The third call period for CAA funding for 8.33 kHz compliant radio equipage is now open and will run to 31 December 2017.
Don’t delay any applications!
UK adoption of 8.33 kHz VCS capable equipment is increasing and feedback shows that over 50% of the UK GA fleet is already equipped. But the CAA has recently become aware of aircraft equipage issues regarding the limited availability of installers. Hence a number of limited time frequency exemptions have been invoked, to provide flexibility for users and to help with the capacity issues that have been identified. The exemptions will run to 31 December 2018 and are listed in CAP 1606. See
http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/...Exemptions.pdf
Note that 8.33 kHz compatible radios are backwards compatible, so will retain the capability to communicate with existing 25 kHz ground stations before those ground stations have been converted. When a '25kHz' frequency is selected, the receiver filter and transmitter characteristics of an 8.33 kHz radio are automatically adjusted to cater for 'offset carrier' operation, so there is no need for the user to make any other selections.
Existing 25kHz radios may be left installed provided that the transmitter function is
only used on exempted frequencies.