20 Jan 2024

CEPT 8m amateur allocation?

Before I start, there are no plans for this. 

However, the band is now available to radio amateurs in at least 2 CEPT countries and in many CEPT nations some are experimenting on 8m with special permits. 

From figures provided to me by an amateur in Belgium, radio amateurs would produce less interference than ISM users between 40.66-40.70MHz.  It would be great if CEPT allowed radio amateurs access to the band.

These are my proposals for an 8m amateur band:

  • 40.675-40.685 MHz (just 10 kHz wide in total, in the ISM band. A minimum would be 40.680-40.683 MHz)
  • Secondary
  • Only available by application (NoV or equivalent)
  • 5W maximum
  • Narrow digital only (modes like FT8, WSPR and CW), no phone
  • Strictly no interference
  • Only available to full licencees
My assumption is CEPT is more likely to be receptive if we ask for the minimum.

Almost all the activity on 8m is propagation research. Such a small CEPT amateur allocation could really advance radio propagation science.

Please approach your national society and licencing authority for an 8m amateur band.

See https://www.itu.int/dms_pubrec/itu-r/rec/sm/R-REC-SM.1056-1-200704-I!!PDF-E.pdf .

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