https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/287994/UK_Spectrum_Strategy_FINAL.pdf
My reading of this OFCOM document is that the UK frequency spectrum is seen as a opportunity for revenue generation. Apparently spectrum "resource" is worth £52 billion to the UK economy. BTW, amateur radio doesn't even get a mention! Radio amateurs do not contribute to this revenue stream and the document does not seem to recognise the self training of radio amateurs in radio science. Maybe they are right: using a black box is hardly skillful or educational.
To my way of thinking, spectrum is a NATURAL resource, a bit like the air we breath or the wind in our faces. Call me an old fashioned socialist (actually this is NOT my natural political stance) but I am uncomfortable that MONEY seems the main, actually the only, motive here.
Give radio amateurs very easy access to "strange" spectrum (e.g. sub 8.3kHz, around 73kHz, and around 40MHz) and access to all licence free slots. Actually, radio amateurs have a lot to contribute and self training in radio science would be ENCOURAGED by such moves.
We are more likely to gain 146-147MHz which, frankly, is a waste: we will gain NOTHING from this except maybe yet more appliance operators using black boxes. 2m is never that busy in my experience. How often are FM channels busy or the SSB slot? Outside contests SSB seems pretty dead on 2m.
We all have a duty to use spectrum wisely, but money is
surely not the right way? I am also ANNOYED that so much power and
spectrum is in the hands of the UK military. Just look at the current
frequency allocations. This is plain wrong in peacetime.
As regards 2 metres I agree. Seeking a wider allocation seems so out of touch with the actual usage of the band. 20 years ago maybe it would have been a good idea but not now.
ReplyDeleteThe 2m amateur population spread over 3 rather than 2MHz?? What a DAFT idea.
ReplyDeleteRoger, having read the pdf I can readily understand their approach, they have tried to introduce a structured approach to spectrum management which has historically been a great big mess with big guns digging in heels and antiquated technologies blocking change. It has to change.
ReplyDeleteHowever some of the recent changes have not worked as forecast. The reuse of band 1 and 3 was supposed to give massive benefits yet the cell companies that took over band 3 have all died long ago. Now they are looking at band 2 and still posturing over the degradation of FM broadcasting.
Bands 4 and 5 are in their "Sweet Spot". The changeover has cost the public billions. The 4G auction failed to deliver anything like the one time jackpot that Ofcom thought but every item that the Public had to buy was imported costing the Country billions.
It is interesting to see how much we are going to get out of Space. We have a small Space Industry- and very good it is too. Our Official Space Program was canceled many decades ago -even though it cost three peanuts- because the Government decided that there was no value in space research.
Met office spectrum helps them to forecast one storm. Very good value but they forecast a dry winter and we get the wettest in living memory.
5G the future cheap at £50 million? Well its at least consistent. Too little far too late and no Industry left to make any emergent product. 5G structure and development is already happening in the more advanced Countries like India and China.
So what happens on our little bit of spectrum is left out- hardly surprising at all. Now that many hams don't tx much at all we might consider our little spectral space as at great risk- how can you justify channels that don't get used? Use it or loose it has been said for well over 30 years, the hams have voted consistently through that period with their PTT's. But then it's all politics not technology.
Alan G8LCO