Although this is a bit off topic, unlike the on topic discussions of amateur radio and digital programs and operating systems ...
The FCC was looking for a band of frequencies that they could allocate for a minimally licensed citizens radio service. Radio amateurs were rarely using 11 meters and had nearby 15 meters below and 10 meters above so we had a very limited need. The FCC also needed to find a band that was low enough in frequency so that the technology of the time, the mid 1950's, could manufacture such equipment that was affordable. VHF/UHF equipment was much more expensive to make, thus the lower frequencies in the HF band made it practical. Of course the huge downside was that these frequencies also had F skip when the sunspot cycle was cooperative and they knew it was going to be a problem with "hobbyists" using the frequencies for amateur radio type activity which was not their intent. I don't think they really understood the skip conditions would be so strong at times, that local communications could be nearly useless, even though the FCC made longer contacts illegal. Due to other happenings (Arab oil embargo of early 1970's), more people bought CB equipment and the violations were completely overwhelming to the FCC and they eventually gave up even pretending to have licenses for the service. Today we have the "licensed" GMRS and the unlicensed FRS, and most recently MURS services that are much better frequencies for local, short range, tactical type communications that actually work without long skip interference. But this was only possible due to the much lower cost of developing and manufacturing equipment for these frequencies with more recent technology. 73, Rick, KV9U larry allen wrote: >We lost 11 meters because we were not using it enough... >Larry ve3fxq > > > > >
