Amateur Radio Tech Support

Spectrum Plans & Band Plans

Amateur Radio Band Plans are complex beasts.  It is too easy to think they are a “one size fits all” and consistent the world over.   It might be attractive to think we can simply align ourselves with the IARU Band Plans.

However, nothing could be further from the truth.

Certainly, some of our long-standing amateur radio bands share a level of consistency across many regions, but the reality is that there is no such thing as a global band plan.  Indeed, even within the three International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regions there is limited consistency.

For ITU purposes, the world is divided into three regions.  Region 1 is Europe, Africa and Russia; Region 2 is the Americas and Region 3 is Indo-Asia and Oceania.

Why is this important and why should we care?

Management of the Radiofrequency spectrum is controlled by country administrations.  This is as much a cultural and political situation as anything else, and is based on our geopolitical arrangements for national governance and sovereign control of resources.  Country administrations work collaboratively through the ITU to achieve harmonisation as much as is practically possible.

Now, let us consider the Australian perspective.

First and foremost, the Australian Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan (Spectrum Plan), set by the Australian Regulator, the ACMA, defines all Australian allocations. The Spectrum Plan divides the Australian radiofrequency spectrum into frequency bands.  It is a legal instrument that specifies the general purpose and use for each band.

This Spectrum Plan defines the allocations granted to Amateur Radio in Australia. However, it only specifies the frequency bands and their upper and lower limits.

You can read more about the Spectrum Plan here.

https://www.acma.gov.au/australian-radiofrequency-spectrum-plan

The Spectrum Plan also specifies all frequency allocations and users across the entire RF spectrum.  This includes everything from:

• Broadcast
• Defence
• Commercial
• Citizens Band
• Emergency
• Scientific
• Automation
• Satellite
• Mobile Phone
• Marine
• Medical
• Radio astronomy
• Navigation
• Aeronautical
• Land mobile

You can view the latest Spectrum Plan (2017) here.

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2016L02001

So, here in Australia we have a well-defined Spectrum Plan and a  mature political and legal system to manage compliance.  

We also have  mature Australian Band Plans which have been agreed by RASA and the WIA.  

Now, what about these Band Plans?

Band Plans have developed over time within the international and domestic amateur radio communities.   Band Plans have traditionally been referred to as “gentlemen’s agreements” as they are not enshrined in law, and for us in Australia, are not part of our licence conditions.  

Band Plans must, of course, be compliant with Spectrum Plans.  There is no point having a Band Plan that conflicts with a Spectrum Plan.

Band Plans provide an agreed approach to share our allocated spectrum in an efficient and pragmatic manner.   They enable us, as amateurs, to better use the spectrum, and recognise that certain modes and transmission types can be “lumped” into segments within our bands.  This also allows for greater harmonisation and less conflict over how we share our bands.

Let us look at two popular bands and how the Band Plan has been defined.

For 80m, the Spectrum Plan defines 3.5-3.7MHz (and then 3.776-3.8Mhz) and 40m 7.0-7.3MHz.  

The Australian Band Plan then divides these bands into segments based on emission (or mode).   This promotes better use and sharing of our bands.  By keeping (for example) all digital modes within agreed boundaries, we  permit many weak signal digital modes to operate without unnecessary interference from modes that require greater bandwidth and frequency agility; such as CW, AM and SSB.

However, all of this becomes problematic when we recognise that radio waves do not respect ITU Region boundaries or country borders.

And for this we are thankful.  Achieving DXCC or chasing DX would be even more challenging if international law and policies were to govern how radio waves are propagated!

Problems arise when Spectrum allocations and Band Plans outside Australia do not align with our own definitions.  Let us look at the IARU Region 3 Band Plan as an example.

Blindly subscribing to the IARU Region 3 Band Plan would create serious problems for us in Australia.   Not only would we be in breach of the Australian Spectrum Plan, and our licence conditions, we would also forego some hard-won privileges; namely 7.2-7.3 MHz and SSB on 30m.

Why do countries have different Spectrum Plans?

There are numerous answers to this question.  

• In some countries the military have a far greater influence over government policy
• local geography has determined different policies for access to certain bands based on need
• commercial and industrial needs
• economic development
• historical demand and government policy
• access to skills and technology
• population demand
• political will-power

These reasons are not entirely different to those applied to many other laws, standards and policies that vary from country to country.

All these geopolitical influences make regional and international band planning for Amateur Radio particularly challenging.  So, the next time you’re wondering why some amateurs in other countries have different allocations to us here in VK, consider these issues.

Furthermore, we cannot simply demand access to new bands, or segments on the basis of “they have it, I want it too”.  Local Spectrum Plans here in Australia take precedence.

Band Planning for an international DX-pedition can be a complex activity.  Agreeing on a single global frequency for FT8 or JS8 is also fraught.  At least on some of the more common HF bands there is a greater chance of achieving international harmony.

Locally, if you have not studied the VK Band Plan recently, please take a few moments.  You can access a handy one-page chart here.  

Band Plan Summary

And the WIA equivalent is here

WIA Detailed document

Please be mindful of the digital segments on 80m: 3570-3600 kHz.  We have plenty of spectrum above 3600 kHz for SSB nets and contacts.  You may not even hear the weak digital signals between 3570-3599kHz.

We note that the VK2WI Sunday broadcast runs on 3595 kHz LSB - in breach of the Australian Band Plan.   We have written to them requesting that they shift to a new frequency above 3603 kHz.

Hopefully, this article has provided some clarity to this complex matter.  If you have any questions or comments, please, raise a ticket.