Class Licence 2002
ACMA varies the Radiocommunications (Citizen Band Radio Stations)
Class Licence 2002
After consideration of submissions received in its recent public
consultation process (IFC 03/2011), the ACMA has, by way of a notice
published in the Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette (the Gazette)
on 19 May 2011, varied the Radiocommunications (Citizen Band Radio
Stations) Class Licence 2002 (the CB Class Licence).
The variation of the CB Class Licence commenced on 27 May 2011.
The variation of the CB Class Licence was brought into effect by the
making of the Radiocommunications (Citizen Band Radio Stations) Class
Licence Variation 2011 (No. 1) (the CB Class Licence Variation) by the
ACMA on 17 May 2011, the registration of the CB Class Licence
Variation in the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments and by
the CB Class Licence Variation being published in a notice in the
Gazette.
The Variation provides for additional channels in the UHF citizen
band. Some of these additional channels are allocated as repeater
channels. The variation relaxes the duty cycle restriction for
telemetry and telecommand transmissions and permits the transmission
of identification and position information. The variation clarifies
the conditions applicable to 'simplex' use of repeater channels within
range of repeater stations. The linking of repeater stations and
individual CB stations has been prohibited to minimise potential
congestion and interference.
Seventeen submissions were received during the consultation phase.
Submitters were generally supportive of, or were silent about, the
proposed:
introduction of the additional channels;
relaxation of the telemetry and telecommand duty cycle restriction;
allowing the transmission of station identification and position
information; and
prohibition of the linking of repeater stations.
Of the concerns that were raised, the most significant related to:
the potential for mutual interference between the operation of 25 kHz
stations and the nearby operation of stations on the adjacent 12.5 kHz
channels;
the potential for 'simplex' use of repeater channels to cause
interference to stations using repeaters; and
the prohibition on the linking of CB stations.
Submissions were received from:
Alain Mugnier
ARCIA
David Tones
Doug Page
GME
Jacob Givney
James Brown-Sarre
Ministry of Economic Development NZ
Motorola (152 kb)
Rockingham Advanced Computers
Rodney James
Roland
Russ
Terry Ayscough
The Northside Radio Association Inc
Trevor
UHF CB Australia (36 kb)
Background
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) seeks comment
on a draft Radiocommunications (Citizen Band Radio Stations) Class
Licence Variation 2011 (No. 1) that will vary the Radiocommunications
(Citizen Band Radio Stations) Class Licence 2002.
Following consultation between the ACMA, industry and the public in
the context of the ACMA's review of the 400 MHz band, the ACMA
proposes to increase the number of radiofrequency channels in the UHF
Citizen Band.
The ACMA proposes to vary the Radiocommunications (Citizen Band Radio
Stations) Class Licence 2002 (the CB Class Licence) to facilitate
operation on the new channels. Other proposed variations to the CB
Class Licence include variations to:
facilitate the transmission of electronic identification and location
information;
relax the duty cycle restriction for telemetry and telecommand transmissions;
improve the regulatory effectiveness of the CB Class Licence;
prohibit the indirect linking of repeater stations; and
prohibit the linking of CB stations.
More Information
The current licensing arrangements are set out in the
Radiocommunications (Citizen Band Radio Stations) Class Licence 2002.
The proposed variations are set out in the Radiocommunications
(Citizen Band Radio Stations) Class Licence Variation 2011 (No. 1).
The proposed variations are discussed in the paper Proposed variations
to the Radiocommunications (Citizen Band Radio Stations) Class Licence
2002 (Word [161 kb] or PDF [124 kb] formats).
Submissions
Closing date for submissions was by close of business 4 March 2011.
