Date : 22 / 12 / 2015
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC
While the Amateur Service gained a new band at 5 MHz at the World Radiocommunication Conference last November, it won’t be available in Australia and many other countries for quite a while. In Australia, a number of land-mobile and defence licensees have long had primary status in the 5 MHz band.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is aware of the decision made by WRC-15 at Geneva, and expects future discussion on it with the Wireless Institute of Australia. Until the ACMA agrees through the Australian Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan or the Licence Condition Determination, no VK radio amateur is allowed to use those frequencies.
There is now only limited access to spot frequencies on 5 MHz by WICEN and the Amateur Radio New South Wales broadcast, but these are under their land-mobile licences and callsigns. So just repeating, despite a decision being made at WRC-15, and access possible in some countries to radio amateurs under their domestic rules, no such decision has been made in Australia. Transmitting by radio amateurs in Australia on 5 MHz is illegal, until the ACMA gives its approval, which may take many years.
