FURTHER EXPLANATION / COMMENT
The ETCC has been under pressure to accommodate a number of additional 2 Metre stations not only for the new D-Star mode but additional analog stations have been proposed.
This has caused difficulty particularly in the Midlands, central southern and south-east England where channel occupancy is approaching saturation.
There have been comments made about the number of under-used and poorly performing repeaters that are in effect preventing new entrants from obtaining channels.
It has become clear that it is not possible to create a new overlay digital network on top of the existing analog repeater network, nor does the RSGB have the power to close down repeaters that may be under performing.
The exercise in re-planning the 2 metre band was suggested by a number of amateurs as a way of possibly finding additional capacity, but the exercise showed that we were already at maximum occupancy for acceptable levels of interference and lead to the ETCC statement published in the Autumn of 2008.
There will still be small areas in the south and south-east where 2 Metre stations may be accommodated in the existing plan, but the ETCC felt it was prudent to adopt a plan of encouraging a twin mode operation or encourage development on a one-out, one-in basis.
The re-planning exercise is not itself up for debate, but similar exercises can be done by anyone with suitable planning software who will be able to see for themselves the constraints that exist and examine the levels of interference that may be found with the same or additional stations added to the plan. With a so-called blank canvas not constrained by existing sites it would be possible to generate idealised networks that would doubtless achieve near blanket coverage for both analog and digital networks, but we are constrained by what has developed historically and even poorly-performing or under-used repeaters are often jealously protected by their patrons who may have expended considerable money and effort in these projects over the years.
The ETCC statement on 2 Metre development seeks to make best use of the existing resources and encourage the user community to think carefully before seeking additional repeaters in an area that is already well-served, in some parts excessively so.
Any amateur with a new application for the area in question can still seek advice so that any available options will be identified and advice will be given.