World Administrative Radio Conference Research Articles

WARC-79 Provisions for Microwave Radio-Relay Systems

This paper reviews 1) the modest changes made by the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC) in frequency allocations between 1 and 40 GHz which affect the design and operation of radio-relay systems, 2) new allocations which open up the use of frequencies between 40 and 400 GHz, and 3) the related technical regulations, particularly those governing the sharing of frequency bands with other services.

The WARC-79 and Papua New Guinea

This paper briefly describes Papua New Guinea, a newly independent country, its telecommunications facilities, and its proposals to the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79), and selected WARC-79 results. The importance of the high-frequency frequency (HF) band is emphasized. It is concluded that most of the requirements of Papua New Guinea regarding the Table of Frequency Allocations were met-although some were not met in the way in which they were first proposed.

Spectrum Management of the HF Broadcasting Service After WARC-79

The 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79) allocated additional spectrum for HF broadcasting with the view toward relieving the congestion in the bands allocated to HF broadcasting. This paper describes, in detail, the WARC-79 allocation changes for the HF Broadcasting Service and presents a description of present and past methods which have been applied to the spectrum management of the HF Broadcasting Service. The WARC-79 also recommended that a specialized WARC be held to plan the HF bands allocated to the Broadcasting Service. This WARC has been scheduled to begin in January 1984 and the technical issues relating to this conference are presented here.

The WARC-79 and Papua New Guinea

This paper briefly describes Papua New Guinea, a newly independent country, its telecommunications facilities, and its proposals to the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC79), and selected WARC-79 results. The importance of the highfrequency (HF) band is emphasized. It is concluded that most of the requirements of Papua New Guinea regarding the Table of Frequency Allocations were met-although some were not met in the way in which they were first proposed.

The Impact of WARC-79 on the Broadcasting-Satellite Service

The World Administrative Radio Conference, Geneva, Switzerland, 1979 (WARC-79) decided many of the international issues facing the Broadcasting-Satellite service (BSS) and adopted Resolutions and Recommendations dealing with most of the others. This paper identifies the BSS issues codisidered at WARC-79, describes the actions taken during the Conference, indicates the current status of subsequent WARC-mandated activities involving the BSS, and assesses the potential impact of the WARC on future BSS systems. by the authors and were integrated by the Editors.

Radio Astronomy and Spectrum Management: The Impact of WARC-79

As a valid use of the radio spectrum and an official radio service, radio astronomy was very much a part of the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79). The allocation of frequency bands is vitally important for the sustained health of the science. WARC-79 provided first the impetus for astronomers, worldwide, to examine the allocation requirements of radio astronomy and then the opportunity to communicate those needs to the regulatory community. The characteristics of radio astronomy, the criteria for interference-free operation, possibilities for sharing with other radio services, and the need for frequency-band allocations are discussed because all bear directly on an evaluation of the Conference. The Final Acts of WARC-79 are examined from the viewpoint of their impact on radio astronomy.

Radar in the Wake of WARC

The World Administrative Radio Conference of 1979 (WARC-79) will have a significant effect on the design, development, and operation of radar systems. This paper discusses the changes in the Table of Frequency Allocations which will affect radar and notes some of the problems which will be faced by the radar community in maintaining system performance requirements. An urgent need is shown for expanding the participation by radar developers in the affairs of the International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR). This participation is essential to create and maintain a technical basis for radar which will define spectrum needs, examine spectrum usage, and describe techniques for efficient spectrum utilization within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Terrestrial Broadcasting Changes at the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference

Because all of the countries attending the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79) are substantially involved in broadcasting, the discussion of broadcasting and related subjects at WARC-79 developed top level interest. The changes in the terrestrial broadcasting bands as the result of the WARC-79 negotiations were for the most part positive. Objectionable interference was removed from the LF band; the MF band in Region 2 was expanded by 110 kHz; the FM Aural broadcasting band in Region 1 was expanded by 8 MHz; some of the less usable frequencies in the Low VHF TV band were eliminated, but TV broadcasting frequency allocations were added to the High VHF band to compensate. In the use of the UHF TV band, the United States proposal to share the band on a primary basis with fixed and mobile services created substantial controversy, which lead to a reservation on the part of the United States Government. In addition to the expansion of the MF band by 110 kHz in Region 2, a proposal was made to the Region 2 MF Regional Administrative Radio Conference to adopt a 9-kHz channel spacing so the channel spacing in all three Regions would be identical. It was the proposal of the USA to use the additional channels generated by 9-kHz spacing for minority ownership, educational ownership, and to provide full-time schedules for daytime-only stations.

Provisions for High Frequency Future Use

An area of widespread interest at the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79) was concerned with allocation proposals related to the modification of the high-frequency (HF) (4-27.5 MHz) portion of the spectrum. From a wide range of proposals, the Conference adopted allocation provisions that reduced the exclusive fixed-service bands by two-thirds, made significant allocations to the broadcasting and maritime-mobile services, and provided somewhat lesser spectrum provisions for the amateur service. Shared use of fixed bands by the mobile service was greatly increased. Few changes were made to aeronautical service allocations. Provisions were planned to remove an unused fixed-service assignment from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Master Frequency Register, and to provide special assistance to Less Developed Countries (LDC's) to enable them to better meet their fixed requirements. A conservative schedule of changes, through 1994, was adopted, including several specialized planning conferences to assist in optimizing the use of HF bands. With continued national needs and improved technology being developed and adopted by the ITU member countries, systems in all authorized HF services will be widely used to meet requirements of the world community for a long time to come.

The Impact of WARC-79 on Space Applications

Prior to the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79), no frequency bands were allocated for remotesensing measurements. Actions taken by the WARC insure that frequencies will be available for such use, and that operations can be conducted without harmful interference on a worldwide basis for the benefit of all nations. Allocations employed for transfer of scientific data from spacecraft in all regions of space from near-Earth orbit to deep-space planetary ranges were significantly improved. New global allocations for Earth exploration-satellites will permit worldwide acquisition of Earth exploration data both via direct transmission and via relay satellites. New allocations for meteorological satellite data transmission will permit wide-band applications such as direct reception of high-resolution picture data by users. Satellite-aided search and rescue systems will benefit from WARC decisions to allocate frequencies exclusively for emergency radiobeacon systems using space techniques. Bands to provide links between the satellite and Earth were designated for distress and safety operations. Time and frequency services with accuracies in the 10-to 50-ps range, needed to meet future system requirements for precise time and frequency information, will be possible because of WARC actions to allocate frequency bands with suitable bandwidth for these services. The search for communications from extraterrestrial intelligence was afforded a degree of protection near several spectral lines of basic physical interest.

Spectrum Management and the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference

Spectrum Management and the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference

Radio Astronomy and Spectrum Management: The Impact of WARC-79

As a valid use of the radio spectrum and an official radio service, radio astronomy was very much a part of the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79). The allocation of frequency bands is vitally important for the sustained health of the science. WARC-79 provided first the impetus for astronomers, worldwide, to examine the allocation requirements of radio astronomy and then the opportunity to communicate those needs to the regulatory community. The characteristics of radio astronomy, the criteria for interference-free operation, possibilities for sharing with other radio services, and the need for frequency-band allocations are discussed because all bear directly on an evaluation of the Conference. The Final Acts of WARC-79 are examined from the viewpoint of their impact on radio astronomy.

A Nontechnical Overview of the 1979 WARC

The 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79) was the largest, most complex multilateral negotiation ever held in the field of telecommunications. The paper focuses on the nontechnical aspects of the Conference, including a brief history of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) leading up to the WARC. The preparatory activities of the United States, both domestic and international, are described. A brief account of the attitudes and views of several foreign country groups during the Conference and the difficulties in selecting a Chairman is given. The results of WARC, which are in general regarded as a success, are discussed in relation to three areas: accomplishment of the broad U.S. objectives, the program of future radio conferences, and technical cooperation and assistance. Finally, the paper describes the implementation process in the United States and comments on some important implications for the future.

The Impact of WARC-79 on the Broadcasting-Satellite Service

The World Administrative Radio Conference, Geneva, Switzerland, 1979 (WARC-79) decided many of the international issues facing the Broadcasting-Satellite service (BSS) and adopted Resolutions and Recommendations dealing with most of the others. This paper identifies the BSS issues considered at WARC-79, describes the actions taken during the Conference, indicates the current status of subsequent WARC-mandated activities involving the BSS, and assesses the potential impact of the WARC on future BSS systems.

Mobile Services--The Impact of the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference

The decisions of the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79) will have a major impact on the future development of the Mobile services. This paper summarizes the scope and structure of the Conference and details the changes in the allocations, resolutions, and recommendations which are of interest to the Mobile services. Substantial changes were made in the Maritime and Land-Mobile services and to a lesser degree to the AeronauticalMobile service. Mobile Satellite also attained footnote allocation status in two Regions (2 and 3) and in two countries of Region 1. In most part, the changes made at WARC-79 are beneficial to the future development of the Mobile Services. However, it remains for future specialized conferences to establish the bases for expanding these services in the newly allocated bands.

A Nontechnical Overview of the 1979 WARC

The 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79) was the largest, most complex multilateral negotiation ever held in the field of telecommunications. The paper focuses on the nontechnical aspects of the Conference, including a brief history of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) leading up to the WARC. The preparatory activities of the United States, both domestic and international, are described. A brief account of the attitudes and views of several foreign country groups during the Conference and the difficulties in selecting a Chairman is given. The results of WARC, which are in general regarded as a success, are discussed in relation to three areas: accomplishment of the broad U.S. objectives, the program of future radio conferences, and technical cooperation and assistance. Finally, the paper describes the implementation process in the United States and comments on some important implications for the future.

Spectrum Management of the HF Broadcasting Service after WARC-79

The 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79) allocated additional spectrum for HF broadcasting with the view toward relieving the congestion in the bands allocated to HF broadcasting. This paper describes, in detail, the WARC-79 allocation changes for the HF Broadcasting Service and presents a description of present and past methods which have been applied to the spectrum management of the HF Broadcasting Service. The WARC-79 also recommended that a specialized WARC be held to plan the HF bands allocated to the Broadcasting Service. This WARC has been scheduled to begin in January 1984 and the technical issues relating to this conference are presented here.

Impact of WARC-79 on the Studies of the International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR)

The CCIR provided the main technical bases for the World Administrative Radio Conference, 1979, including terminology; technical bases for allocation, regulation, and for the provision for new services; characteristics of equipment and emissios; radio wave propagation and noise data. The WARC specified CCIR studies to be carried out for a number of future radio conferences to be held in the 1980-1986 time period, including a conference in 1983 to plan satellite broadcasting in the region of the Americas and a world conference in 1984/1986 concerning the geostationary satellite orbit. Additional studies set out for technical radio regulations included, for example, determination of coordination area around an Earth station in the bands from 1 to 40 GHz shared between space and terrestrial services, and other technical criteria for frequency band sharing. Over the next few years, because of the intense schedule of ITU administrative radio conferences, CCIR studies related to frequency sharing and other radio regulations will increase markedly.

Impact of WARC-79 on the Studies of International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR)

The CCIR provided the main technical bases for the World Administrative Radio Conference, 1979, including terminology; technical bases for allocation, regulation, and for the provision for new services; characteristics of equipment and emissions; radio wave propagation and noise data. The WARC specified CCIR studies to be carried out for a number of future radio conferences to be held in the 1980-1986 time period, including a conference in 1983 to plan satellite broadcasting in the region of the Americas and a world conference in 1984/1986 concerning the geostationary satellite orbit. Additional studies set out for technical radio regulations included, for example, determination of coordination area around an Earth station in the bands from 1 to 40 GHz shared between space and terrestrial services, and other technical criteria for frequency band sharing. Over the next few years, because of the intense schedule of ITU administrative radio conferences, CCIR studies related to frequency sharing and other radio regulations will increase markedly.

Spectrum Allocations above 40 GHz

The 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-79) significantly revised the International Table of Frequency Allocations above 40 GHz to reflect a high level of interest and activity in this portion of the spectrum. The new Table of Allocations was created with the objectives of stimulating development of this spectrum resource by providing guidance and protection to users and of providing each potential user bands in all parts of the spectrum suitable to his charter. Thus propagation phenomena played a major role in defining the new table-as did the desire of some Administrations to add services such as Fixed and Mobile. This paper discusses the approach used in creating the new table, summarizes the allocations, discusses some bands of special interest, indicates how future refinement of the table will likely occur, and addresses the challenge presented to the frequency manager by this part of the spectrum.