7.1 ITU Region 3 Allocations, International Radio Regulations & Third-Party Traffic
Key Takeaways
The ITU Radio Regulations divide the world into three frequency-allocation regions. Australia is in Region 3.
The Australian Spectrum Plan includes Australian amateur use of 7.100–7.300 MHz subject to footnote AUS12 and ITU Radio Regulation 4.4.
Article 25 distinguishes international amateur contacts, encoding, third-party traffic, qualifications and temporary visiting operation.
Article 25.3 limits international communications on behalf of third parties to emergencies or disaster relief and allows administrations to determine how it applies to their stations.
CEPT T/R 61-01 concerns temporary operation by eligible visitors. T/R 61-02 concerns recognition of an examination certificate.
International allocation, Australian allocation and permission to transmit
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) coordinates international use of spectrum through the Radio Regulations. Article 5 divides the world into three allocation regions. In broad terms, Region 1 includes Europe and Africa, Region 2 includes the Americas, and Region 3 includes Australia and much of Asia and the Pacific. The boundaries and footnotes in Article 5 determine how the international table applies.
The Australian Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan compares the international and national allocations. It assigns bands to services, such as broadcasting, aeronautical mobile, maritime mobile and amateur. Broadcasting serves audiences, aeronautical services include communications for aircraft, and maritime services include communications for vessels. The same service can have a different allocation in another region, and different services can share a band. Australian station privileges come from the applicable licence conditions, including the class licence frequency and operating tables. Read the allocation and the operating authority together.
Worked example: 7.250 MHz on the 40-metre band
| Source | What to check for 7.250 MHz |
|---|---|
| ITU Article 5 international table | In 7.200–7.300 MHz, the main table lists broadcasting in Regions 1 and 3 and amateur in Region 2, with the applicable footnotes. |
| Australian Spectrum Plan | The Australian table lists broadcasting and secondary amateur in this segment. Footnote AUS12 makes Australian amateur use of 7.100–7.300 MHz subject to ITU Radio Regulation 4.4. |
| Australian Amateur Class Licence | Schedule 2 includes 7.250 MHz in the 7.100–7.300 MHz row. The row sets an 8 kHz necessary-bandwidth ceiling and specifies the applicable power limits by qualification and emission. |
An Australian amateur may hear a broadcaster on 7.250 MHz. The Australian amateur entry and the broadcasting allocation coexist. Regulation 4.4 requires that a station operating under a frequency assignment in derogation of the international rules avoid harmful interference to compliant stations and claim no protection from harmful interference caused by them. Also apply the class licence's own harmful-interference condition. Finding a frequency in Schedule 2 is one step in deciding whether and how to transmit.
Article 25 and messages across borders
Article 25.1 allows amateur stations of different countries to communicate unless an administration concerned has notified an objection. Under 25.2, those transmissions concern the purposes of the amateur service or remarks of a personal character. The definition of the amateur service in 1.56 describes self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations by duly authorised people interested in radio with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.
Article 25.2A prohibits encoding international amateur transmissions to obscure their meaning, with an exception for control signals exchanged between earth command stations and space stations in the amateur-satellite service. For an international contact, check this rule as well as any relevant domestic conditions. Article 25 also covers verifying operator qualifications (25.6), maximum station power set by administrations (25.7), call signs at short intervals (25.9) and possible host-country conditions on temporary visitors (25.9B).
A message from an operator about their own hobby activity differs from a message that the operator forwards for someone else. Under 25.3, international communication on behalf of a third party is limited to emergencies or disaster relief. An administration may determine the applicability of 25.3 to stations in its jurisdiction. For Australian class-licensed operation, section 13(2)(d)(iii) also restricts messages to overseas amateur stations when their purpose conflicts with the Australian allocation table or its footnotes. Check both administrations' rules and the traffic's actual purpose. ACMA guidance calls for the affected administration's consent when using amateur radio for international natural-disaster communications in that country.
For example, a routine phone patch carrying a friend's overseas message is international third-party traffic. In a disaster, a relief organisation may need an amateur station to relay a message to a counterpart abroad. Article 25.3 addresses that emergency purpose, and the operators must still check the affected administration's instructions and applicable national conditions.
CEPT and temporary operation
The European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) publishes two distinct amateur radio recommendations. Australia participates in both.
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T/R 61-01 provides a framework for eligible visitors to operate temporarily in participating countries. An Australian Advanced operator should check the destination's current rules, permitted bands, identification format and the documentation it requires before transmitting. ACMA provides guidance on evidence of the operator's Advanced qualification and call sign.
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T/R 61-02 covers the Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate (HAREC). It helps participating administrations recognise examination competence. ACMA developed the Advanced syllabus to meet HAREC requirements. The host administration determines operating authority under its national rules.
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Australian Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan, October 2025 compilation
An Australian Standard operator hears a broadcasting station near 7.250 MHz. What explains the overlap?
Australia permits amateur operation there under its class licence and Spectrum Plan, with AUS12 conditions, while the same segment is allocated to broadcasting in the international Region 3 table.
The ITU Region 3 table makes 7.200–7.300 MHz exclusive to the amateur service.
Australian Standard operators are prohibited from using the whole 7.100–7.300 MHz segment.
The Australian Spectrum Plan automatically gives the amateur service priority over broadcasting whenever an amateur station is on air.
What does Article 25.3 say about international communications on behalf of a third party by amateur stations?
They are permitted whenever each operator uses a recognised call sign.
They are permitted for routine personal messages on any frequency shared by both countries.
They are limited to emergencies or disaster relief, and administrations may determine applicability to stations under their jurisdiction.
They are required to be encoded before transmission.
Which CEPT recommendation addresses temporary operation by eligible amateurs visiting participating countries?
T/R 61-02, the recommendation for a harmonised examination certificate.
ITU Radio Regulation 4.4, on derogations from the international frequency allocation table.
The WIA domestic band plan, on selecting segments for different activities.
T/R 61-01, the reciprocal operating framework for eligible visitors.
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.