International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU R1) President Don Beattie, G3BJ, told an audience at Ham Radio 2017 (Friedrichshafen) that he is “deeply concerned about our ability to maintain a usable radio spectrum in some parts of suburban Europe.” Beattie said that Amateur Radio spectrum allocations are of little value if they are “made unusable by the presence of multiple sources of interference — be it electrical interference or intruders in the amateur bands.” Beattie said the IARU “is deeply involved in the work of the international standards organizations, arguing for common sense in the setting of emission standards for electrical and electronic devices.” He cited solar photovoltaic arrays, wind generators, digital devices, VDSL+ and wireless power transfer technology as areas of current concern. “Some would say that even with the work we are involved in on standards, much of the radio spectrum is becoming unusable in the suburban environment,” Beattie said, “and I have sympathy with this view.” — Thanks to Southgate Amateur Radio News