WRC-07 and 136kHz

The World Radio Conference agreed a new worldwide secondary allocation to the Radio Amateur Service at 135.7-137.8 kHz, with a maximum radiated power limit of 1 watt ERIP.  

Note that similar to other secondary allocations to the Radio Amateur Service,  any allocation to Amateurs will be subject to the national administration concerned agreeing to make such an allocation in their country.

IARU Region 1 Usage Guidelines for the 136kHz Band

The IARU Region 1 Conference at San Marino in 2001 decided that whilst no rigid band plan should be agreed, amateurs would be asked to work within the following conventions, giving long-distance communication and experimentation priority.  It is being considered by the RSGB whether or not to review this guideline at the next IARU Region 1 Conference in November 2008.  The guideline states: 

RSGB LF Group Reflector

An e-mail reflector has been operating for many years now to help encourage those wishing to experiment at LF.  In the early days it concentrated on 73kHz and 136kHz as well as occasionally other LF aspects; with the demise of 73kHz (in the UK) the reflector is one of the main Internet recourses available for coordinating operating and exchanging technical knowledge on 136kHz.

Anyone is free to join the reflector by sending an e-mail to Majordomo@blacksheep.org with the "subject" field blank and the following message in the message field: 

subscribe rsgb_lf_group

To unsubscribe from the reflector a similar e-mail is sent but with the slightly different message: 

unsubscribe rsgb_lf_group

The RSGB 136kHz Award

This award has a number of categories to recognise achievements for operating on the 136 kHz band.  For further details, including holders of the award, see "HF Awards" by following this link.

Rugby Loran -C Trial

Towards the end June 2005, BT Global Services on behalf of Trinity House stated a trial Loran -C transmission from its Rugby transmit station to “provide high quality timing service over the UK and improve Loran performance over much of Europe” [see Loran Association website].   Such transmissions have made reception difficult for amateurs who are relatively near the any Loran-C transmitter, because of the relatively high level of out-of-band sideband allowable under the specification for the Loran-C system.  

Prior to the Rugby trial the main problems from Loran-C transmitters has been along the south coast of England, which is near to the Loran transmitter at Lessay in France.

The RSGB Spectrum Forum was briefed [see LF Report] on the interference that was being caused to UK amateurs by the Rugby trial and it was agreed that the RSGB would lodge a complaint.  

Further information about the trial and the Loran-C system can be see from the following links: 

A paper on the Rugby Trial can be found on the Commissioner for Irish Lights website 

The Northwest Europe Loran System website

The Loran Association website