I'm not sure which rules you're referring to. Could you please give some citations so we can get things right? My understanding was that the FCC doesn't have* a* *lot *to say about what modes you can use, unless your license class limits transmitting in that mode (e.g. CW ONLY within certain portions of 40m for Technician class operators), but Extra class operators can use whatever legal mode they want within the band with few restrictions. There is a band plan from the ARRL, which doesn't seem to conflict here either, but even if it did that's a convention, not a law. I mean, I double checked and it Looks like US Code Title 47, Chapter I, Subchapter D, Part 97, Subpart D, § 97.305 <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-97/subpart-D/section-97.305> says digital modes are allowed within at least 7.000 MHz to 7.125MHz which is pretty well within the CW portion (per ARRL band plan) and just below the lower voice (per band plan) portion. Also what might seem "digital" to a naked ear would be image transmissions which are apparently A-OK on 7.125MHz-7.300MHz per that same subsection. CW is allowed everywhere on all bands (only transmitting within your license privilege of course) so I'm not sure which frequencies are CW-exclusive. There may be a convention someone has, but the ARRL Band Chart here <https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulatory/Band%20Chart/Hambands4_Color_11x8_5.pdf>, and their webpage on frequency allocation <https://www.arrl.org/frequency-allocations> doesn't seem to say this either. 7.065MHz is pretty low for a digital mode, but I don't think it's against any laws or any other "rules". Of course it's everyone's responsibility to confirm (to the best of your ability) if a frequency is in use before transmitting, and to follow conventions in your region. Common courtesy is always the best course.
Also checked the VARA HF stations out there in the world, and there a few on 7.065 MHz (and a few just above and below including W0MAC which is ~100km from my QTH): [image: image.png] If they are operating in the "CW-Exclusive" region, their call signs are right there you can reach out to - or report - them................................................. *AND I did a quick Google Search on "7.065MHz frequency" I found:* - An EMCOMM "FLDigi Net" on *7.065MHz* <https://nnyarrl.org/emcomm/digital> using " the THOR22 mode" on the Northern New York ARRL Section website. - Disaster relief transmissions were on *7.065MHz *in 2018 after the earthquake <https://www.arrl.org/news/view/amateur-radio-volunteers-in-indonesia-link-earthquake-zone-with-outside-world> in Indonesia. - I saw on the Lee DeForest Amateur Radio Club website <https://www.k6ldf.com/calling-frequencies-for-all-bands-and-modes/> that *7.065MHz *is used by DXpeditions SSB USA split to 7.150 and above. - It would appear at least one group in the UK <https://www.apritch.co.uk/psk_aprs.htm> has used *7.065MHz* USB (PSK) for HF APRS data. - I'm sure there are more... Back to the question at hand, I don't know of any specific activity on 7.065MHz happening today. I just listened to it on my home station and heard a LSB station testing in Spanish briefly, and a few dits here and there. *However*, given the fact that there *ARE *several VARA HF stations, that may well be what Jay was hearing (go here <https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/VARA_HF> and click on the audio player on the right side to listen to a sample of a VARA transmission). I hope that helps. Thanks and 73! Kori Rahman, WX5KR *Houston POTA, **President* *Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club* *- Vice-President and Club Call Sign KK5W Trustee* *Cross Roads Ham Radio Club* *Fort Bend County EMROG* *District 14 SW Unit ARES* *Texas State RACES*Cell: (770) 298 8516 [email protected] On Wed, Oct 15, 2025 at 10:33 PM Joseph Benoit <[email protected]> wrote: > Read the rules again. FT8 is a digital mode and can be used anywhere but > CW-exclusive segments. DX stations (and their respondents) frequently > operate on away fro busy "FT8" frequencies. > > On Wed, Oct 15, 2025, 9:51 PM Kori Rahman via BVARC <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> FT8 only operates on a single frequency on each band,(some bands like 6m >> etc have two defaults but only one is usually used). There are alternate >> frequencies for a version of FT8, called JS8Call but that's limited too >> For 40m FT8 takes place on 7.074MHz USB, and JS8Call is on 7.078 MHz >> USB). >> >> My only guess is that it's one person either with no idea what they're >> doing, or with insufficient harmonic suppression... >> >> All that to say: Are you sure it's FT8? Because a lot of other modes >> sound similar. Especially FSK modes like RTTY... Anything that uses >> Frequency shifting. I guess packet is possible too. There are HF Winlink >> stations all over the spectrum. But mostly the upper portion of CW or lower >> of voice, in the vicinity of FT8 frequencies. If you have a waterfall >> display you can compare the signal to those on this website: >> https://www.hfunderground.com/wiki/index.php/Signal_Identification >> >> Hope that helps! 73! >> >> >> Kori Rahman, WX5KR >> Houston POTA, President >> Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club >> - Vice-President and Club Call Sign KK5W Trustee >> Cross Roads Ham Radio Club >> Fort Bend County EMROG >> District 14 SW Unit ARES >> Texas State RACES >> Cell: (770) 298 8516 >> [email protected] >> >> On Wed, Oct 15, 2025, 9:18 PM Jay Davidson via BVARC <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Why are people running FT8 right in the middle of CW on 40? >>> >>> It’s horrible-overrunning swaths of the band. >>> >>> Trying to copy some DX and all I hear under the weak CW tone is >>> someone’s sound card bleeding over. >>> >>> 7.0650 >>> >>> I don’t want to hop to FT8 to copy and get their call sign because I’d >>> be just as bad. >>> >>> Idk >>> >>> 73, >>> KJ5HMX >>> >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> ________________________________________________ >>> Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club >>> >>> BVARC mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org >>> Publicly available archives are available here: >>> https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>> >> ________________________________________________ >> Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club >> >> BVARC mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://mail.bvarc.org/mailman/listinfo/bvarc_bvarc.org >> Publicly available archives are available here: >> https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >
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