40MHz (8m) band in the Netherlands

40MHz RF board without CE mark

 

  Recently G3XBM noted in his blog that in the UK it is possible to do experiments on the 8m ISM band without a license. In earlier posts he wrote that this could be valid in other countries as well. That sounded interesting and worth investigating. So after gathering info on a Dutch hamforum and searched for possible laws on the subject I decided to write the Dutch telecom authority Agentschap Telecom. I asked if I could use 40,680 MHz and transmit FT8 and/or WSPR datamode with 10mW. I also asked if I was allowed to actual make a communication contact with these mode. The answer here in Dutch which I will translate below the original mail:

De genoemde band is beschikbaar voor Non-specific Short range devices. Dat wil zeggen allerlei gebruik mag hier gebruik van maken.

Het gebruik is in die zin niet anders dan in b.v. de vergunningsvrije 433 MHz en 863 – 870 MHz.

Communicatie met derden is dus toegestaan mits het maximaal uitgestraald vermogen van 10 mW niet wordt overschreden.

Er is echter een belangrijke randvoorwaarde:

In de zendamateurbanden mag een radiozendamateur met zelfbouwapparatuur werken die niet aan die eisen hoeft te voldoen. Voor de 40 MHz geldt die uitzondering niet. In artikel 2 lid 3 van de Regeling gebruik van frequentieruimte zonder vergunning en zonder meldingsplicht 2015 wordt geëist dat de apparatuur moet voldoen aan de essentiële eisen van de Radio apparaten richtlijn om vergunningsvrij gebruik te kunnen maken van deze band. Door de fabrikant moet een Declaration of Conformity worden opgemaakt en de apparatuur moet een CE markering hebben waarmee de conformiteit met de eisen van de Radio apparaten richtlijn wordt bevestigd.

Als u aan bovenstaande eisen voldoet is het gebruik toegestaan.

The translation:

The mentioned band is available for Non-specific Short range devices. That is to say, all kinds of uses are allowed to use it.

In that sense, the use is no different from e.g. the license-free 433 MHz and 863 – 870 MHz.

Communication with third parties is therefore permitted provided that the maximum radiated power of 10 mW is not exceeded.

However, there is an important precondition:

In the amateur radio bands, a radio amateur may work with home-built equipment that does not have to meet those requirements. This exception does not apply to the 40 MHz. Article 2 paragraph 3 of the 2015 Regulation on the use of frequency space without a license and without a notification obligation requires that the equipment must meet the essential requirements of the Radio Equipment Directive in order to be able to use this band without a license. A Declaration of Conformity must be drawn up by the manufacturer and the equipment must have a CE mark confirming conformity with the requirements of the Radio Equipment Directive.

If you meet the above requirements, use is permitted.

--

Use is permitted, that's what we all want to read. But the problem is that we cannot meet the above mentioned requirements. Yes, a modified FT-817 will transmit on 40,680MHz, But.....if you modify existing transceivers it will loose the CE mark and a conformity with the requirements of the radio equipment directive because it is not made for use on this band. In the Netherlands we are also prohibited from using amateurradio equipment on the 433MHz and 863-870MHz ISM band as well as using these radios on the 27MHz (ISM and legal CB) band. 

However, if there is a manufacturer that makes commercial 10mW 40MHz transceivers or transmitters with CE mark and a radio equipment directive conformity I would like to know? Because we could use such equipment to do experiments on the 8m band.