Subject: Threat to MetSat Frequencies
From: hinsman@www.wmo.ch
Date: Tue, 03 Oct 1995 16:43:48 -0700 (PDT)

Dear APT, HRPT, WEFAX and High Resolution User,

     I thought you might like to see what one country is
proposing to do to the frequency you use to receive satellite
data from the meteorological satellites.  The proposal will be
made to the World Radio Conference in Oct/Nov 1995 (WRC-95).  

     Brazil will propose to WRC-95 changes to the 137-138 MHz
band and the 1675-1710 MHz band that would be extremely
harmful to existing meteorological users.  

137-138 Mhz (APT)

   The Brazilian proposal includes a primary allocation for
the Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) over the entire 137-138 MHz
band in all three ITU Regions.  This eliminates the sub-bands
in which the meteorological satellites have priority.  The
world-wide distribution of free meteorological data by
meteorological satellites such as NOAA's polar orbiters would
be threatened should this proposal succeed.  

1675-1710 MHz

   Brazil proposes addition of MSS on a primary basis in ITU
Regions 1 and 3.  (A Region 2 allocation already exists.) 
Perhaps more significantly, Brazil proposes to change a
footnote so as to remove the protection granted meteorology by
WARC-92.  This protection forms the basis under which many
nations agreed to allow MSS into this band in the first place. 

   The footnote now reads:

      In the band 1675-1710 MHz, stations in the
mobile-satellite service shall not cause harmful interference
to, nor constrain the development of, the meteorological
satellite and meteorological aids services.

   The Brazilian proposal would remove any mention of "not
cause harmful interference to, nor constrain the development
of, the meteorological satellite and meteorological aids
service.

     The bottom line will be a loss of the frequencies for
direct broadcast.  For sure, other frequencies will be found
but you can also be assured that the costs for receivers in
those new frequencies will be astronomical such that
developing countries, amateurs and educational users will be
precluded from using this valuable source of remotely-sensed
data.

What can you do?  If you will be impacted, then you may want
to discuss it with your WRC-95 delegates and convince him/her
of an appropriate way to respond to the Brazilian proposals. 
You should also ensure that your satellite receiving equipment
is registered with your national telecommunication
administration and the WMO.



Donald Hinsman