I don’t think I am Andy. All UK ops are free to transmit wherever they like in the UK 60m Bandlets. I have responded to a question regarding where the overlap frequencies are and have propsed what I believe to be correct information (and no one has said it isn’t correct).
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT to propose split operation as another option. My last question was to ask what frequency would be comfortable for the UK stations to use (presuming it is free at the time). In that way I believe split operation would be simplified, rather than the continental activator picking a frequency on the day, which could be wrong in the RSGB bandplan.
My aim is to make communication from the earlier - larger - higher powered UK allocation to the apparently more and more common, limited bandwidth, lower powered WRC15 band, simpler.
I guess this will always remain a problem, while we have two standards. (lets hope for a larger band with more power to all the WRC15 using countries - but I suspect that is unlikely).
I take your point about NOT labelling the two inter-operation bands “SOTA only” - that would NOT go down well…
according to the picture, 5354 and 5363 seem the perfect frequencies for WRC-15 <> UK traffic. The continent as well as the UK recommend theses frequencies for SSB. CW is permitted anyway. So why re-invent the wheel?
I am not sure why you are advocating this Andy when frequencies are available for single frequency working between the UK and countries with the WRC-15 allocation. Surely the KISS principle rules when operating from summits… well it does for me when it is blowing a hoolie and I am trying to keep snow from getting into the kit. Operating split is the last thing I want to be bothered with, even with memories in the rig!
However, as has been pointed out above, there are only two frequencies available for single frequency SSB working between the UK and WRC-15 countries, and one of these is liable to cause severe QRM to digital and CW traffic.
When Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands had their own allocated frequencies prior to the introduction of WRC-15, split frequency working was the norm and it was highly effective when used properly. The Spanish operators in particular were notable exponents in the art!
This thread was started for CW contacts - the problem with 5354 for CW is that as CW sits exactly on the frequency, it’s lower side band would fall out side of the UK bandlet. Hence Andy (G8CPZ) suggested that CW ops should be 500Hz up from their bandlet edge i.e. 5354.5. While there is enough in the overlap segment to allow (USB) SSB to operate on 5355, I made the suggestion of 5354.5 for CW and 5355 for SSB (in a similar reasoning 5362.5 for CW and 5363 for SSB).
All of this means of course that there are only TWO common frequencies for SSB between the UK and WRC15 band allocations.
Andy MM0FMF came in with the suggestion of working Split (or cross band if you prefer) this has the advantage that the WRC15 station can operate anywhere in the WRC Band that is allowed for the mode and the UK station can operate on any free frequency within the UK 60m bandlets plan, where the mode is allowed. Hence there can be many more QSOs at the same time between the UK and WRC15 countries if SPLIT is used rather than trying to get into one of the two available common frequencies.
The down side of Split is that the activator will have the extra work to find and specify the frequency he will be listening on in the other band. This would be informed via of a message to the SotaWatch website (i.e. a self spot), but there’s still the extra work of finding a free frequency in the chasers valid 60m bandplan (and knowing that bandplan).
It all depends upon propagation and activity as to which option will need to be used. At a weekend, I suspect SPLIT might be the only way to go as the two common frequencies are probably in use.
This really, really “Hot off the GB2RS press” (I publish the GB2RS podcast).
The 2018 RSGB Band Plans can be found in the forthcoming February edition of RadCom, due to arrive with Members this week, and online. These incorporate changes from the 2017 IARU Region 1 Conference, along with UK usage changes. The main changes are in the 5MHz HF band, and the 50, 144 and 430MHz VHF/UHF bands. At 5MHz, the changes align with the flexible UK Usage plan and the lack of full access to the WRC-15 band.
Still looking at it - at the moment, I can’t see any. Unfortunately they’ve overwritten the old document with the new one at the same location in the website. All changes are supposed to be explained in the February Radcom, which, being abroad, I will not get for a while.
What I’d like to see is the move up in frequency of the UK only (that’s what it used to say) digital communications section - which was overlapping with the WRC15 band. No problem with digital modes, but allocating a specific section for UK traffic in the section that overlaps with other countries allocations seemed wrong. Of course this was most likely set prior to WRC15, but there was room in the “bandlet” to move it up clear of the overlap, I hope that’s now been done. Either that or remove the “UK Only” name.
73 Ed.
UPDATE:
Only changes I have found:
WSPR has been moved from the 5288.5-5292.0 to the 5362.0-5374.5 bandlet presumably to avoid beacon frequencies and to allow WSPR comms in the 5266 - 5266.5 WRC15 defined weak signal mode band section of the WRC band.
And the text “5,362-5,370 kHz - Digital mode activity in the UK” HAS been removed from the bandplan for 60m - GREAT! (I had suggested it be changed to “5,366-5,374.5 kHz - Digital mode activity in the UK”). But at least it’s been removed.
It was probably easier to look at the change notes than to go through it - these say:
15-Dec-17 60M: Note-4 has WRC-15 Frequencies added and WRC notes added in Usage column
15-Dec-17 60M: WSPR removed from 5290 kHz
15-Dec-17 60M: 5362-5370 UK Data usage note removed to avoid WRC-15 overlap, WSPR added
15-Dec-17 60M: 5403 USB usage deleted
8-Jan-18 60M: Clarify it is UK Usage Plan only. Further info - 5MHz - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site
Excerpts from the PDF 'Band Plans & Information" …
HF: Changes are confined to 5MHz. Revisions and in some cases removals of UK-specific designations are intended to improve compatibility with the WRC-15 band at 5351.5-5366.5kHz.
This makes 60m effectively a dynamic usage plan, rather than a traditional fixed band plan.
So the RSGB has been fiddling with the Band Plans yet again.
The RSGB 60m Band Plans have no legal standing. I shall continue to operate on the band in accordance with the terms and limitations of my Licence, as I have always done.
Hi Brian - I just copied the listed changes from the revised bandplan document, however this is strange as 5403kHz is NOT within any of the UK bandlets!!
One bandlet starts at 5403.5 and goes to 5406.5kHz, but 5403kHz is out-of-band!
The 2017 version of the RSGB Bandplan Excel spreadsheet actually states “5,403.5kHz - USB common international frequency” which is consistent with the 5,403.5-5,406.5 sub-band to which it refers.
So it’s the listed change comment (15-Dec-17 60M: 5403 USB usage deleted) that’s in error (by omitting the “.5”) rather than the 2017 bandplan itself.
Yes, I assumed it was a minor misprint and the intended frequency was actually 5.4035, the old “Fox Mike” channel which is still very popular for inter-UK contacts.
Looks like no one proof reads the change comments then.
So if the 5403.5 - 5406.5 bandlet is no longer to be used for upper sideband single sideband mode - why? What is now allocated to this bandlet? I can’t find any other references to this bandlet in the document apart from this one change comment.
Looking at the US allocations - 5403.5 is the US 60m Channel 5 (hence the earlier comment about being an “international channel” I expect).
Why then does the RSGB say “15-Dec-17 60M: 5403 USB usage deleted” ???
I disagree, Andy. It certainly implies that 5.4035 is no longer to be used for USB. That should not bother us since this band plan is only advisory, but I would like to know the thinking behind this deletion - if there is any!
