RALI FX3 Microwave fixed services frequency coordination

Radiocommunications Assignment and Licensing Instruction (RALI) FX3 Microwave Fixed Services Frequency Coordination provides important radiocommunication technical policy, guidelines and useful information for the coordination and licensing of microwave fixed services.

RALI FX3 details the channel arrangements and assignment instructions for each microwave frequency band and the regulatory rules for system planning relevant to frequency coordination, in addition to other general information helpful to these processes. The RALI and its attachments have been developed primarily for the ACMA and accredited frequency assigners to optimise use of the spectrum for microwave fixed services it is also a useful guide for microwave system planners.

In July 1998, the former ACA completed a comprehensive review of the RALI. The review process concluded with an industry consultation period, comments from which contributed to the significant content and editorial changes to the RALI. A number of issues that were raised during the review were identified as requiring further work.

In April 2004 the former ACA introduced a simpler method of assessing antenna compliance. This method allows compliance to be determined by reference to the antenna front-to-back (F/B) ratio and antenna cross polar discrimination (XPD) as stated by the respective product manufacturer. The provision of antenna radiation envelope (RPE) data to the former ACA became a requirement for new assignments under these arrangements. The microwave fixed service antenna RPE index page provides information on which microwave parabolic antennas the ACMA already holds RPE data. This information is intended to assist the ACMA and accredited frequency assigners to easily determine whether RPE data needs to be submitted with a proposed new assignment.

In the microwave frequency range, fixed services generally share primary spectrum allocations with mobile, satellite and other services on an equal primary basis. RALI FX3 is based on relevant ITU-R Recommendations, the Australian experience in this field and other studies conducted by the ACMA and its predecessors. RALI FX3 addresses fixed terrestrial services only, including point-to-point and point-to-multipoint radio systems employed for the transmission of voice, video and data. Other relevant RALIs dealing with shared frequency bands are referenced in the document.

RALI FX3 can be downloaded in full from the link near the top of this page, or downloaded in parts from the links below:

RALI FX3 - Parts

• Main text (717 kb)
• Appendix 1: RF Channel Arrangements and Assignment Instructions
• Appendixes 2 - 11 (including Annexes)

See also:

• Microwave fixed services bands - antenna regulatory criteria
• Microwave radio spectrum trends
• Microwave fixed service antennas
• Stakeholders’ survey on spectrum requirements for fixed point-to-point services in the microwave bands below about 5 GHz

• The 1998 review of RALI FX3
• The 2010 review of RALI FX3