Promoting and defending the 2m Amateur Band

2m Crisis Timeline

Here is a course of events of the 2m crisis. This is far from complete and will be updated as information flows in.

  • June 3rd 2019: Mr Ivan Martin, working for Thales as a Aeronautical and Maritime Frequency Spectrum Regulatory Manager, writes the resolution proposal which will be discussed at the June CEPT meeting in Prague CZ. At this point it not public that he is the original author of the document.
  • June 6th 2019: The french organization URC (Union des Radio Clubs) posts a news on their website. Went unoticed.
  • June 10th 2019: Southgate Amateur Radio News publishes a news about the French proposal to takeover the 2m band for Aeronautical uses. This almost went under the radar except by some French organization.
  • June 12t 2019: URC publishes a second news, calling for people to trust their organizations.
  • Approx June 13th to 15th 2019: News is published on various sites and social media, amateur radio operators are getting nervous.
  • June 14th 2019: Mr Emmanuel Faussurier, Expert in spectrum management at ANFR, amends the resolution proposal previously written by Mr Ivan Martin. It is still not public that the document originated from a Thales employee.
  • June 17th to 21st 2019: The CEPT meeting to discuss the French proposal and various other topics is held in Prague, CZ. Among the French representatives, there are employees of Thales. Mr Ivan Martin is onboard.
  • June 27th 2019: A new version of the french proposal is published.
  • July 1st 2019: It is unveiled that the resolution proposal presented by french administration was written by a Mr Ivan Martin a Thales employee.
  • July 5th 2019: RSGB President writes a letter to the OFCOM (British Radio Regulator) expressing his deep concerns about the french proposal.
  • July 6th 2019: All Portuguese associations are joining forces to speak the same voice.
  • July 9th 2019:The calendar for the upcoming plenary CEPT Meeting in Ankara, Turkey is published on the website. Attendees include Mr Jean Francois Migeon and Mr Yvon Livran. Migeon is the Chief Officer of Spectrum management and the second is Thales representative at the ITU. Mr Jean-pierre le pesteur, member of the board at french gov. agency ANFR is also on the list.
  • July 10th 2019: Austrian regulator has ensured ÖVSV that Austria will reject the french proposal.
  • July 16th 2019: Belgium will also reject the french proposal!
  • July 21st 2019: Swiss says that co-primary use should be studied.
  • July 25th 2019: Spain is hoped to join other countries against the french proposal.
  • August 13th 2019: IARU published their input to the CEPT Meeting in Ankara
  • August 16th 2019: French organization issue a joint letter
  • August 21st 2019: French administration strikes back on IARU
  • August 26th 2019: German administration issues a paper showing how unpracticable the french proposal is
  • August 26th to 30th: The CEPT meeting is held in Ankara
  • August 30th: Unofficial news saying 2 meter is saved are surfacing
  • September 1st: Official ECP no longer mentions 2m band