Who else has 5.3 MHz privileges? HB9 does starting Jan 1, 2017

Yes, and there are plenty of them on the band already. I heard three UN stations on JT65 yesterday and worked UN7CBY.

There are also Russians on 60m. I worked R4NAP last week and he confirmed the QSO by eQSL the same day. I have also heard a couple of UA1 stations.

S01WS was on again last night on CW from Western Sahara. His QSL manager, EA2JG, wants $4 for a QSL card! He can whistle for it …

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

Well done on hearing and bagging a 60m UN stations already Walt!

Western Sahara - another 60m country not yet listed on WikiPedia (I wonder if there’s a better reference - IARU perhaps?). I agree a QSL manager charging $4 for a QSL card in this day and age, when there is the likes of eQSL, is over the top, unless … postage from Spain to England has suddenly gone up in price (presuming he’s not using the bureau)!

Paper QSLs are great and I always reply directly to any I have received, when someone has sent me an IRC or dollars, I have always sent that back with the reply QSL card. I think QSL responding is something we can afford not to have to only send out when paid to do. Of course DXPeditions might be something different.

Are Russia and Ukraine still part of IARU region 1? In any case they should be reachable from here, if I can get onto the frequency - the big problem still.

It’ll be interesting to see how many countries have 60 metres before the end of 2017! Lets hope The WRC15 adopting countries can get a larger allocation of frequencies as well before too long.

Ed.

Good for you - but try living in a rarer call prefix and make a lot of contacts, including a fair number for whom I am their first VK or first VK1 contact. It rapidly gets rather expensive and I am not going to pay for all the people who want a QSL card from VK1. Currently it costs around AS$3 for me to mail a card fo a contact - if it was a once every couple of months evolution I wouldn’t be too bothered about it, but when I can get up to 10 cards in the mail each week, it quickly adds up and I would rather spend that money on my enjoyment of the hobby and not someone elses.

I now insist on an IRC or 2 green stamps to assist in my mailing expenses (I am still out of pocket, just not as badly) otherwise QSL cards are returned via the bureau. Yes I realise that it is an impost on those who wnat QSL cards, but if they are not willing to wait for the bureau system, they can pay for the faster turnaround of having the card mailed to them.

Back on topic, I think it will be a while before we get 5MHz access here in VK. It will be interesting to see what licence categories get access to it and what our regulatory body allows in terms of relaxing their policy on modifying radios to permit use of 5MHz…

Matt
VK1MA

Hi Matt,
Point taken - and valid. If someone wants a QSL card posted from a distant location, it’s fair to expect them to pay postage. Getting back to Walt’s point though, I think the card was going to be sent to him via the Bureau and the QSL manager (i.e. a company not the Ham himself) wanted $4 for his services. This is not unusual for DXPeditions, especially with the high number of contacts they have to deal with. IMHO although I really like paper QSL cards, I think the way of the future are eQSL or similar services driven directly from the electronic log of DXPedition or exotic stations.

Ed.

Yes, they are. There is a complete list of countries located within IARU Region 1 here:

http://www.iaru.org/region-1.html

This does not mean WRC-15 privileges will be available immediately in every one of these countries. That is up to the regulator in each country.

I have recently worked stations in Ukraine and Russia on 60m JT65. I also heard a well-known 9K2 station (Kuwait) on 60m CW last Thursday evening. This morning I worked a French station on 60m JT65. None of these countries is listed on the Wikipedia page, but the Ukrainian and Russian contacts have been confirmed via eQSL.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

Thanks Walt, I know that.

Looks like the Wiki page needs updating - presuming someone can keep up with all the new countries coming on-board!

Ed.

(from Southgate News):
More 60m permissions - Slovenia and Niger

Slovenia

Tine, S50A, reports that the Slovenian telecoms regulator, AKOS, has given permission for use of the 60m band in Slovenia.

First of all a temporary three-month licence (Jan. 11 – Apr.11 2017) is being issued to all Slovenian amateurs who apply for it. The allocation is the WRC-15 one from 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz with 15W EIRP.

It is hoped that in three months the administration will adopt the regulation fully which will be valid for all. Use of the IARU Region 1 60m bandplan is recommended.

Niger

Whilst in a meeting with officials of the Niger telecoms regulator, ARTP (Autorité de Regulation des Telecommunications et de La Poste du Niger), to discuss his March 5U5R DXpedition, Antonio, EA5RM was informed that 60m access in the country to all Niger amateurs was now possible under the WRC-15 allocation of 5351.5 – 5366.5 kHz and its subsequent footnote.

The 5U5R Sixty Metre activity is expected to be around 5360 kHz using CW and SSB.

I worked 5U5R a couple of days ago on JT65, 5357.6 kHz.

I have also worked several Slovenian stations, both on JT65 and on CW. There is plenty of activity from Kazakhstan as well. Also worked YU7RIM from Serbia.

The Czech Republic (OK) is back on, but unfortunately they have not been given the WRC-15 band. Just an assortment of random, very small channels - including 5403.5.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

Hi Walt,
Yes OK have apparently simply had the same allocation they had last year re-issued.

Congrats on working 5U5R.

I’ve been searching for information on the Russian allocation and can’t find anything. Also I only know that Macedonia has 14 blocks between 5250 and 5450, but not their exact frequencies.

It’s a real “Jig-Saw puzzle” working out what everyone has.

Ed.

Now USA (hopefully)
This just published on qrznow.com http://qrznow.com/arrl-asks-fcc-to-allocate-new-5-mhz-band-retain-channels-and-current-power-limit/

ARRL has asked the FCC to allocate a new, secondary contiguous band at 5 MHz to the Amateur Service, while also retaining four of the current five 60-meter channels and current operating rules, including the 100 W PEP effective radiated power (ERP) limit. The federal government is the primary user of the 5 MHz spectrum. The proposed action would implement a portion of the Final Acts of World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) that provided for a secondary international allocation of 5,351.5 to 5,366.5 kHz to the Amateur Service; that band includes 5,358.5 KHz, one of the existing 5 MHz channels in the US.

“Such implementation will allow radio amateurs engaged in emergency and disaster relief communications, and especially those between the United States and the Caribbean basin, to more reliably, more flexibly and more capably conduct those communications [and preparedness exercises], before the next hurricane season in the summer of 2017,” ARRL said in a January 12 Petition for Rule Making. The FCC has not yet acted to implement other portions of the WRC-15 Final Acts.

This approach - as recently taken in Ireland, is a good model - lets hope the RSGB will try to get the same from Ofcom - keep what you have on 60m plus add the WRC15 band (ideally at your higher power levels).

Got my 60-meter permit today.

The Swedish authorities is now issuing temporary special permits to operate 60-meter band. You have to apply for the permit and it is then valid for a period of six months. WRC-15 5351,5-5366,5 khz 15W e.i.r.p

Regards Lars
SA4BLM

What has changed in the UK and with the UK primary user of the band since the last time this was discussed with the UK licencing authority?

Please tell me what has changed? Are you saying that this has already been discussed since WRC15 and rejected?

My understanding is that the UK does not have the exact WRC15 frequency band - rather you have more frequency bands and at a higher power level. My point was to say that if the RSGB could simply get the WRC frequency band added to the existing ones in the UK, it would be the best solution for UK amateurs - that you could have full coverage of the WRC15 band plus the extra frequencies you already have under an NoV. This is what has happened in Ireland and the ARRL are trying for in the US.

No. But we given chunks of spectrum around but not covering all of WRC15 band when we last where given spectrum here before WRC15 in 2013 ISTR. Not all but parts. Why? The last allocation specifically excluded 5358-5362 but included sections above and below and you logically assume that it must be “in use” for it to be excluded.

Unless the reason why we didn’t get it has changed since the allocations for the UK were updated then there’s no point nobody doing nothing as the reason it was held back still exists. Now it may be that the “owner” is moving at some point and it can be made available. Or it may be that the reason the EIRP is so low for hams elsewhere is so that the “owner” of this chunk is not inconvenienced. One of the reasons why the “European big signals” should consider those power limits carefully. I mean you for one would be gutted if some power jockey’s actions caused primary user complaints and then the band was withdrawn.

IMHO it would be much preferable to let sleeping dogs lie and be contented with the privileges we already have. We have more generous power limits and more frequencies in total than most European countries.

The danger is that if we start agitating about having access to the WRC-15 band, we may end up with 15 watts WRC-15 only, and have everything else taken away from us! There are some who would welcome such a development.

I agree with Andy’s comments about the “loud” signals from Europe … the few well-known culprits are asking for trouble. Also the out of band operation by UK stations on JT65 is getting worse. That, too, is playing with fire.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

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Do I read the latests report on southgate news:

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2017/march/netherlands-get-5mhz-ham-radio-band.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AmateurRadioNews+(Southgate+Amateur+Radio+News)#.WNvZbKLu-Uk

correctly that Holland now has ONLY the new WRC15 60m bnd and the larger and higher powere allocation that they got in 2015 which fully covered the WRC15 allocation anyway, has been taken away?