On the international level, at this point in time, I would strongly suggest
that 7000 ~ 7070 kHz be considered the CW subband, 7070 ~ 7100 the
digital subband, and 7100 up the phone subband, with appropriate
shifts in nets and schedules and calling frequencies and so forth.
Domestically (US only), I'd suggest retaining 7000 - 7025 as the Extra Only
CW band (no change there, of course), and move the Extra/Advanced Only SSB
band to 7100 - 7150 (the current Novice band). That is assuming that the
US amateur population still desires 40 meter sub-bands based on license
class, which is a separate argument.
Obviously, with the international band doubling in size in 2009, the need
for US-licensed stations outside the 48 contiguous states to have/need phone
privileges below 7100 klHz goes away, but some adjustment of the 7100-7200
phone band might be needed. We have plenty of time to work on that!
Oh, I'd also move current Novice/Tech+ CW operations on 40 to the 7025-7070
kHz band. Should they also get digital privileges 7070-7100? I could make
an argument for it, and I could make an argument against it. Again,
something we have plenty of time to hash out.
And I don't know about anyone else, but oh, am I looking forward to losing
those screwy 100-200 kHz splits on 40! While it does make contesting
phone DX'ing on 40 a test for the skillful, it is nevertheless a major pain
in the tuchus!
73, ron wn3vaw
AJ: Did you ever hear of Evel Kneival?
Lev: I never saw Star Wars
-- Armageddon
- Original Message -
From: John Warren [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Fred Laun K3ZO [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2003 5:10 PM
Subject: [DX-CHAT] 40M Expansion
I'll bet I'm not the only person thinking about how best to use the
40M changes that will occur six years from now. Here's a suggestion
to get the ball rolling - but no doubt there are angles I haven't
thought of.
40M is a wonderful DX band, with outstanding propagation matched only
by 20M, and not even by that band at the bottom of the sunspot cycle.
But SSB DXers and contesters have always been hamstrung by the FCC
keeping USA Lower 48 above 7150, and ITU keeping Region 1 below 7100.
So we have to work split, irritating all the U.S.local ragchewers -
especially during contests. (My XYL is tired of answering
ill-tempered L/L calls).
The least efficiently used portion of the Region 2 amateur band is
7100-7150, largely because of the high BC occupancy. It's also way
under-utilized by Novice and Tech-Plus licensees, and those folks can
now easily upgrade to 5wpm General and use the 7025+ segment. In
preparation for 2009, I suggest the ARRL petitions the FCC to assign
7100-7150 to the Stateside end of intercontinental SSB QSOs.
Not much would happen initially due to the BC QRM, but as that slowly
goes away, and all those Novices and Tech-Plus of past years graduate
to General, we could move down from among the ragchewers above 7150
and have some clearer space, even though still operating split.
But in 2009 the rest of the world gets spectrum rights up to 7200,
and at last we would have a true worldwide SSB DX window, 7100-7150,
with no more split, and negligible QRM from other modes and local
operations!
If you don't like that, how would you use the 2009 changes to arrange
a 40M SSB DX/contest window?
John, NT5C.
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