7 MHz 9 MHz 11 MHz 13 MHz 15 MHz 17 MHz 19 MHz 21 MHz 26 MHz PRE – 79 5950 – 6200 7100 – 7300 9500 – 9775 11700 – 11975 – 15100 – 15450 17700 – 17900 – 21450 – 21750 25600 – 26100 WARC–79 5950 – 6200 7100 – 7300 9500 – 9900 11650 – 12050 13600 – 13800 15100 – 15600 17550 – 17900 – 21450 – 21850 25670 – 26100 WARC–92 5900 – 6200 7100 – 7350 9400 – 9900 11600 – 12100 13570 – 13870 15100 – 15800 17480 – 17900 18900 – 19020 21450 – 21850 25670 – 26100 BELOW 10 MHz: + 125 + 200 ABOVE 10 MHz: + 655 + 590

5. CONGESTION(1) BELOW 10 MHz DAYTIME: SHORT TO MEDIUM DISTANCE (  2000 km ) NIGHTTIME: LONGER DISTANCES LOCAL WINTER : FOR SHORT DISTANCES  6MHz BETTER ( THERE ARE NO BANDS AT PRESENT ) RELIABILITY : RECENT TENDENCY TO USE SHORT DISTANCE, SINGLE HOP  MORE CONGESTION CONGESTION : SOME USE OF WARC-92 BANDS ALLOWED ( RR 4.4 ); THESE BANDS NOW ALSO CONGESTED COORDINATION : IMPROVED SITUATION ( ARTICLE S12 ) NEVERTHELESS CONGESTION

6. MINIMUM HF TRANSMISSION DISTANCES CONDITIONS : December SSN = 20 Reliability = 90% 6, 7 MHz could be used for shorter distances: poorer quality reduced reliability increase congestion create additional interference UTC 3456717181920212223 FRE Q km 6 MH z 1700180020001500600…1250145015001550140013001250 5 MH z 1100120013001000300…7509501000 950850800 4 MH z 750800900750<250…500650 600500 3.3 MHz 450550600450<250… 300 250<250 CONGESTION(2)

7. STATISTICS (1) HFCC USAGE * : WINTER SEASON 2000 * WORLD WIDE EXCEPT CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA AND MOST SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES +13.8% +17.8% 110 hrs/ch 105 hrs/ch 74 hrs/ch

8. STATISTICS (2) HFCC USAGE * : WINTER SEASON 2000 * WORLD WIDE EXCEPT CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA AND MOST SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES (236/2747)  25 = 2…(672/2104)  20 = 6 …(439/2970)  40 = ~6

9. HFBC PLANNING PARAMETERS N (noise): < ~10 dB(  V/m) for HF between 1 - 10 MHz RF S/N ratio: 34 dB PR: 17 dB (fair) to 27 dB (good) 10 dB  V/m noise f FS S/N = 34 Wanted signal

10. THE THREAT OF PLT Noise levels proposed max.levels ~ 43 34 dB

11. DIGITAL FUTURE (1) WRC-97 : HF DSB to cease by 31 Dec. 2015 - replace by SSB or other spectrum efficient systems (i.e., digital) (Res. 537) - replacement interference not to exceed DSB - Spectrum efficient techniques to be recommended by ITU-R - final date for cessation of DSB to be reviewed by future WRCs

12. DIGITAL FUTURE (2) Principles of the DRM Standard: - Single, universal (low cost) receiver - Applicable to HF, MF, LF (i.e. same receiver) - Compatibility with existing situation (analogue, channel spacing, frequency bands, …)

13. DIGITAL FUTURE (3) European HF broadcasters intend: 1. to use the HF bands for the foreseeable future 2. introduce DRM within the next 5 to 10 years 3. increase the # of programmes and services UNLESS … the spectrum below 30 MHz is turned into  a PLT PARADISE  a BROADCASTING WASTELAND …