Shortwave Frequency Coordinators Huddle, Cite Need for More Spectrum

Shortwave broadcasters need more spectrum to overcome congestion in the 4-10 MHz band. That’s the view of an official of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. The group of broadcasters participated in a Global Shortwave Coordination Conference held this month in China in preparation for the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference next year.
“Shortwave broadcasters gathered in Hainan addressed the need for more channel frequencies and request national spectrum regulators all over the world to support their cause at the upcoming WRC-07,” the ABU stated in its summary.
It quoted Sharad Sadhu, head of technology transmission and spectrum for the ABU, as saying availability of additional frequency channels is one of the biggest problems faced by shortwave broadcasters.
“ITU’s WRC-07 will look at this requirement with a view to make more channels available for shortwave broadcasting,” the organization stated. “It is in this context that the broadcasters have articulated their need, taking into account the current congestion, the need for expansion in the near future and the life-saving role that shortwave broadcasters are called upon to play during natural disasters.”
The organizers also said the coordination conference was successful in helping shortwave broadcasters reduce interference. Sixty broadcast organizations and 130 frequency managers took part.
ABU also said several significant decisions on future frequency coordination were reached.
“Emphasis was placed on monitoring of quality of transmissions and elimination of ‘wooden transmissions’ – those frequencies which are assigned but not used. Technical experts of all the Coordination Groups also finalized procedures for a more enhanced interference detection system.”
The next meeting of the group will take place in Kuala Lumpur in January.