Re: 80 m CW and Digital Operation: It's a new

[g3ymc]

On 15 Oct 2006 at 4:02, N7RR wrote:

> The FCC Report and Order 06-149 has thrown us a curve by extending the
> Amateur Extra Class phone band down to 3600 kHz (far more than the ARRL had
> requested), meaning that practical CW and digital operations, which have had
> lots of spectrum to play with on 80 m, will soon have to squeeze into the
> bottom 100 kHz of the 80 m band.  We have to live with this new reality.  We
> need to negotiate amongst ourselves so that our turf battles take place off
> the air before Report and Order 06-149 takes effect.  We need to develop a
> band plan which will serve all USA 80 m operators, and we need to start
> immediately.  The band plan must not actually exclude CW stations from
> operating anywhere from 3500 kHz to 4000 kHz.  For example, cross-mode
> communications between CW stations and stations operating in other modes
> must be recognized as legitimate.

(rest of long email deleted).

No responses from the USA yet, but I think we need to put this into
the perspective of what happens in the rest of the world. In Europe
we have long had only 300kHz for 80m (and no prospect of more) and a
voluntary bandplan which restricts SSB to 3600-3800 (with CW allowed
anywhere for cross mode QSOs). CW uses 3500-3580 or so with data 3580-
3600. See http://tinyurl.com/nqme4 for the RSGB/Region 1 bandplan.
The dx window is 3500-3510 and a QRP slot at 3560. By tradition
slower CW ops tend to work towards the top of the CW slot, as is the
case on most bands. This bandplan works fine in Europe, and although
there is some infringement of the CW/DATA split in contests it is
never the problem it is on 40m.

I think Bruce's suggestions go far too far, there is no need to
specify places for 'high speed' cw etc. There is absolutely no need
to have 40kHz for data, that is far more than needed. The 3560 QRP
slot is internationally used and any suggestion to move this should
be resisted, as is also the use of 3525 as an FOC working frequency.
The idea of different contest bandplans has been discussed at IARU
Region 1 conferences (the so called 'elastic' bandplans) and
dismissed as unworkable - bandplans will be infringed in contests
whatever you do - make the slots bigger and the contest people will
still exceed them.

If you adopted something similar to the Region 1 bandplan and leave
users to find their own slots for various activities this should be
adequate. Remember if you put too many conditions in the bandplan it
will be impossible to enforce as nobody will know what is expected
were.

73 Dave G3YMC

http://www.davesergeant.com

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[Karl Larsen]

Dave Sergeant wrote:

> On 15 Oct 2006 at 4:02, N7RR wrote:
>
>  
>> The FCC Report and Order 06-149 has thrown us a curve by extending the
>> Amateur Extra Class phone band down to 3600 kHz (far more than the ARRL had
>> requested), meaning that practical CW and digital operations, which have had
>> lots of spectrum to play with on 80 m, will soon have to squeeze into the
>> bottom 100 kHz of the 80 m band.  We have to live with this new reality.  We
>> need to negotiate amongst ourselves so that our turf battles take place off
>> the air before Report and Order 06-149 takes effect.  We need to develop a
>> band plan which will serve all USA 80 m operators, and we need to start
>> immediately.  The band plan must not actually exclude CW stations from
>> operating anywhere from 3500 kHz to 4000 kHz.  For example, cross-mode
>> communications between CW stations and stations operating in other modes
>> must be recognized as legitimate.
>>    
>
> (rest of long email deleted).
>
> No responses from the USA yet, but I think we need to put this into
> the perspective of what happens in the rest of the world. In Europe
> we have long had only 300kHz for 80m (and no prospect of more) and a
> voluntary bandplan which restricts SSB to 3600-3800 (with CW allowed
> anywhere for cross mode QSOs). CW uses 3500-3580 or so with data 3580-
> 3600. See http://tinyurl.com/nqme4 for the RSGB/Region 1 bandplan.
> The dx window is 3500-3510 and a QRP slot at 3560. By tradition
> slower CW ops tend to work towards the top of the CW slot, as is the
> case on most bands. This bandplan works fine in Europe, and although
> there is some infringement of the CW/DATA split in contests it is
> never the problem it is on 40m.
>
> I think Bruce's suggestions go far too far, there is no need to
> specify places for 'high speed' cw etc. There is absolutely no need
> to have 40kHz for data, that is far more than needed. The 3560 QRP
> slot is internationally used and any suggestion to move this should
> be resisted, as is also the use of 3525 as an FOC working frequency.
> The idea of different contest bandplans has been discussed at IARU
> Region 1 conferences (the so called 'elastic' bandplans) and
> dismissed as unworkable - bandplans will be infringed in contests
> whatever you do - make the slots bigger and the contest people will
> still exceed them.
>
> If you adopted something similar to the Region 1 bandplan and leave
> users to find their own slots for various activities this should be
> adequate. Remember if you put too many conditions in the bandplan it
> will be impossible to enforce as nobody will know what is expected
> were.
>
> 73 Dave G3YMC
>
> http://www.davesergeant.com
>
> Hi Dave, The FCC in the USA sets our "bandplan" and the ARRL tries to sub-allocate another "bandplan" over this but there's has no legal support and everyone does there own thing. So here is the 80 meter situation from your point-of-view.
>  

    There are 3 levels of class in the USA which is Tech, General and
Extra. General and Extra Class require you to demonstrate a code
capability of 5 WPM and pass a test.

    The Extra can use phone from 3.600 to 4.000 MHz and CW from 3.500 to
4.000. The General can use phone from 3.800 to 4.000 and CW from 3.525
to 3.600 and 3.800 to 4.000.

    I realize this is odd, but it is the way it will be sometime
beginning in November 2006. As always since I'm an Extra Class I can go
anywhere on CW. What's new is I can go clear down to 3.600 MHz on Phone.
This winter I hope to work Europe from New Mexico QRP SSB. I'll have to
wait for the proper time which is around 2AM local :-)

73 Karl K5DI


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