World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19) opens on Monday, October 28, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. WRC-19 is sponsored by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Some 3,000 delegates from most countries around the world will attend the international meeting, which lasts 4 weeks, and will discuss and agree to changes to the ITU Radio Regulations.

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) will field a team of 14 from among its member-societies, representing the Amateur and Amateur Satellite services. WRC-19 has a wide-ranging agenda, with a few items that could affect Amateur Radio. Of particular interest to IARU are these Agenda Items (AIs):

• AI 1.1. To allocate spectrum in the 50 – 54 MHz band in ITU Region 1 (Europe, Africa, and the Mideast) to the Amateur Service.

• AI 1.13. To consider new spectrum for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), which could impact amateur spectrum in the vicinity of 47 GHz.

• AI 1.16. This could impact amateur spectrum in the vicinity of 5 GHz.

• AI 9.1.6. Addresses Wireless Power Transmission (WPT), where harmonics of WPT systems could impact the MF/HF radio spectrum.

• AI 10. To consider possible agenda items for WRC-23 that could impact the Amateur Service, including the 1240 – 1300 MHz band.

This meeting is the culmination of 4 years’ work by IARU in ITU and regional telecommunications organizations to protect and enhance Amateur Service frequency allocations. The IARU team will provide updates as the conference progresses.

The IARU has participated in ITU conferences since 1927 and is a member of the ITU Radiocommunication and Development sectors. — Thanks to the International Amateur Radio Union