Tiny 8m amateur band plea

If you get a chance, please contact your national amateur radio society and whoever your national authority is on radio matters (e.g. FCC, OFCOM or similar) making the following plea:

• Just 5 kHz wide amateur allocation
• Narrow digital modes only (no speech) e.g. WSPR and FT8 
• 40.680 - 40.685 MHz (just 5 kHz wide) in the ISM band
• By special authority only (e.g. NoV in the UK) and NOT generally available
• Coordinated allocation
• Strictly no interference
• To encourage research and self training (may help with RF engineer shortage)

For some reason both the FCC and OFCOM do not want to allocate amateurs a band at 8m. To my thinking this is totally illogical when radio amateurs can actively contribute to propagation research at zero cost. We are not asking for much! Also, with no speech, and no commercial gear available, it is hardly likely to be "more of the same". Speaking personally, I would happily lose 5 kHz off every amateur allocation as a trade. 5 kHz at 8m is perfectly enough to carry out research with modes such as FT8 and WSPR.

Personally, I think such an allocation would definitely encourage research.

No, I think a tiny 8m amateur band is badly needed, and soon.