Facts about HFCC
HFCC (High Frequency Co-ordination Conference) co-ordinates frequency channels used in short wave broadcasting. Its history started in 1990 when broadcasters, and also some representatives of administrations from both sides of the former Iron Curtain, met for the first time in Pamporovo, Bulgaria with the aim of establishing co-operation in that sphere.
The main objective of the HFCC is to provide the representation and services for the promotion of an efficient and economical use of the short-wave radio spectrum, and the improvement of radio reception of short-wave broadcast transmissions world-wide. The progressive reduction of short-wave transmitter powers, leading to savings in both transmitter and energy costs and a consequent limitation of the impact of high level electromagnetic fields on the world environment is another important objective of the HFCC.
HFCC's main activity is a direct co-ordination of frequencies among frequency managers and specialists of broadcasters, administrations, transmission service providers and other organisations with the aim to facilitate the resolution or minimisation of mutual interference on short waves. HFCC co-ordinates two schedules annually: The "A" schedule corresponds to the summer period on the Northern hemisphere and "B" to the winter period in keeping with the dates of the clock-time changes in Europe.
Membership of the HFCC is open to all individuals and organisations that provide frequency management and planning for recognised short wave broadcasters. Those wishing to attend are first invited as observers to a seasonal conference. Membership is extended to observers at the conclusion of the meeting.
HFCC is a legal entity registered as a civic association in the Czech Republic. Office space for the HFCC secretariat is provided by the Czech Radio in Prague.
HFCC is a sector member of the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva in the category of international and regional organisations. In addition, the HFCC is registered as a regional co-ordination group with the ITU.
The HFCC started co-ordination with the aim of helping the International Telecommunication Union develop an effective system of frequency management for international shortwave broadcasting. All attempts to introduce planning in that part of the spectrum made through the decades since the discovery of shortwaves failed mainly because of ideological conflicts and overcrowding.
The ITU devoted full attention to the emerging co-ordination group and a special task group had been set up by the Radiocommuniation Assembly of the ITU in 1993 to study the co-ordination procedures developed in the HFCC. The task group completed its work in November 1996. The report concluded that: ".. co-ordination process used in HFCC has resulted in a significantly reduced number of incompatibilities. A pattern of frequency usage has evolved which only varies slowly with changes in propagation and programme requirements. This pattern of usage gives frequency continuity which is appreciated by the listeners and greatly simplifies the frequency solution and co-ordination processes." The task group of the ITU recommended further in 1996 that the procedures developed by the HFCC should become an integral part of the shortwave frequency management. The principles of co-ordination were incorporated into the International Radio Regulations during the 1997 World Radio Conference.
The new article in the International Radio Regulations anticipated the creation of several regional co-ordination groups but it did not define co-ordination procedures among them. The HFCC understood that shortwave co-ordination had to be global and it helped create a sister group in the Asia - Pacific region even before the new Article 12 was introduced into the Regulations. This new ABU-HFC group has been active since 1996, and it is closely associated with the headquarters of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union in Kuala Lumpur. It started using software and procedures developed by the HFCC, and its members started submitting their frequency requirements into the global HFCC database. A representative of the ABU countries was later invited to the regular Steering Board meetings.
An important niche in the history of the HFCC was reached in 1998: Short wave broadcasters in member countries of the Arab States Broadcasting Union decided that they would join the co-ordination activities organised by the HFCC. Since then, the HFCC and ASBU have held joint conferences both before the "A" and "B" seasons, and two representatives of the ASBU countries have permanent seats on the Steering Board. In addition, joint face-to-face conferences of participants from all three groups including the Asia-Pacific region have been held from time to time. An agreement on holding regular "global" conferences annually always before the "A" season was reached in 2008.
Read also about Conferences and On-line Co-ordination >>
What's New
[2-Sep-2010] - B10 and A10 snapshots. Next B10 snapshot preliminarily planned for 15 September. Deadline for B10 Operational Data snapshot: Wednesday, 6 October 2010.
[17-Aug-2010] - B10 Plenary draft minutes
[11-Aug-2010] - B10 Co-ordinated schedule snapshot
[6-Aug-2010] - Update of the B10 Conference page: presentation of Ludo Maes & Mireya Martinez, final list of participants
[3-Aug-2010] - Requirements with newly added Broadcaster and Site codes will be uploaded tomorrow morning. Please update reference tables in your software
[27-Jul-2010] - B10 snapshot
[16-Jul-2010] - Snapshot of initial B10 tentative data
[14-Jul-2010] - Updated list of B10 Conference participants
[14-Jul-2010] - Media Broadcast GmbH change their FMO code from DTK to MBR starting form B10
[8-Jul-2010] - New FAQ item on transportation in Zurich area at the end of the B10 Conference page
[7-Jul-2010, 13hrs UTC] - The on-line collision detection system is back in operation after a network connection problem
[6-Jul-2010] - Reminder of deadline for B10 tentative data: 15 July 2010
[26-Jun-2010] - Updated list of B10 Conference participants
[23-Jun-2010] - Upload application opened for B10 data
[18-Jun-2010] - Minutes of the June 2010 (B10 preparatory) SB meeting in the Members' area
[17-Jun-2010] - Updated FAQ on B10 Conference page
[30-May-2010] - B10 Conference Page updated with photos taken by Horst Scholz during his visit to Zuerich and more FAQ items
[14-May-2010] - Contact list updated with photos kindly collected by Hector
[14-May-2010] - FAQ added on the B10 Conference Webpage
[27-Apr-2010] - B10 Conference Webpage updated
[15-Apr-2010] - B10 Conference Page
[7-Apr-2010] - A10 Public Data
[31-Mar-2010] - Updating of collision lists will be interrupted for up to one week due to relocation of the HFCC office. The HFCC website, including on-line updating of requirements continues normal operation.
[16-Mar-2010] - A10 Operational Schedule (and B09 Updated Operational Schedule) snapshots
[3-Mar-2010] - A10 KL Minutes. Snapshot of A10 updated co-ordinated data. Deadline for A10 Operational Data: Monday, 15 March.
[23-Feb-2010] - Major update of the Contact List (data only, photos made by Hector in KL have not been received yet)
[19-Feb-2010] - Snapshot of A10 updated co-ordinated data.
[10-Feb-2010] - Snapshot of A10 co-ordinated data (results of the KL conference) and snapshot of B09 data. Next A10 snapshot preliminarily planned for Friday, 19 February.
[30-Jan-2010] - Updated List of registered participants of the A10 Conference
[29-Jan-2010]: The upload application will be closed in early morning UTC on Saturday due to the processing of the initial A10 conference data.
[29-Jan-2010]: A new LANGUAGE.TXT reference table based on ISO 639-3 has been available. You are invited to update your requirement files in keeping with this table. Don't worry - the updated requirements will not be re-numbered upon upload and will not show any changes in collisions as Language does not influence the technical specification of the transmission.
[29-Jan-2010]: Volunteers welcome: Help is needed in
- assisting participants who are new to the S/I collision lists (pls contact Gary)
- collecting updates and photos for the Contact List (pls contact Vladislav)
[26-Jan-2010] - Updated List of registered participants of the A10 Conference
[22-Jan-2010] - Updated List of registered participants of the A10 Conference
[20-Jan-2010] - Updated List of registered participants
[17-Jan-2010] - A re-designed version of this website has been started. Please report any problems.
[15-Jan-2010] - A10 Tentative Data and B09 Updated Operational Data snapshots
[14-Jan-2010] - List of registered participants of the A10 Conference
[15-Dec-2009] - A10 upload opened. 14 January 2010 - deadline for initial tentative data.
[15-Dec-2009] - B09 snapshot and collision detection system update: "self-collisions" of the same FMO are no longer displayed in keeping with the decision of the GOE.
[7-Dec-2009] - DRM Service ID list updated.
[26-Nov-2009] - B09 snapshot as of 25 November
[26-Nov-2009] - The latest DRM Service ID list. Please check the list - a few IDs still need to be adjusted. If needed, James Briggs can help with setting the service ID's up on DRM exciters, or providing suggestions for service ID's.
[10-Nov-2009] - Invitation to the EBU DRM conference. Minutes of the October 2009 SB meeting
[4-Nov-2009] - Non-technical Guide to the new S/I collision lists by Gary Stanley and Jan Peter Werkman linked from the B09 Data sections of the restricted areas.
[1-Nov-2009] - Invitation, Hotel Booking and Conference Registration on the Page of the A10 KL Global Meeting.
[27-Oct-2009] - B09 snapshot and B09 Public Data. Next B09 snapshot preliminarily planned for 26 November. A09 season has finished - please upload any remaining changes as the upload application will be closed for A09 uploads soon.
[6-Oct-2009] - Snapshots of B09 (operational schedule) and A09.
[30-Sep-2009] - Minutes of the B09 Punta Cana plenary in HFCC/ASBU Private Area
[23-Sep-2009] - B09 snapshot. Deadline for B09 operational data: 5 October.
[8-Sep-2009] - B09 snapshot. Next B09 snapshot planned for 23 September.
[31-Aug-2009] - Major update of the Contact List
[26-Aug-2009] - B09 and A09 snapshots. Next B09 snapshot planned for 8 September.