Yet more on 60m band

The 60m WRC 15kHz allocation is being widely allocated now, with Finland (OH) joining the growing list. Sadly, the Finns are losing some other slots at 60m.

60m (5MHz) in Slovenia

Southgate News reports that class A licencees will have access to the WRC band. When will the UK get this band? OK, it is only a secondary allocation and only 15kHz wide, yet becoming widely available.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/july/60m-band-allocation-for-slovenia.htm#.W02-cPZFzIU .

Hungary gets WRC 60m allocation

According to Southgate News, Hungarian amateurs have been allocated the WRC 5MHz band. Previously (to late last year) they had a 100kHz wide allocation.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/june/hungary-back-on-60m.htm#.Wxb5ffZFzIU .

60m in South Africa

Southgate News reports that South Africa has allocated 100kHz to amateurs at 5MHz. This is excellent and enlightened spectrum allocation.  Of course this is secondary and strictly on a non-interference basis. Wouldn't it be good if CEPT followed suit? OFCOM?

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/may/south-africa-gets-100-khz-at-5-mhz.htm#.Wwp0-vZFzIU .

60m (5MHz) band

More and more countries are allowing their radio amateurs access to the 15kHz wide 60m WRC allocation. Apparently China is granting access from July 1st. This is a small band and hopefully later there might be a wider slot.

As the sunspot activity drops, this band could be quite useful. That is if noise levels allow!

Canada and 5MHz

The new frequency allocation table for Canada has been published reports Southgate News. As yet, Canadian amateurs are not allowed to use the new 15kHz wide WRC 5MHz allocation.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/april/canada-new-100w-ham-radio-5-mhz-allocation.htm#.WtN4CkxFzIU

Personally, I think the sooner we all have a harmonised allocation at 60m the better. Additional channels would be a bonus. As a QRPer, I'd settle for 5W too!

5MHz

According to Southgate News, Germany now will get access to the WRC 5MHz allocation and an extension of their 50MHz band.

I wonder when the WRC 5MHz band will become available in the UK?

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/november/german-radio-hams-get-5-mhz-band-and-50-mhz-extension.htm#.WgrA77p2vIU .

UK 60m band(s)

At present in the UK, we have a number of secondary bandlets at 60m, but not the WRC 15kHz wide allocation. Our primary user is the military who seem to be in no hurry to change things.

Purely personally, I'd like to see the WRC allocation available in the UK as I find multiple bandlets very confusing. I know we have more power and plenty of choice, but I am a QRPer and having a common allocation would be better in my personal view. I fully accept my views may not be widely accepted.

In the quiet years ahead the 60m band will become more and more important. I have said many times before, it would be good if CEPT countries allocated a wider 60m band. I think we are happy to be secondary users.

60m (5MHz) band

More and more countries are being allocated the narrow WRC15 60m allocation. Many suffer from man-made interference on the lower bands from SMPSUs and similar. Nonetheless, this is an important new band that will be increasingly important as the sun gets quieter.

I have tried WSPR on this band in the past and must try again soon, although I have no suitable antennas, so use a random wire and my ATU.

In the UK we have not been granted access to the WRC15 allocation yet, so it important to stick to the bits we do have access to.

60m band

According to Southgate News, Malta has just released its new frequency plan that includes the WRC15 5MHz amateur band. This is only 15kHz wide, so we must hope for more later.

See http://www.mca.org.mt/sites/default/files/pageattachments/
NFP_edition%205-4.pdf

60m (5MHz)

It seems that several administrations have reduced the total 5MHz spectrum available and the power limits permitted when making available the 5MHz WRC15 15 kHz allocation. The RSGB, working with OFCOM and the UK military, has been trying to avoid this (see the GB2RS news last week).

Really I'd like to see the WRC15 allocation released in the UK too as soon as possible, but with the other "channels" still available. As a seasoned QRPer the power levels really don't bother me. 5W would be fine!

Many times we (I) take for granted the work done on our behalf by volunteers at the RSGB. A quiet thank you. You know who you are, HI.

More nations get the WRC 5MHz band

The Netherlands is joining the growing list of nations gaining access to the 15kHz wide international WRC15 amateur allocation at 5MHz (60m) although, you will have read, the UK will not be joining the list anytime soon. We have non-contiguous bands at 5MHz that allow access to more spectrum with higher power. Personally, I'd prefer a contiguous allocation and the power limits do not bother me.

No more 5MHz ....yet

On the GB2RS news today from the RSGB:

Somebody dragging feet?

"Amateurs in the UK have been very fortunate in having early access to 5MHz, with 5 spot frequencies 15 years ago and more than 70kHz of spectrum made available in 2013. This was a result of close cooperation with Ofcom and the MoD, who is primary user on the band. The UK currently has an arrangement that gives us more spectrum and a higher power allowance of 100W at 5MHz, however it does not cover all of the WRC-15 band of 5351.5 to 5366.5kHz. The Society played a very active role in the WRC-15 process and continues to work with Ofcom to gain access to all of the WRC-15 band, however this is not expected to change in the foreseeable future as there are on-going assignments within the band. The RSGB will implement the IARU Region 1 band plan for 5MHz within the segments allocated to us. In common with other Region 1 societies with allocations greater than 15kHz, we will recommend that frequencies within the WRC-15 band that are allowed under the UK Amateur Radio Licence only be used for international contacts, or for stations with no other option."

60m in the UK

According to the latest RadCom, the RSGB is still negotiating with OFCOM and the military to get the WRC2015 worldwide 60m allocation available to UK amateurs in 2017 in addition to the existing UK allocations.

Other bands WSPR or JT65?

As I am unlikely to be able to erect a better MF antenna before next autumn, I wonder what band I should use overnight on WSPR or JT65? 5MHz (60m) I can manage as I've resonated the antenna before. My noise floor is bad on 5MHz, but I should be able to TX (beacon) with either WSPR or JT65. I know 40m or 30m are possible (but little challenge), but in "quiet sun" years 5MHz (60m) is likely to be "open" more.

I may give 5MHz a go tonight. I have still to decide WSPR or JT65. As usual, I'd use 2W.

UPDATE 2008z:  I could not load my antenna up on 60m, so  have gone on 40m WSPR this evening and overnight.

40m WSPR spots this evening

UPDATE 2230z: Most spots of my 40m WSPR (2W) are from Germany. Best DX on TX was SA6BSS/RX (1059km). My antenna is far from ideal on 40m. It is very low.

Now Australia (nearly) on the 60m band

Southgate News reports that Australia is about be granted the new WRC15 15kHz wide 60m band. It seems that many countries are gaining access.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2016/december/new-60-metre-amateur-band.htm#.WGg3AYXXL4g

5MHz in Germany

My German is poor, but I think the Germans have been granted early access to the WRC15 15kHz wide band at 60m (5MHz).

I have said many times before, it would have been better if CEPT countries were allocated a contiguous 100kHz wide 60m band. 15kHz is good, but a wider band would have been so much better.

As the solar conditions worsen, the 60m band will become very important. As a secondary allocation, I am surprised that a contiguous wider band is not being allocated as many countries have daft allocations in channels, which differ around the world.

See http://www.darc.de/der-club/referate/hf/aktuelles/

60m in Finland

Southgate News reports that the 60m WRC band (15kHz wide) is being allocated in Finland a year early. It is a great pity that a wider allocation is not being made in CEPT countries. 100kHz wide would have been so much better. Still, the 15kHz band will be allocated world-wide in the end. Of course, the FCC in the USA might eventually allocate this band, maybe in 2020? I joke not. The FCC has been unbelievably slow with the 137kHz and 472kHz bands.

Return to 10m and 6m WSPR

After another night on 5MHz (60m) WSPR where the best TX DX was again KK1D (5409km), I have returned to WSPR on 10m (100% TX, 500mW, randomised TX frequency) and 6m WSPR (1W ERP TX 20%, RX 80%). Later I may switch to the FT817ND on 10m so I can listen 80% of the time as well.

Staying on 5MHz WSPR

In the end, the "London" grandchildren have only just left for home, so I have decided it is too late in the day to QSY to 10m. Instead, I'll remain on 5MHz (60m) WSPR until tomorrow, hoping for some DX tonight.