Introduction
The JRC currently manages just over 4 MHz of Fuel & Power spectrum, of which nearly 3 MHz is for Secondary Control and PMR-type applications and 1.2 MHz for scanning telemetry and telecontrol services.
PMR-type Services
PMR is an international abbreviation pertaining to mobile radiocommunications equipment of some sort, usually used for a business or administartive purpose. The actual meaning of PMR is dispoted and means many things to many people. It can mean "Private Mobile Radio", or "Professional Mobile Radio" or even "Personal Mobile Radio" leading one wag to suggest it should be redefined as the recursive acronym"PMR Mobile Radio". In the UK, The Office of Communications (Ofcom) has unilaterally redefined PMR as "Business Radio" and the industry has, to some extent taken up this name.
For the Energy and Transport utilities, JRC devised, manages and operates a national cellular plan for co-ordinating frequency allocation for the largest PMR networks in the UK. These networks keep the utilities in touch with their engineers, drivers and distribution equipment throughout the country.
These networks provide comprehensive geographical coverage to support the control, installation, locations tracking, maintenance and repair of plant remote locations, in all weather conditions.
JRC Mid-Band
The JRC Mid-Band allocation, known as J-Band, provides 78 conventional 12.5 kHz-spaced two-frequency channels for the Fuel and Power Industries on the mainland (it is not available to the JRC in Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands). A regular re-use strategy has been adopted by the JRC for 76 of these channels based on a standard cell having a nominal radius of 23 km operating in a 9 cell cluster. Eight channels are therefore available within each cell in the cluster. The Coal Industry and some independent undertakings and data systems operate outside the cellular plan on four of the 76 channels. The remaining two channels from the 78 are reserved for simplex and non-trunked on-site working. The interleave between these two channels is used for simplex (packet) data systems and on-site paging on a non-interference basis.
VHF High Band
High Band is a very popular PMR band in the UK. It
covers the approximate frequency range 164.5 to 173 MHz
and is used for a variety of
services, either using paired channels or single
frequency channels. JRC activity is limited to a
single simplex frequency, 169.050 MHz, known in the
Ofcom Assignment system as channel H321. This
channel was primarily used for mine safety in the
past and had geographic restrictions placed on its
use for other applications. Since the decline of
the coal industry, and with due consideration to
existing users, it is now more generally available
with more relaxed planning rules.
Ofcom class this channel
as a "Special Use" channel, which means that the
following general rules apply: MAXIMUM 5W ERP, Base
Stations PERMITTED (if justifiable). No limit on
usable range from the base station, i.e. not an
On-Site service.
JRC UHF Band Block 1
This spectrum covers approximately 420 to 450 MHz, and is "owned" by MoD who are the primary users. Civil use of this spectrum is controlled by Ofcom, who has devolved a small allocation of 13 channels in this region to the JRC for Utility use. The allocation is not contiguous and is surrounded by other users. The JRC channels are assigned on a first-come first-served basis with no pre-allocation to any industry. They also come with restrictions on the area in which they can be used. Typically, usage is permitted within a fifty mile radius of most metropolitan districts, although it is not available at all in Northern Ireland.
JRC UHF Band Block 2
JRC has 19 two-frequency channels within the frequency range 456.0625-456.2875 MHz paired with 461.5625-461.7875 MHz. These channels are used for a variety of applications - mostly roaming and on-site communications with some telemetry applications.
Spectrum for Automatic Meter Reading
JRC was involved in the original allocation process but does not manage any part of this band. It is available for use by utilities and service companies for facilitating meter reading over short distances in the band 183.5-184.5 MHz.
Spectrum for Microwave Fixed Link Services
JRC members' microwave links reside in a variety of bands reserved for point-to-point links. These bands are managed by Ofcom and are planned on an homogeneous basis with a 'mixed bathing' policy applying to the spectrum. The JRC does not manage any of this spectrum, but will support its members with planning and advice in their applications for licences.
