60m amateur allocations in the UK

OFCOM has just put the latest amateur licence conditions on its website including an EMF calculator. Running 10W or less, I am not too concerned.

What does concern me are the UK slots at 60m. I am sure I cannot be alone in being totally confused. Yes, we may have more spectrum and higher power (100W) than the small WRC slot, but unless you are a regular user, these slots are messy and confusing. I counted 10 slots!!

Personally, I'd settle for a narrow contiguous allocation than the mess we currently have, and with lower power. I would also like to see more access to much more spectrum with very low ERP limits on a strictly non-interference basis. I guess that is too much to think about. Why can't we follow the Irish example?

See the OFCOM website for more details.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/214116/emf-amateur-licence-terms-and-conditions.pdf

5MHz (60m) band

 Despite a small slot being allocated to the amateur service at a WRC meeting many years ago, this slot is not universally available. As an example, it is not allocated in the UK. Other 5MHz allocations with higher power are available at 5MHz in the UK. 

As a dedicated QRP man, and speaking personally, I would trade the bitty allocations for a smaller, contiguous band with lower power. I have only been on the band with WSPR, so am not well qualified to comment!

See https://rsgb.org/main/operating/band-plans/hf/5mhz/ .

SSB out-of-band?

There is an interesting piece on Southgate News about transmitting out of band. This is particularly important on 60m where the allocations are very small. The important thing is that the dial frequency may be in band but some of the modulation may not be! 

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2021/january/how-far-you-can-turn-the-dial-when-transmitting-ssb.htm#.YCEkAyuTLrc

Croatian 60m 100mW beacon

This may be worth listening for.   9A5ADI/B is a beacon on 5288.8MHz sending 100mW CW from Croatia (JN95).

60m (5MHz) operation

Although many countries have allocated the full WRC band to amateurs, the UK has not. Instead, the UK has more allocations, some of which include parts of the WRC allocation. 

Personally, I would settle for the full WRC shared band and lower power with fewer other slots in the UK.

See https://rsgb.org/main/operating/band-plans/hf/5mhz/

60m in Australia

As of now, Australia has not allocated the WRC 60m amateur band. The main concern is sharing the band with commercial users. At present there is a consultation about sharing this small allocation.

In the UK we have more slots with higher power limits. Personally, I'd prefer a narrower band with a lower power limit in the UK i.e. swap the various slots for a smaller, contiguous and shared WRC band.

See https://www.acma.gov.au/consultations/2020-05/possible-use-53515-53665-khz-band-amateur-service-consultation-132020

60m and WRC15

I rarely use the 60m band.

WRC15 (5 years ago!) allocated a 15kHz band at 60m to radio amateurs on a secondary basis. Some countries have allocated this, but as far as I know the UK has not.  The WRC allocation is low power and the argument is the UK allocations are more generous and partly cover the WRC band. Personally, I would prefer a harmonised band at lower power to the split UK allocations which I find confusing.

See https://rsgb.org/main/operating/band-plans/hf/5mhz/

60m beacon

Southgate News reports that the 5MHz Westmorland beacon is to close, leaving just GB3RAL active in the UK on that band. I guess these days people can use FT8 or WSPR to check propagation. Personally I prefer FT8 to beacons. WSPR would be better still, but there is less activity.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/february/uk-5-mhz-beacon-to-close.htm#.XkmeiI6TK00

5MHz in France

Southgate News reports that France has authorised the use of the WRC15 60m band.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/february/wrc-15-60m-band-now-authorized-in-france.htm#.XkkKG46TK00

5MHz newsletter

Southgate News reports that the 5MHz newsletter is now available for free download. I have tried 5MHz WSPR in the past.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/november/latest-edition-of-5-mhz-newsletter.htm

5MHz in the UK

OK, I do not use 5MHz much presently. We have some quite generous 5MHz slots in the UK with power limits greater than in the 15kHz wide international allocation released in some countries.

Personally, I'd prefer us to have the international, narrow, allocation with lower power. Many will strongly disagree!

As long as noise levels are low, the 60m band is quite important when solar conditions are not good.

5MHz newsletter

Southgate News has details on how to get the latest 5MHz Newsletter as a free PDF file.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/august/the-5-mhz-newsletter.htm#.W4aMw_ZFzIU

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 .

5MHz in Canada

According to Southgate News, Canada may end up with the 5MHz WRC15 allocation and the existing 5 domestic channels. At the moment they are consulting.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/august/canada-to-add-5-mhz-and-keep-five-existing-domestic-channels.htm#.WZmFEbpFzIU