Extending amateur
radio's allocation on the 6-meter band to Europe, Africa and the Middle East (ITU Region 1) will be the major
ham-radio-related item on the agenda for the International Telecommunication
Union's 2019 World Radio Communication Conference (WRC-19), according to the ARRL Letter. The 50-MHz band is
currently allocated for amateur radio in the Americas
(ITU Region 2), Asia and Oceania (ITU Region
3), but broadcasters and others use the 50-54-MHz band in Region 1, where it is
available to hams on a country-by-country basis. An ITU "study group" has been
working on developing a specific proposal in response to a resolution at WRC-15
to study amateur radio spectrum needs on 6 meters in Region 1.
The ham group is
also working with two other study groups on proposals regarding wireless power
transfer systems, to note concerns by amateurs of possible significant
interference, particularly regarding wireless charging platforms for electric
vehicles.