All the proposals passed with a wide margin. This means narrowband is coming to a repeater near you. Be prepared to start updating your radio. The official results are below.
Proposal 1: No longer accept applications for new 2m coordinations that exceed 12.5kHz bandwidth, starting January 1, 2025.
Approve % 86
Decline % 14
Proposal 2: No longer accept applications for new 70cm coordinations that exceed 12.5kHz bandwidth, starting January 1, 2025.
Approve % 86
Decline % 14
Proposal 3: No longer accept renewals for existing 2m coordinations that exceed 12.5kHz bandwidth, starting January 1, 2030.
Approve % 79
Decline % 21
Proposal 4: No longer accept renewals for existing 70cm coordinations that exceed 12.5kHz bandwidth, starting January 1, 2030.
Approve % 76
Decline % 24
Thank you to Scott Honaker, N7SS, for supplying this data to us to share with the section members.
This decision by the WWARA Board of Directors is necessary to amateur radio in Western Washington to keep up with the demand for repeaters. Also remember the decision calls for 12.5 kHz Narrow Band Analog repeaters. As Scott mentioned
earlier, “Be prepared to start updating your radio.”
Additional information may be found on the WWARA website: https://www.wwara.org/documents/narrowband-plan/
Western Washington (WWA) Counties that border the Columbia River and the State of Oregon are coordinated by Oregon Region Relay Council (ORRC) who has not developed a narrow banding plan. Hams from Western Washington may find a similar Issue as they cross the Cascades into Eastern Washington (EWA). Further information has been requested from the Inland Amateur Coordination Council (IACC).