10/27/2021

ARRL has told the FCC[1] that it agrees with two World Radiocommunication
Conference (WRC) Advisory Committee (WAC) draft positions on WRC-23[2] agenda
items, but with conditions. ARRL based its support on provisions that amateur
radio allocations are protected and amateur operations are not constrained. The
two items consider spectrum requirements for the Earth Exploration-Satellite
Service (Active),[3] and the results of studies relating to space weather
sensors.

The FCC International Bureau issued a call for comments[4] on the two draft
recommendations on September 30. ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Jon
Siverling, WB3ERA, represents ARRL on the WAC and is actively participating in
its work to prepare US positions for WRC-23.

ARRL supported the agenda item 1.12 WAC draft recommendation that the US
support studies and possible consideration of a new allocation to the Earth
Exploration-Satellite Service (Active) on a secondary basis within the
frequency range 40 - 50 MHz for spaceborne radar sounders. The committee draft
includes a statement recognizing the need to protect and not impose constraints
on incumbent services in adjacent frequency bands.

"Our support for the draft recommendation is conditioned on explicitly
including in the recommendation the need to provide protection and to not
impose constraints on incumbent services in adjacent frequency bands," ARRL
said in its comments. "Our expectation is that such studies will identify the
capability and adequate means to protect the weak signal operations of the
Amateur Radio Service on the adjacent 50 - 54 MHz band without imposing any
restraint on those operations, if the need to use this spectrum for spaceborne
radar sounders is confirmed."

ARRL noted that use of 50 - 54 MHz by radio amateurs was recently studied and
documented in ITU-Radiocommunication Report M.2478-0[5].

ARRL also expressed its support for the WAC's draft recommendation regarding
Agenda Item 9.1 Topic A, concerning Space Weather Sensors. The WAC draft
recommendation said the US view should be that changes to the Radio Regulations
are outside the scope of Agenda Item 9.1 and called on the US to express its
support for "conducting the studies called for in Resolution 657[6] (Rev.
WRC-19)" and commit to contributing "to the work required under the
Resolution."

ARRL noted the extremely broad scope of Resolution 657, which covers
frequencies from 13 kHz through at least 15 GHz, potentially impacting
virtually all radio amateur operation. ARRL further stated that ITU-R has
undertaken studies relating to the technical and operational characteristics
and spectrum requirements of space weather sensors and that completion "and
consideration of these studies are essential to achieving the desired objective
of not placing any additional constraints on incumbent services."

"Radio amateurs have a significant interest in space weather and its impacts,"
ARRL said, citing NASA and NSF grants to fund amateur radio-related space
weather projects. One such project[7] includes developing "an empirical model
for predicting traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs)" at HF using data
collected over an 11-year solar cycle using "automated, global-scale radio
communications networks operated by the amateur radio community." The
referenced networks are known to amateurs worldwide as WSPR, RBN, and
PSKreporter.

Another project involves developing two ground-based space weather
stations[8].  One is being developed by Tuscon Amateur Packet Radio, Inc.
(TAPR), and is code-named "Tangerine."  The other is being developed by Case
Western University and the Case Amateur Radio Club (W8EDU) and is code-named
"Grape."

HamSCI founder and Scranton University professor Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, is
leading both space weather efforts. 

[1] https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1015625427638/ARRL20WAC2010_14_2021.pdf
[2] https://www.itu.int/net/events/eventdetails.asp?lang=en&eventid=18465&dupd=44370.4059268133
[3] https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-r/opb/hdb/R-HDB-56-2011-PDF-E.pdf
[4] https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-21-1235A1.pdf
[5] https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-r/opb/rep/R-REP-M.2478-2019-PDF-E.pdf
[6] https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-r/oth/0C/0A/R0C0A00000F00138PDFE.pdf
[7] http://www.arrl.org/news/hamsci-founder-nathaniel-frissell-w2naf-awarded-481-260-nasa-research-grant
[8] https://www.hamsci.org/basic-project/personal-space-weather-station

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