Welcome to Tropical band

To most people the phrase "tropical bands" bring a pretty clear picture to mind - a bunch of shirtless guys playing calypso music. But to experienced shortwave DXers those two little words express the most challenging and enjoyable part of the radio hobby. The phrase kindles memories of a DXer's best catches and favorite QSLs, of exotic stations, music and of early morning listening sessions. (Don Moore)
I like the "Tropical band" name for new 60m allocation. (OK1RP)

Effective from 1st Jan 2017 please paper QSL via OM-bureau only.


Monday, February 27, 2012

New 5MHz NoV proposals Litmus Test (UK hams only)

New 5MHz NoV proposals Litmus Test

The problem that we would like to address is “how do we respond to the offer that has been made by the MoD”? This topic is open to all UK radio amateurs.

To answer this question there are two source documents to consider.

Response from MoD, Feb 2012 (1-page/79KB PDF)

Draft reply from RSGB (1-page/121KB PDF)

The latter document is the starting point for the “Litmus Test” discussion.

The Litmus Test will use a web discussion forum to seek views and thus develop this draft reply. Two people will chair/moderate the discussion in order to keep the threads on-topic and to maintain the list etiquette. People who start to discuss an off-topic issue will be asked to move it to elsewhere, and/or raise the issue with the RSGB through the Have your Say facility. The list discussion will go live on Thursday 1 March, and will run for a few weeks to see if a consensus can be reached.

5 MHz NoV proposals Litmus Test (Link to Forum to go live 29 February)

Orig. posted here:
http://www.rsgb.org/consultations/new-five-mhz-nov-proposals.php

73 - Petr, OK1RP

Friday, February 24, 2012

The 60m band plan update

ARRL's webpage has a news item linking to our 60 M Recommended
Practices document. The article's URL is


http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-publishes-new-guidelines-for-60-meters

We'd be glad if you publicize this and post a link to it. Due to work
and vacation schedules this didn't get publicized quite as soon as
we'd hoped but it's still more than a week in advance of the new
privileges. The folks that are itching to get on probably already
have a handle on the technical issues, for the most part.

Approval of the document came just in time for a two-page article in
April QST. The article has a "friendlier" style that the raw document,
and should be arriving in mailboxes not long after the implementation
date for the R&O.

MANY THANKS for your suggestions, and your interest in 60 Meters.

73 Bruce K0BJ

Thanks to Joe, W8GEX for forwarding an email from Bruce, K0BJ.

73 - Petr, OK1RP

Thursday, February 16, 2012

WRC-12 Day 24, 15 February 2012 – New Agenda Item

RSGB site 5MHz band WRC news:

To be correct, early morning on the 16th… the final reading of Resolution COM6/12 was approved at 03.20 this morning, 04.20 Geneva time. Nine hours after the evening session of Plenary started, the final addition of one preposition finalised the wording of the 5MHz future agenda item. The Resolution is reproduced here in full.

Resolution COM6/12 (WRC‑12)

Possible allocation to the amateur service on a secondary basis at around 5300kHz

The World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 2012),

considering

a) that amateur stations are regularly used for emergency radiocommunications in the event of hurricanes, typhoons, floods, fires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and other disaster situations;

b) that Recommendation ITU‑R M.1042‑3, on disaster communications in the amateur and amateur-satellite services, encourages the development of such services capable of providing radiocommunications in the event of natural disasters, and recommends that their networks be robust, flexible and independent of other telecommunication services and capable of operating from emergency power;

c) that communications in the HF bands allocated to the amateur service play a major role in work to mitigate catastrophes and in the delivery of communications in support of relief operations in areas where the telecommunication infrastructure is weak or has collapsed;

d) that the various frequency bands allocated to the amateur service are contained in the Table of Frequency Allocations in Article 5 of the Radio Regulations,

recognizing

a) that radiocommunication in the HF bands is dependent on propagation factors, with the result that frequencies in different bands have to be used to maintain stable communication for a relatively sustained period of time, with frequency changes in the case of communications with different correspondents located at very different distances;

b) that it is essential that, in all cases, the maximum usable frequency (MUF) should not be excessively far from the next band allocated to the amateur service, so as to permit the setting up of communications in this band using typical amateur service antennas and power levels;

c) that, in the current allocations to the amateur service in the HF bands, there is a significant jump, which causes many problems in terms of communication when the MUF falls below 7MHz and the lowest usable frequency (LUF) is above 4MHz, with the result that amateur stations would need to be able to access spectrum at around 5MHz in order to fulfil their communication functions, particularly when they are engaged in providing emergency communications in response to disaster situations,

noting

a) that the band 5250-5450kHz is allocated to the fixed and mobile services, except aeronautical mobile, on a primary basis;

b) that an allocation of an appropriate amount of spectrum, not necessarily contiguous, to the amateur service at around 5300kHz would be adequate to better satisfy its needs associated with use for providing communications in disaster situations and during relief operations;

c) that the band 10100-10150kHz is already allocated to the fixed service on a primary basis and to the amateur service on a secondary basis, and that effective use of both services has been possible,

resolves to invite WRC‑15

to consider, based on the results of the ITU‑R studies referred to in invites ITU‑R below, the possibility of making an allocation of an appropriate amount of spectrum, not necessarily contiguous, to the amateur service on a secondary basis within the band 5250-5450kHz,

invites ITU‑R

1. to study spectrum requirements for a secondary allocation to the amateur service within the band 5250-5450kHz;

2. to carry out sharing studies on the impact to other services currently allocated in the band referred to in invites ITU‑R 1 and in the adjacent bands;

3. to complete studies in time for WRC‑15.

73 - Petr, OK1RP

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

WRC-12 Day 22, 13th February 2012 – 4th and final week

The actual news about our 5MHz band allocation from WRC-12 see below:

During the afternoon session of COM 6 the draft agenda for WRC-15 and the preliminary draft agenda for WRC-18 was approved and sent to the Plenary session. With the exception of the UAE, who reserved their position, there were no objections to the amateur service proposal for a 5MHz allocation. The evening session dealt with the approval of the Resolutions associated with each agenda item.

73 - Petr, OK1RP

Friday, February 3, 2012

UNITED KINGDOM 6 Feb 2012 Elizabeth II marks 60 years as Britain's queen

Hi all,

although it is not dedicated to ham radio or 60m band directly...

I would like to quickly
commemorate Her Highness Queen Elizabeth II who ascended (back then as Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York) the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland between 00:00-07:00Z on 6.Feb 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI.

I would like to ask our UK members if there will be some special event station
active on the bands please?

More over here: http://www.mandysroyalty.org/Queen.html

Thank You,
73 - Petr, OK1RP

FCC 60m Band Change Rules Published In Federal Register On 03 February 2012

Hello,

I am posting the announcement from MRCG by Mike, KK5F as follows:

The new FCC 60 meter band rules that were announced on 18 November 2012
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db1118/FCC-11-171A1.pdf

have finally been published in the Federal Register today, 03 February 2012
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-02-03/pdf/2012-2477.pdf

That means they become effective 30 days from today, on 05 March 2012.

Summary:
(1) Use of the existing 5366.5 kHz (carrier) is removed, replaced by 5357.0 kHz (carrier, for all modes except CW).
(2) Maximum ERP raised from 50 to 100 watts PEP.
(3) Three emission modes (CW, RTTY, Data) are authorized in addition to the existing USB mode. NOTE: CW mode carrier must be on the assigned frequency, of the authorized channel, not 1.5 kHz below the assigned frequency as it is for other authorized modes. That makes a significant difference when switching between CW and any other mode!

Mike / KK5F