In issue 77 of the free IARU Region 1 VHF newsletter the Chair of VHF-UHF-uW committee Jacques Verleijen ON4AVJ highlights the threats to vital amateur radio spectrum at VHF, UHF and Microwaves.

In less than a year we will have our interim meeting about the use of the spectrum above 30 MHz. We have to face some challenges. I want to invite all Member Societies to think about how to promote, defend and use our frequencies.

They are wanted by others, both government and commercial, users. So this is a wake-up call to be aware that if we not are using those bands we will lose them. Such a setback will not be the responsibility of IARU(R1), if we lose them, but from the amateur community who often have more commitment to HF, than VHF&up.

I know that this statement will shock some of you, but it is true. Our survey on the use of VHF&up made this clear. So I want to invite all Member Societies to think creatively (out of the box, as we say now) to think how to improve activity on our dear bands.

Like some have said: “use them or lose them” and “HF is not the only bands for ham radio, but they are the easiest to use”.

Download the May 2018 newsletter from http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/vhfuhsshf/newsletters