Advanced amateurs to trial higher power
A trial of higher transmitter output power for the ‘advanced’ category of amateur licensees will begin on 1 March 2012.
The trial follows a request by the Wireless Institute of Australia.
The ACMA believes that a trial is appropriate to assess the impact of the higher power authorisation, including potential interference issues. After evaluating the success of the trial, the ACMA will consider whether more permanent regulatory arrangements are warranted.
Applicants should be aware of the following requirements:
- They must hold an advanced licence.
- The authorisation for higher power is for an amateur station operating from nominated fixed locations only that are specified on the licence.
- The authorisation is for the HF bands where the amateur service is the primary service.
- Exclusion zones to protect trials of long term evolution (LTE) will apply.
- Applications for the higher power authorisation will not be approved for stations located within an exclusion zone.
- Should a new LTE trial commence during the trial period, stations that fall within the exclusion zone for that trial must be operated using the transmitter output power levels specified in the Radicommunications Licence Conditions (Amateur Licence) Determination No. 1 of 1997 (the Amateur LCD).
- Interference protection provisions imposed under section 7 of the Amateur LCD continue to apply.
More detailed information on the trial and the application process is available here.
I see the forms to apply on mention a fee. So far I have not seen how much the fee will be.
The fee for applying to vary a licence condition is set out in the Radiocommunications (Charges) Determination 2007. The current fee is $41.00 where the time taken to consider the variation application is not more than 15 minutes. However, the ACMA is currently reviewing its fees and charges. A discussion paper that sets out the proposed new charges is available on the ACMA website on the page headed ‘Review of fees and charges under cost recovery arrangements’.
It continually frustrates me that this country no longer gets things done – it waffles, procrastinates and creates work for unimportant and largely irrelevant publuc servants to ‘do’ something with their time so as to justify their very existance.
New Zealand, long considered only marginally above third world status by many Australians manages amateur radio much better, are more modern and advanced in their suport of the hobby, and actually gets thing done remarkably quickly – witness the swift, simple application of their nes higher power limit, without the ‘buggering around’ that we will have to go thorugh. As an aside, they actually display leadership – something tragically missing from Canberra at the moment.
Can you advise where the LTE sites are in the Adelaide area? From the information provided I cannot find any. If there is a 40km radius exclusion zone at say Stirling in South Australia it seems that most amateurs in Adelaide would be excluded. Is this the case?
Details of the current Designated LTE Trial Site are listed on the ACMA webpage headed ‘Trial of higher transmitter output power for amateur advanced licensees’. The location is in Bendigo, Victoria.
The ACMA will update this web page to ensure that details of any new Designated LTE Trial Sites are available to applicants, if and when that occurs. As at 23 February 2012, no exclusion zone has been declared around Adelaide.
I also find it incredulous that there is going to be a fee for this but NO MENTION OF HOW MUCH THIS FEE IS!
ACMA, A COMMENT PLEASE…. WHAT IS THE FEE ?????
I agree with Ernie , the acma and Australian laws are pathetic , i mean the example here is a good one , it did not take them long at all ,or look at the narrow cast or fm low power , what a joke that is , pay the acma over $2500.00 for 1 watt of power on the fm band , really , then well look around these guys that have them licensed are hoarding the freq’s , were NZ and many other country’s one watt is under a class license were any one can use it , and its free providing that you stay at 1 watt , this takes out the need for licenses and stops people hoarding them and selling them for stupid prices , whats with the acma get with the times , catch up with the rest bring us in line ,,,, this is just silly
Well done ACMA. The application for higher power authorisation is nothing more than than the standard Apparatus License form. There is no guidance or explanatory notes to assist the applicant.
Furthermore, there is no detail on which modes are subject to Px and Py limits as is presently the case.
I concur with Ernie Walls’ comments above re: the New Zealand approach. It seems our cousins across the Tasman can make things happen in such a smooth and uncomplicated manner, our regulators should be more than a tad embarrased. Let’s hope that in the next week or so ACMA can give true guidance as to what is required!
Is there any limit to the power level an advanced amateur can request? If so, it would be helpful to have included it in the article, no?
Good luck Aussie mates. Will be nice to hear a few more of you across the ditch.
I concur with the views of Eric Walls above.
To merely direct an applicant to fill out form R057 – Application for Apparatus Licence – is probably indicative of how much thought has gone into the matter. Very little indeed!
The new Zealand process is a rare example of how a bureaucratic procedure can be implemented quickly, simply and transparently.
Perhaps ACMA sees amateur radio matters as an irksome inconvenience that hardly rates one pixel in a big picture. Nonetheless, the application process must be handled much more professionally, and I trust, sincerely.
Surely it cannot be too difficult to spell out the finer details, eg, What fee (if any) is sought; Will different modes be designated as Px and Py; Will a log book be mandatory?
ACMA, so far your effort has scored a D minus rating. Lets hope the “re-write” attracts a passing grade.
The maximum transmitter output power that an amateur advanced licensee can use for the purpose of the trial is 1,000 watts peak envelope power. The ‘Trial of higher transmitter output power for amateur advanced licensees’ webpage contains this information.
The webpage also contains a link to the R057 and explains how the form should be used to apply to vary an existing service.
As agreed with the WIA, there will be no licence condition imposed by the ACMA which requires the use of a log book for the purposes of the trial.
finally advanced amateurs in this country get something that the rest of the world has had for ever….and being the furtherest away from everywhere we really needed! Now the challenge will be policing this as I fear, as some Foundation license users have already demonstrated, that a high power free for all will develop! Sorry to say that the ACMA holds no level of threat whatsoever to most radio users in this country. As paying license holders we deserve better than that!
I can only hope the trial is not derailed by the minority who believe themselves above the rules.
73
Thank You WIA and the ACMA for allowing Radio Amateurs to experiment with High Power, not sure why the 160 Meter Band has been left out but it would be good to include it too.
Cheers
Clint – VK3CSJ
I would also like to see the 160m band have the High Power
Well done ACMA and WIA I am very gratefull that we are now allowed to experiment with additional power. This is what the hobby is about (experimenting) Thanks again
Cheers Chris
Hi, I did not send in a fee with the form, marking that field TBA, so as with renewals will you issue a remittance notice for payment before the permit is issued? Or do I need to forward $41.00 now before the application will be processed?
As for people not keeping a logbook for the times high power is used, how can we determine the effectiveness of a trial without logging the contacts that used high power? Not to mention being able to check on air operating times when the knock on the door comes from any TVI complainants?
Dear Steve
The ACMA will issue a tax invoice requesting payment of the applicable fee before any authorisation for higher power use is approved.
Whilst the ACMA has chosen not to make the keeping of a log a special condition, we note the WIA has suggested on its website that members do so.
Thanks ACMA. Great decision. Would have liked 40m range extended to 7.200.
regards: Geoff vk3aht