ABSTRACT
Field tests will often be carried out to prove the assumptions and test the results.
Article 5 of the ITU Radio Regulations shows the frequency band allocations. In addition, there are also Regional or Worldwide Agreements that regulate the use of the bands concerned. Furthermore, in Europe, in a number of cases there are multilateral agreements made under the auspices of the CEPT. Table 6.4.1 shows the relevant agreements for Europe in the VHF and UHF broadcasting bands. The RRC04/05 is a Regional Radio Conference to be held in
two sessions in 2004 and 2005. This Conference will make a new frequency plan for digital broadcasting for the bands 174-230MHz and 470-862MHz for 120 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.7,8 The Agreement to be made at this conference will replace the relevant parts of among others the Stockholm Agreement of 19619 and the multilateral agreements of Wiesbaden 199510 and Chester 1997.11
Agreements such as Stockholm 1961 contain frequency plan(s), usually simply called Plan(s), and a set of procedures for making modifications to the Plan. The Chester Agreement does not have a Plan, but only contains detailed administrative and technical rules for planning of DVB-T stations in addition to the rules of the Stockholm Agreement. The transmitting stations with the characteristics as indicated
in a Plan, such as Stockholm 1961, can be brought into operation at any time without further consultation with neighbouring
countries. However, if a new station is required or if one or more of the characteristics (for instance, radiated power, antenna height, location) need to be changed compared to those mentioned in the Plan, agreement should be sought with countries that are likely to be affected by the modification. This process is called coordination. Figure 6.4.1 shows the coordination contour of a 10 kW television transmitter in the centre of the Netherlands. All countries within this contour, in this example seven, have to be consulted. The consulted countries will check if the modification does
not cause significantly more interference to the services of the country concerned than there already is. The modification needs to be notified to the ITU after all relevant countries have agreed to it. The ITU will incorporate the modifications into the Plan after having checked that the procedures of the agreement have been respected. These coordinations often require detailed calculations and negotiations.
