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To: Mr Tony Shaw
Purple Building, Benjamin Offices,
Belconnen, ACT.

Re: Allocation of frequencies 433.05 to 434.79MHz

Dear Sir,
 As a holder of a current limited novice license I wish to complain about item 17 of the schedule "Low Interference Potential Devices" (LIPD).

On the 15th March 1999, a group of amateur radio operators set out to find the source of a signal that had jammed Melbourne’s VK3RSE repeater for several hours. The interference was being caused by a pair of cordless headphones located more than ½km away which were operating as per the LIPD schedule.

There are also a number of other devices becoming available which have the ability to seriously affect the operation of more than 100 listed 70cm voice repeaters throughout the country, all of which are located in high locations. Amateur radio operators have proven that devices using the power levels outlined in item 17 are quite capable of causing interference over distances of more than 50 kilometres. These devices therefore cannot be regarded as having low interference potential.

I worked hard to pass the exams necessary to obtain this license and also pay a more than reasonable fee for the privilege of using them. The recently passed LIPD legislation allows a non paying, non-licensed user the ability to use more than 43 percent of my allocation in this band without the restrictions in operating procedures which I am subject to. I feel that this is a very unfair reward to the effort I have put in to gain access to the use of this band.

As a paying user of this band I demand that the legislation which allows the use of these devices in the 70cm amateur band be immediately revoked and that the companies which are marketing devices under item 17 of the LIPD schedule be required to remove them immediately from public sale.
 

Sincerely,
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