Hi All,
Just a further update on the Four Wheel Drive Club problem we are experiencing. ICASA are becoming a lot more communicative at present. They are talking to the Four Wheel Drive Club and are intent on migrating them up into the 39 MHz band. This will take time but I have been assured again that the licences issued for their 35 MHz activity will not be re-issed when they expire in December. I have not had a reaction from the 4WDC as yet, but I expect to talk to them during the coming week. I have however spoken to one of the Senior Managers there and he is horrified as to what has happened. He has also initiated an investigation to ascertain if any other "users" might have slipped through the net on 35 MHz.
Regards
Dave Armitage
Monday, May 28, 2007
Friday, May 25, 2007
Radio Frequencies: what happened? -- Piet le Roux
At this stage our the 35MHz band, is unreliable because it is also being used illegally by two- way radio channels which were issued by the old Department of Communications. The 53.3 to 53.9 MHz band (channel 31 to 43) has just disappeared without anyone noticing it!
In 1997 the old Department of Communication started to implement project SABRE, this mainly impacted on the 60 MHz users and they had to be migrated. Foot note 3.32 in this report said the following:
South Africa currently uses the frequency band 60.1375 - 60.375 MHz for the control of model aircraft, which differs from bands used elsewhere in the world. In order to allow the model aircraft community to benefit from international economies of scale, to facilitate international competitions, etc, it is proposed that the model aircraft control band will be moved to be in line with the European band at 35 - 35.25 MHz.
The existing model aircraft control band could be released in the medium term. It should be noted that the new band will not be available immediately for use for model aircraft control, as existing users will need to be migrated out.”
So it acknowledged that there were users between 35 and 35.25 MHz and that they had to be moved but it makes no provision for the users between 35.25 to 35.5 MHz because at this stage they wanted our band to be the same as Europe (35 to 35.25)
But there were two 60 MHz bands 60.1375 to 60.375 (for aircraft) and 60.025 to 60.125 MHz (for model control).We were given 35 to 35.25 for the 60.1375 to 60.375 band but after 2000 when ICASA took over, they realized that they needed the whole 60 MHz band, so the gave us 35.25 to 35.5 MHz for the 60.025 to 60.125 band .But 60.025 to 60.125 was for model control, meaning everyone, so the 35.25 to 35.5 should have been for general use. This was done without checking that the users on 35 to 35.25 had been migrated and without making any provision to migrate the users on 35.25 to 35.5 MHz. At the end the whole 35 to 35 .5 MHZ band were given to model aircraft control. This was not a well thought thru plan because such a big band will cause problems with receivers using a 455 KHz intermediate frequency.
ON the 24th of March 2004 all changes were published in the government gazette and became law. For some unknown reason the 53.3 to 53.9 MHz band were not published in the government gazette. It looks to me like they just forgot because nowhere in any document is it mentioned that that band would be taken away. Nevertheless they way that the South African Table of Frequency Allocations reads at this time is that 50 to 54 MHz is for ham radio use and they would share 53 to 54 MHz with Wireless microphone use. The only 50 MHz frequency for model control is 54.45 to 54.55 MHz. If you want to use 53.3 to 53.9 you would have to get a class A radio amateur license.
The Two-way radios currently using 35 to 35.5 MHz can not be simply moved to above 35.5 MHz because that band is reserved for the base station leg of a repeater setup. The nearest single frequency mobile bands available are 33.25 to 33.5 MHz or 36.825 - 38.5 MHz. The 36 to 38 MHz band is the nearest but is mostly still used by the government.
Safe Flying
Piet Le Roux
In 1997 the old Department of Communication started to implement project SABRE, this mainly impacted on the 60 MHz users and they had to be migrated. Foot note 3.32 in this report said the following:
South Africa currently uses the frequency band 60.1375 - 60.375 MHz for the control of model aircraft, which differs from bands used elsewhere in the world. In order to allow the model aircraft community to benefit from international economies of scale, to facilitate international competitions, etc, it is proposed that the model aircraft control band will be moved to be in line with the European band at 35 - 35.25 MHz.
The existing model aircraft control band could be released in the medium term. It should be noted that the new band will not be available immediately for use for model aircraft control, as existing users will need to be migrated out.”
So it acknowledged that there were users between 35 and 35.25 MHz and that they had to be moved but it makes no provision for the users between 35.25 to 35.5 MHz because at this stage they wanted our band to be the same as Europe (35 to 35.25)
But there were two 60 MHz bands 60.1375 to 60.375 (for aircraft) and 60.025 to 60.125 MHz (for model control).We were given 35 to 35.25 for the 60.1375 to 60.375 band but after 2000 when ICASA took over, they realized that they needed the whole 60 MHz band, so the gave us 35.25 to 35.5 MHz for the 60.025 to 60.125 band .But 60.025 to 60.125 was for model control, meaning everyone, so the 35.25 to 35.5 should have been for general use. This was done without checking that the users on 35 to 35.25 had been migrated and without making any provision to migrate the users on 35.25 to 35.5 MHz. At the end the whole 35 to 35 .5 MHZ band were given to model aircraft control. This was not a well thought thru plan because such a big band will cause problems with receivers using a 455 KHz intermediate frequency.
ON the 24th of March 2004 all changes were published in the government gazette and became law. For some unknown reason the 53.3 to 53.9 MHz band were not published in the government gazette. It looks to me like they just forgot because nowhere in any document is it mentioned that that band would be taken away. Nevertheless they way that the South African Table of Frequency Allocations reads at this time is that 50 to 54 MHz is for ham radio use and they would share 53 to 54 MHz with Wireless microphone use. The only 50 MHz frequency for model control is 54.45 to 54.55 MHz. If you want to use 53.3 to 53.9 you would have to get a class A radio amateur license.
The Two-way radios currently using 35 to 35.5 MHz can not be simply moved to above 35.5 MHz because that band is reserved for the base station leg of a repeater setup. The nearest single frequency mobile bands available are 33.25 to 33.5 MHz or 36.825 - 38.5 MHz. The 36 to 38 MHz band is the nearest but is mostly still used by the government.
Safe Flying
Piet Le Roux
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Use of 35Mhz by Four Wheel Drive Club -- update from Dave Armitage
I have been watching the various postings etc to do with this topic and I must say that some inputs are sensible, Others are really living on cloud nine, however, the situation at present is as follows. We have discovered that the 4 wheel drive club are licenced by ICASA to use 35.225, 35.250 and 35.300MHz. The licences go back to 1989 and the 4 wheel drive club pay annually to be able to use those frequencies.
They use 35.225 for normal day to day communications during the times they are rallying or racing. They also use it to communicate when marshalling the competitions. They could also use it on there way to and from a competition. The 35.250 spot is used as a standby if 35.225 is cluttered. 35.300 is used purely as a distress, emergency or medical request frequency. Why ICASA have let these slip through the net is anybody's guess, but it has happened and at present we must live with it until these guys are migrated off. I have spoken many times to ICASA trying to sort this hassle out, but now I am getting reports from them that many other people have also had a go at them telephonically, some very abusively, and it is not HELPING OUR CAUSE. Please guys do not do it.
I have also spoken to the 4 wheel Drive club also. They are being very amicable and will change frequencies if we can get ICASA to allow it. From what I understand from their radio guy, it is just a question of re-programming the on board E-Proms. This they will do quickly if it is sanctioned by ICASA. They have also promised to cut down any idle chatter on those frequencies.
We have therefore formulated a proposal to ICASA that they allow the 4 wheel drive club to operate above 35.600 MHz. Since presenting the proposal ICASA have gone a bit quiet and are difficult to communicate with. I suspect much of this is due to other members also trying to get through and attack them. Our next tack is to go up the chain to the senior managers and arrange a meeting with him during the coming week. In the meantime the recommendations not to use 35.220,35.230, 35.250 and 35.300 are still in force.
The 4 wheel drive club's next competition is to take place from the 12th-18th June, but is will be in Botswana. Well away from us but that is not to say they will be using either of their first two channels to communicate whilst on route or return.
There have also been reports of interference on 35.140 and 35.150MHz.
I have forwarded what reports I have but as yet I have nothing to substantiate them.
Dave Armitage
They use 35.225 for normal day to day communications during the times they are rallying or racing. They also use it to communicate when marshalling the competitions. They could also use it on there way to and from a competition. The 35.250 spot is used as a standby if 35.225 is cluttered. 35.300 is used purely as a distress, emergency or medical request frequency. Why ICASA have let these slip through the net is anybody's guess, but it has happened and at present we must live with it until these guys are migrated off. I have spoken many times to ICASA trying to sort this hassle out, but now I am getting reports from them that many other people have also had a go at them telephonically, some very abusively, and it is not HELPING OUR CAUSE. Please guys do not do it.
I have also spoken to the 4 wheel Drive club also. They are being very amicable and will change frequencies if we can get ICASA to allow it. From what I understand from their radio guy, it is just a question of re-programming the on board E-Proms. This they will do quickly if it is sanctioned by ICASA. They have also promised to cut down any idle chatter on those frequencies.
We have therefore formulated a proposal to ICASA that they allow the 4 wheel drive club to operate above 35.600 MHz. Since presenting the proposal ICASA have gone a bit quiet and are difficult to communicate with. I suspect much of this is due to other members also trying to get through and attack them. Our next tack is to go up the chain to the senior managers and arrange a meeting with him during the coming week. In the meantime the recommendations not to use 35.220,35.230, 35.250 and 35.300 are still in force.
The 4 wheel drive club's next competition is to take place from the 12th-18th June, but is will be in Botswana. Well away from us but that is not to say they will be using either of their first two channels to communicate whilst on route or return.
There have also been reports of interference on 35.140 and 35.150MHz.
I have forwarded what reports I have but as yet I have nothing to substantiate them.
Dave Armitage
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
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