WICEN 5MHz Land Mobile Channels  
FRONT PAGE

OPS. INDEX

Purpose
The purpose of this document is to detail the conditions for use of the two by 5 MHz land mobile channels obtained by the WIA for national WICEN use.

Conditions for operation
The WIA has obtained two by 3 kHz bandwidth 5 MHz channels for national use by WICEN.

These channels are commercial
land mobile allocations – they are not amateur allocations – normal commercial land mobile rules and procedures apply, as follows:

Shared use
Both channels are shared with commercial users.  Fortunately, ACMA have assigned channels which have a large geographic separation between users.   One channel is used in Queensland, and the other in WA.

WICEN use only
The channels are only to be used by WICEN members, for either operations or training.  General use by amateurs is not permitted

ACMA has agreed to waive the licence fees on the basis of WICEN use.
  General amateur use will invalidate this fee exemption.
ACMA will monitor the channels.

Type approved equipment only
Only ACMA type approved land mobile equipment (i.e. Barrett, Codan, QMAC, commercial Icom, etc) can be used. 

Amateur transceivers are not to be used – NO exceptions.

The WIA has made an undertaking to ACMA that we will abide by the equipment type approval requirements of the land mobile service. 
Breaching these requirements by the use of amateur transceivers will reflect very badly on the future viability of 5 MHz allocations for the amateur service.

Mode
In line with normal commercial arrangements, only USB voice mode is to be used

Callsigns
Amateur callsigns are not to be used
.  No exceptions.
However, WICEN type callsigns may also be used – i.e.
base, mobile 1, control, etc.

Frequencies and areas of use
The following two channels have been allocated – frequencies are listed as suppressed carrier. 
The table lists the other commercial users, their locations and recommendations for WICEN use.

Frequency
(kHz)

Commercial users located at

To be used by WICEN in

5102

Goondiwindi QLD
Warwick, QLD
Cooktown QLD

VK6, VK5, VK7, VK8,
VK3 (during daylight hours)

5355

300 km East of Carnarvon WA
100 km North of Perth WA

VK8, VK4, VK2, VK1, VK3, VK7

 Users may operate on the non-recommended channel for their area if the primary channel is busy – however, please avoid interference to other commercial users.

User data
In accordance with normal commercial licencing procedures, ACMA require that the licensee (the WIA) maintain a register of users on the channels.  Accordingly, all WICEN bodies are requested to forward details of their users (numbers and equipment type only) to email vk4du@hf.ro

Summary

bullet5102 and 5355 kHz are commercial land mobile allocations
bullet5102 and 5355 kHz are not amateur allocations
bulletWICEN use only, no general amateur use
bulletACMA type approved land mobile equipment only to be used
bulletAmateur transceivers are not to be used
bulletUpper Side Band operation only
bulletAmateur callsigns are not to be used

G.C. Dunstan, VK4DU
Director - Wireless Institute of Australia
vk4du@hf.ro
21 November 2005