2007 Policy for Beacons, Repeaters,
Linking and Similar Stations

The New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters Incorporated

3 March 1996, updated May 2002, updated January 2007

Introduction

This document refers to the establishment, licensing and maintenance of-Repeaters, Beacons and Fixed Links.

The Radiocommunications Regulations 2001 (amended 2003, 2004, 2005), in-Schedule 6 (OA 1) stipulates that Repeaters, Beacons and Fixed Links must-be licensed by the RSM MED.

These installations must be certified by a person registered to do so before a-license can be issued.

The Radiocommunications Regulations 2001 Schedule 6 (OA 1) prescribes-the fee for certification and licensing for each Repeater Beacon and Fixed-Link.

The certification fee will be waived for any proposed installation certified by-NZART. NZART reserves the right to decline to certify an installation without-giving a reason for doing so.

To enhance the development of amateur radio in New Zealand, NZART-promotes a location and frequency coordination process for the orderly-development of amateur stations that are fixed in position, such as, but not-limited to, repeaters, links and beacons.

Coordination of the location and frequency of repeaters, links and beacons,-with the use of good engineering standards, enhances the communications-efficiency of the Amateur Service and provides spectrum engineering-efficiencies with the maximum benefit to radio amateurs and to the public.

NZART Council has allocated the task of making recommendations on these-matters to the NZART Frequency Management and Technical Advisory Group-(FMTAG). NZART Council may accept, reject, or modify their advice. FMTAG-is required to make bandplans, set technical standards, consult with experts,-and carry out other duties as required.

Among these other duties is negotiation for favourable conditions of access to-prime hilltop operating sites.

FMTAG will operate in an open and consultative manner and publish its-deliberations and recommendations to Council in Break-In so that everyone is aware of the proposals and may make comments. All comments are to be-posted to FMTAG at NZART Headquarters.

The Process

The co-ordination process is outlined in Appendix A of this document.

Technical parameters and obligations relevant to the stations being coordinated are outlined in Appendix B of this document.

Appendix A - the co-ordination process

Applications for beacon, repeater, link or similar amateur station co-ordination-are made on Form 10, available from FMTAG or from the NZART web page.

Completed applications with supporting documentation are to be posted to-FMTAG at NZART Headquarters.

FMTAG will select suitable frequencies for the proposed service, if available,-and will advise the applicant, NZART Council, and the Editor of Break-In.

This flow chart shows the process:

Appendix B - station parameters

All stations will be constructed to the best modern standards, fully complying-with appropriate technical standards. For example, consult the Ministry of-Economic Development Specification RFS25, for voice FM repeaters, or-specifications that apply to similar services in bands adjacent to the amateur-band.

Antenna radiation pattern and polarisation shall be appropriate to the service.-In general services intended for portable or mobile reception (for example FM-voice), should use vertical polarisation; services intended for home reception-(for example Amateur Television) should use horizontal polarisation. There-may be other reasons why other polarisations may be more appropriate.

Operating frequencies will be chosen by FMTAG in accordance with-published band plans and by a process of consultation with the users.

Transmissions shall be in plain language or processed by a recognised,-published method. No encryption is permitted (see the Radiocommunications-Regulations and amateur radio licence conditions).

Repeaters

Repeaters may be established in any Amateur band above 29 MHz.-Repeaters shall be available continuously to all appropriately licensed users;-no tone access or "closed" repeaters will be considered.

Beacons

Beacons may be established in any amateur band.-Horizontal polarisation and AlA modulation are preferred.

Fixed Links

Fixed Links may be established in any amateur band.-Fixed links include but are not limited to:

1. Linking repeaters

2. Internet linking protocols (Echolink, IRLP, APRS etc.) with amateur-radio equipment.

Station ownership

Ownership by an NZART Branch is preferred for repeater, link, beacon and-similar stations to ensure continuity of ownership and responsibility. A Branch-accepts responsibility for the station by passing a motion at a General-Meeting of the Branch and applying to FMTAG to establish the station. This-ensures that the membership of the Branch agrees with the proposal and that-legal responsibility for the station and its licence is accepted. The path of-responsibility is thus traceable through the Branch to the national-organisation, NZART. Notwithstanding this preference for Branch ownership-of repeaters and beacons and the like, NZART will co-ordinate applications-from groups and individuals.

Duties and obligations of Branches

The Branch, group or individuals referred to as the "owner", appoints and-annually reviews the performance of at least one, and preferably two-Trustees, for each station. The owner has an obligation to ensure that the-Trustees, whether they are the original enthusiasts, or subsequent-appointees, carry out their duties satisfactorily. The owner is also responsible-for replacing Trustees as required.

The owner should ensure that sufficient property insurance cover is-maintained.

Legal duties and the obligations of Trustees

It is the responsibility of the Owners to ensure that all trustees are, and remain-members of NZART while in this position.

1. Trustees are responsible for ensuring compliance with the licence-conditions of the station and its installation.

2. Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the traffic passing through-the station is appropriate for the Amateur Service and in accordance-with the Regulations.

NZART enters into contracts with public corporations and SOE's relating to-the right of entry to land for the siting of repeaters. These contracts recognise-potential liabilities and require NZART as a condition of the contract to take-out public liability insurance that could be up to $2 million or more. This-insurance is taken on terms that extend to protect both the Association and-individual members. Naturally, the corporations being dealt with take comfort-in this insurance, knowing that while the insurance is in place NZART has the-indemnities required to meet any claims. This means that to come within the-Association's cover, individuals must be members, as the Association has no-intention of paying additional premiums to insure against the actions of nonmembers. If an individual incurs liability as agent of the Association, then that-individual must be a member to take the benefit of any cover the Association-arranges. The Association will not appoint non-members as its agents, as this-would nullify the insurance cover. So trustees must be members of NZART to-ensure satisfactory insurance cover.

Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the station is available for-continuous service and to an acceptable technical standard.

User responsibilities

Users have absolute responsibility for the content of the traffic that they-originate.

Users must comply with the Radiocommunications Regulations and the-Amateur's Code. Emergency traffic has priority. Mobiles and portable users-have priority over "home station" users.

Branches can give authority for repeater use by amateurs for public service-events. During these events, communication for the event has priority over-normal use. A nominated station should frequently announce that the channel-is being used for the event.

Amended ZL1UD January 2007