The High Frequency Coordination Conference (HFCC), the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) jointly held the 14th Global Shortwave Co-ordination Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 22-26 January 2018.
The conference was hosted by the ABU. Eighty five participants from the three coordination groups, representing global shortwave broadcasters and related stakeholders from all over the world from 84 countries coordinated schedules for the coming transmission season. The objective of the conference was to coordinate shortwave frequency schedules for the A-18.
Shortwave broadcasting has a unique position in that the radio channels used by international stations are not assigned, but regularly coordinated for two seasons each year. The frequency channel situation for shortwave radio is always changing because of the 11 year solar cycle and seasonal effects, as well as because of new or changed frequencies of shortwave broadcasters around the globe. Co-ordination methods were started by broadcasters with support from the broadcasting unions. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) set up a special task group that studied the emerging co-ordination procedures in the 1990s and concluded that the system should become an integral part of shortwave spectrum management. The principles were incorporated in Article 12 of the International Radio Regulations in 1997.
The Coordination Conference provides delegates and their organisations with a valuable opportunity to coordinate their frequencies directly with the frequency managers of other broadcasters and prevent interference occurring in their radio services.
The ABU is delighted to place on record the positive feedback and response of the delegates who participated in this A-18 conference.
