Part 2 Overview

7 Background

(1) In parts of the 850/900 MHz band, spectrum licensed radiocommunications transmitters operate in frequency bands directly adjacent to frequency bands for apparatus licensed radiocommunications receivers of different services. Apparatus licensed receivers may suffer interference from a spurious emission, and from blocking and intermodulation caused by a spectrum licensed radiocommunications transmitter. (2) A spurious emission is a by-product of a radiocommunications transmitter’s radio emissions and includes broadband noise, harmonics, intermodulation products, transient signals and other emissions. Blocking occurs when a high level off-tune signal overloads a radiocommunications receiver’s front-end and causes a degradation in the quality of the wanted output signal. Intermodulation products can be generated in-band in the input stages of receivers in the presence of two or more high level signals at the receiver input.

8 Purpose

(1) The purpose of this instrument is to manage interference by providing for the protection of radiocommunications receivers that: (a) are operated under a receiver licence; or (b) receive, or are intended to receive, radiocommunications from radiocommunications transmitters operated under transmitter licences; in or adjacent to the 850/900 MHz band: (c) outside the parts of the spectrum specified in the Radiocommunications (Spectrum Re-allocation – 850/900 MHz Band) Declaration 2020; or (d) outside the named area specified in the Radiocommunications (Spectrum Re-allocation – 850/900 MHz Band) Declaration 2020. (2) This instrument has been made to guide the management of these types of interference to licensed radiocommunications receivers operating in the following circumstances: (a) apparatus licensed trunked land-mobile radiocommunications receivers operating in the following frequency bands (Part 3): (i) 806 MHz to 809 MHz; (ii) 820 MHz to 825 MHz; (iii) 851 MHz to 854 MHz; and (iv) 865 MHz to 870 MHz; (b) apparatus licensed fixed link radiocommunications receivers operating in the frequency band 845 MHz to 851 MHz (Part 4); (c) spectrum licensed base station receivers operating in the 900 MHz band (Part 5); and (d) apparatus licensed aeronautical navigation services operating above 960 MHz (Part 6).

Note: In relation to subparagraphs (2)(a)(ii) and (iv), the ACMA’s policy is for trunked-land mobile services to cease being operated in 820 MHz to 825 MHz, and 865 MHz to 870 MHz, by 1 July 2024. See the ACMA paper, The ACMA’s long-term strategy for the 803-960 MHz band, available, free of charge, on the ACMA’s website: www.acma.gov.au.

(3) Protection criteria and coordination arrangements recommended by these guidelines are specified in RALI FX 22 and RALI LM 8.