5MHz to Iceland and Finland

TF3HZ (1837km) and OH3TAM (1737km) have spotted my 5MHz WSPR. At the moment the former is my best DX on the 60m band. My antenna is still my 40/20/10m end-fed Par antenna via an ATU.  It is far from ideal on 60m.

UPDATE  2200z:   21 unique 5MHz stations spotting me on 5MHz WSPR in 8 different countries so far.  Don't you just love WSPR?

5MHz WSPR

Later today I may give 5MHz WSPR a go, although I need to check what frequency to use. I see that Romania has been granted access to a narrow part of the band. I hope CEPT (including OFCOM) allocate a contiguous 100kHz band at 5MHz rather than just the 15kHz worldwide allocation allocated at WRC-15. This band will be important in the quiet years to come. 15kHz is very narrow.

UPDATE 1020z:  I have just switched to 5MHz WSPR (both TX and RX).  I have had to go QRT on 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR because of rigs and antenna.

UPDATE 1100z:  These are the initial spots on 60m. 

UPDATE 1310z:  G8VDQ (93km) has been spotted on 5MHz. He must be active on many bands. My best DX on 5MHz WSPR TX remains 448km to Germany and The Netherlands.

QSYed to 60m WSPR

At around 2045z I QSYed again to 60m WSPR. Most spots have been by Europeans although a few minutes ago I was spotted by KK1D (5409km) at 2210z. Up to now, no stations have been spotted here this evening. I am staying on 60m overnight and hope for some more DX. KK1D is in the south of New England,  USA.

UPDATE 2244z:    I have been spotted by KK1D again on 60m WSPR.

Dutch get full 100kHz wide 5MHz band

At least one country in Region 1 is to be allowed access to a full 100kHz wide band at 5MHz. I hope all Region 1 countries follow suit. This is for full licence holders and permits 100W.

See https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agentschaptelecom.nl%2Factueel%2Fnieuws%2F2015%2F5-mhz-band-binnenkort-ook-voor-radiozendamateurs-met-een-f-registratie&edit-text=

5MHz amateur band - it is now official

WRC-15 has ratified the first new HF amateur allocation since 1979. Although only 15kHz wide it was agreed internationally. I hope that CEPT allows a wider contiguous allocation. I am sure I cannot be alone in finding all these non-contiguous 5MHz allocations very confusing.

From the RSGB report on WRC-15:
"Z8 has now officially been agreed as the prefix for South Sudan and will be formally entered into the Radio Regulations. Meanwhile the revised Radio Regulations from WRC-15 will officially come into effect from the 1st January 2017. "

More on 5MHz

This is on the RSGB's WRC-15 pages:

"Progress is slow but steady…

5MHz: The 5 MHz item has cleared another hurdle and hopefully it will be tabled at a Plenary meeting scheduled for Wednesday, when it will receive two readings. The approval of the last reading is a key milestone, subject of course to the final signing and national administration processes.
50MHz: The revised future agenda proposal for 50-54 MHz has been resubmitted and may be considered at a meeting of Working Group 6B during Tuesday afternoon.
47GHz: It seems that the Primary amateur and amateur satellite service band at 47-47.2 GHz is strongly being considered as a candidate band for IMT (5G) for the next WRC study period, although opinions differ over the definition of ‘candidate’. We are closely following this development.
Small Satellites: Meanwhile the focus has now shifted to the subject of identifying Space Operations Service spectrum below 1 GHz for small satellites in Non Geo-Stationary Orbit (NGSO). Needless to say this is generating a considerable amount of discussion, especially where frequencies around 144 MHz and 430 MHz are concerned.

73
Colin, HB9/G3PSM
NB: Further background and updates are at rsgb.org/wrc-15 and in our news"

A 15kHz wide allocation across the world! Well, I suppose it is a start assuming it is finally approved. It is great pity this is not a 200kHz wide band. 15kHz is very very small. Let us hope that in CEPT countries, at least, they let us use more contiguously. Some countries have already allowed wider contiguous secondary amateur allocations.

5MHz band

This is from the RSGB pages:

"5MHz: An allocation at 5351.5-5366.5 kHz was agreed with regional variations in power between 15 W eirp/20 W eirp and 25 W eirp. In Region 1 this equates to a power output of 60 W. This was passed up to the next stage to Committee 4B where it was approved with minor changes to which geographical areas have what power limits. The next stage is for approval by Committee 4 which should take place on Monday and finally by a plenary meeting next Wednesday. While not an ideal solution, it has at least obtained an international allocation across all three Regions which is common or close to a number of national assignments. Everyone is equally unhappy, which is usual for a World Radio Conference."

Assuming this is approved, this is a tiny harmonised band and much smaller than we wanted. I am not sure if this is "it" or whether there is still a chance of larger harmonised bands in each region which is far from ideal but would be better than nothing, or a only a very small band.

5MHz and WRC-15

The latest World Radio Conference (WRC-15) has now opened in Geneva with amateurs looking for a new contiguous (i.e a continuous, no gaps) amateur allocation at 5MHz. This is being looked at as a proper agenda item, so at the moment we must remain hopeful. This 5MHz allocation is by no means a done deal! A lot of hard negotiating is ahead. The RSGB website is keeping us updated.

See http://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/special-focus/wrc-15/2015/11/03/wrc-15-day-12-colin-sets-the-scene/

5MHz band?

The next world radio conference (WRC-2015) is drawing close to opening. Worldwide, radio amateurs are hoping for a contiguous 5MHz allocation, rather than the channelised allocations common in many countries. A 60m band would be really useful as the sunspot numbers decline and the higher HF bands become far less useful for DX. Whether this contiguous allocation will happen remains to be seen. Most of the lobbying has been done, so I guess we now have to wait and hope.

A 5MHz proper band a step closer?

Southgate News reports:

"The SARL reports a European Common Proposal (ECP) for an allocation of 100 kHz at 5350-5450 kHz has been accepted. This was a hard fought success with 7 abstentions (Austria, Belgium, UK, Hungary, Ireland, Montenegro, Poland) and 5 against (Azerbaijan, Germany, Romania, Russian Federation and France).  It is now up to the African block to support the agenda item at WRC which starts in Geneva, Switzerland on 2 November. Source: South African Radio League (SARL) http://www.sarl.org.za/ .  The World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) Agenda and Relevant Resolutions can be downloaded from http://www.itu.int/go/wrc-15"

There is still a way to go, but just maybe we'll see a contiguous 100kHz wide allocation at 5MHz from WRC 2015? With declining sunspots (possibly for a very long time) this would be really good. It was a pity to see the UK apparently abstaining. Maybe OFCOM was under pressure from the UK military? A lot of UK allocations are reserved for military use, more is the pity. The UK military wastes so much spectrum!!

5MHz world wide contiguous 60m amateur band?

Around the world, several administrations allow some access to 5MHz for amateurs.  Mostly, these are channelised allocations, which are far from ideal. What is needed is a continuous 60m band, say 200kHz wide. There was/is some hope of this being allocated to the amateur service at WRC2015 which is due to take place late this year.

I wonder what the chances of radio amateurs getting this band are? I have rather lost touch with the news on this. Certainly it was to be an agenda item. With decreasing solar activity, this would be ideal for the amateur community. I do hope it happens. Even if allocated at WRC2015, it could be a few years before administrations can make the necessary changes. If anyone has any further news I'd appreciate being updated.

New 5MHz amateur band soon?

Many countries have allocated small sections close to 5MHz for amateur use. In the UK, these sub-bands are available only by NoV.  At the WRC2015 it is possible a contiguous 5MHz band may be allocated worldwide to the amateur community. If this happens, it will be an interesting band but even if it happens it could be some years before it becomes widely available.

Up to now I have only been on 5MHz a couple of times with WSPR with an indifferent antenna with moderate success. I got an NoV over a year ago.

5MHz band - RSGB notice

See http://rsgb.org/main/blog/uncategorized/2014/04/08/important-update-5-mhz-band/ .

The primary user is carrying out some exercises in the next few days and amateurs (secondary users) are asked to use the channels we have carefully to avoid interference to the primary users.

So far, I have only used the band for WSPR on a couple of occasions. It was fun.

WSPRing on other bands

Today I ventured onto 60m, 40m and 20m WSPR for a change. A few spots out to 448km on 5MHz and plenty of EU spots on both 40m and 20m.

I returned to 10m to see what was doing.  At this time of day 10m is THE place to find stateside DX in abundance. Conditions like this unfortunately cannot last.

I have now decided to take a look on 136kHz with the earth-electrode antenna and the VERY deaf  FT817ND.  I might JUST be able to copy DK7FC and possibly G8HUH but I do need to make a preamp.

UPDATE 2025z: absolutely nothing copied on 136kHz WSPR. I need a preamp!

5MHz NoV

A band that I have never tried before, apart from brief periods listening, is 5MHz. So, this afternoon I applied for an NoV, which was received by return email. Not sure what kit I shall use to get on the band (or when) as nothing I have covers 5MHz TX. Perhaps another transverter design is called for.

UK NoV changes

OFCOM has announced some intended changes to the Notice of Variations issued to some radio amateurs in the UK. See http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radiocommunication-licences/amateur-radio/full-licence-jan-2013/ . The main changes are to the 5MHz band (more fixed frequencies), the removal of 501-504kHz NoVs and the release, by new NoV application, to the new 472-479kHz band. Changes are expected to come into force from Jan 1st 2013. Details of how to obtain the new NoVs has not yet (to my knowledge) been made known.