14300 is published as Global Emergency Centre of Activity on IARU Region1 band plan, and it has been published for use in several greater disasters. It is very important to have a frequency with as little QRM as possible for all sorts of emergency communication.
If an activator choose to use 14300 and it is on a spot in the SOTAwatch3 list, I will not try to make a QSO, and I hope others also will avoid this frequency for use in SOTA contacts.
LA6FTA Gudleik
I checked and there’s nothing in my licence about not operating on 14.300 or it being a centre of Global Emergency operation.
The bigger problem with 14.300 is operating there with the pretend wannabe-Coastguard net that claims exclusive use of the frequency. Do they ask the emergency traffic to QSY as it is affecting their net operations?
You are allowed and licenced to use the emergency frequencies. No organisation or group have exclusive rights to these frequencies. If you break a leg or others near you are in an emergency situation you should use the frequency and you would be happy for no QRM. If you hear an emergency call on these frequency you should reply if you can help to relay emergency messages.
Look at the IARU HF band plan:
where you will also see 3760, 7110, 18160, 21360 as Global Emergency Center of Activity.
Amateur radio can be very important in emergency communication. All other use of the frequencies will be QRM and may obstruct important traffic.
Sorry Gudleik, there are no emergency frequencies on amateur radio. If there were then
they would be mentioned in our licences along with the procedure for when they can and cannot be used and by whom.
What we have are requests in band plan, put together by radio amateurs, for amateurs to give certain bands of frequencies, emergency access priority. In the majority of countries the band plan has no legal status.
I agree: we can all do stupid things and still be legal, but we could choose to behave properly. Emergency activity among radio amateurs are rare, but in some special situations with broken official communication, it has been extremely useful, so I regard it as a good idea not to make QRM for possible emergency communication. I disagree with your view of emergency frequencies. There are no legally imposed emergency frequencies, but when the national and international organisations of radio amateurs publish emergency frequensies it is stupid, but not illegal, to make QRM on these frequencies. I do not want to call you stupid.
73 LA6FTA Gudleik
Indeed, the bandplan states "PREFERRED MODE AND USAGE" (my italics)
It’s just a common courtesy to avoid 14.300 MHz - it’s easy to just pick something else so why not do it and make everyone happy?
The issue here is we have someone misinterpreting what these COA are. The IARU says emergency traffic can occur +/- 20kHz of the COA. Are we now required to avoid operating between 14.280 and 14.317MHz? Of course not. What has been missed by Gudliek creating his own rules is that these frequencies are marked for use typically when coordinated national emergencies and disasters occur. A fine example being the 2004 Tsunami in The Andaman Islands. With much island infrastructure damaged or destroyed, national societies requested (note requested not demanded) certain frequencies were kept clear of amateur traffic to allow coordinated relief work to take place until the commercial comms infrastructure could be repaired or replaced.
There is no requirement in IARU or national bandplans that 14.300MHz be kept clear of all amateur traffic at all times. It’s not like the old maritime 500kHz and 2182kHz frequencies and the 3 minute quiet periods every 15mins to listen for emergency traffic. 14.300 et al. is for coordinated emergency/disaster traffic when a suitable emergency is declared. It’s certainly not reserved for someone to report they’ve stubbed their toe whilst out for a walk and need assistance!
Why? The band plan does NOT say that the frequency has to be kept clear of amateur traffic at all times.
We have plenty of rules to follow and we do not need to make up more restrictions and then get band policemen to try and enforce them.
There is very big problem. There are no rules I like and follow and rules I don t like and don t follow.
There was discusion about calling frequencies, center of activity frecuencies. There were said do not use calling freguency. Call and move. Do not use center activity freguency.
This talk about emergency freguecies is same talk about calling frequencies. If I may use one the same principle aplies to the other.
So, follow same rules in all situations
No, absolutely not
The principle is one of major national/international emergency, not a hangnail on a SOTA activation
I do not know the rest of the world, but in Norway many local ham groups have their own, small emergency communication team. Some of them are used by the authorities, but it does not happen very often. The emergeny frequencies in the band plan are used. In these search and rescue or other operations no international publishing is done. News about the operation might appear in local papers or other media.
I have no ambition or possibility to make laws or to enforce them, but I can say and follow what I think is reasonable behaviour.
My personal attitude is that I will not contribute to QRM on these frequencies.
“14300. Avoid this frequency if you want chasing from me.”
Maybe a few other chasers agree with me, resulting in fewer contacts on this frequency.
Ah yes, this is a debate as old as the uh, ah, summits. The Law vs Etiquette. While I generally find an attitude of entitlement grating - - like the entrenched notion that this is our frequency – those that insist on doing battle with the implacable are equally annoying to me.
The bands are just not that crowded.
Another country heard from,
73 Eric KG6MZS
I am a Net Control Station (NCS) for MMSN.ORG. Even if we are not on-air, we patrol the net for illegal operators.
I operate out of Kansas and I am heard 5-9 almost around the world.
We get a lot of Operators, Tuners, Wizzers, etc. trying to disrupt the band.
We not only have NCS operators monitoring, but many of our fans are also on there listening and they are not as nice as I was.
When I am about to transmit, I also ask 5 times, loud and proud, before I transmit. That’s just a rule of being a good operator. We have two ears and one mouth. Use them in that proportion. Listen, Listen,…then Listen again. If someone says it is in use, take a hint.
I have a YouTube video that I talk about etiquette.
I see a lot of people trying to teach you HOW to be a POTA Operator. I don’t see any trying to teach you how to PREPARE for activation. I suggest watching my video.
In short: Search the Web for Nets, Contests, etc. BEFORE going out and activating.
!4.300 is off-limits. SSTV is on 14.228 to 14.332. They will eat you alive for interfering with them.
There are beacons at 14.275 and 14.335. You won’t be a problem, you just won’t get heard. You will be covered up and no one will want to call you.
I suggest you re-read Region 2 which is where we are:
14300-14350, 2700, All Modes, Global Emergency Center of Activity 14300 kHz
True, MMSN is NOT an owner of 14.300 MHz. However, we have been on it since 1968 as well as PACSEA, USGS and others. We do handle emergency traffic as well as boat watches. There are currently 2 active boat watches.
Try looking at it from your perspective: You are a POTA / SOTA / IOTA Activator and you have been using the same frequency for a long time. You activate and have been on for 4 hours. Someone steps in and walks on you.
Or, you are a First responder transmitting on emergency band. Then, someone jams you.
Yes, I understand the Operators standpoint. I don’t agree with the one supposed ITU Technician who was saying you can use it when it is vacant. We and the other First Responders are on almost 24 / 7 on 14.300 MHz.
Let me also give you this word of advice: The FCC recently fined an operator over $24,000 for interfering with a net in California that has been on-air for over 20 years. Most states have enacted FELONY fines for interfering with First Responders because some idiots have been trying to jam Fire, Police, EMT, etc. during a state-declared emergency.
I suggest you post this on any POTA / SOTA / IOTA sites you might be subscribed to.
You need to learn this also: IF you GIVE respect, you will EARN respect. IF you have respect from fellow Hams as a POTA, they will also come to your defense and protect your frequency. DISRESPECT them, and you will have their ire.
George Blake - W6BDD
ARRL A-1 Operator
The reflector’s acceptable use policy stops me from telling you exactly where and how far up you can shove your arrogance and post.
Welcome, I see you are new here having joined 21 hours ago.
I think however, you may have joined the wrong message board.
The space here is for SOTA (Summits on the Air) related endeavours, not POTA.
Moreover, first posts are normally to make friends, not to lecture people.
Never heard you and never heard of you.
73, Robert
M0RWX
Unfortunately, some of you NEED lecturing, and appearing from some of your responses YOU probably need to leave this site.
People who don’t appear to be REASONABLE and POLITE operators, and just want to do what they want, should probably not be issued a license, either.
73
I have placed W6BDD onto complete moderation. His posts will need approving by the MT moderators from now on.
spoil sport
Let’s cut to the chase. It isn’t a matter of licence conditions, as pointed out most licenses have nothing to say about it. Some but only some administrations might be different. If 14.300 is an emergency frequency which must be avoided, then logically it must be monitored 24/7/365 by a world-wide network of stations suitably dispersed in location so that coverage of the channel is complete and no emergency will be missed. If this requirement is not being met then reserving the channel is pointless. Is this requirement being met worldwide, and if so by whom? If this requirement is not being met, then it should remain a general use channel which will be vacated by amateurs in the event of a major emergency. This appears to be what happens in reality, for instance by my observations QRM on this channel does not take place to any great extent during actual declared emergencies such as hurricane traffic. A major emergency will not be declared on 14.300 for the attention of the rest of the world, it will be declared elsewhere and as they become aware of it amateurs will hear and respect emergency traffic out of consideration rather than under the compulsion of non-existent laws.
PS having read what has been appearing while I typed this, I would like W6BDD to be aware that the FCC has no jurisdiction outside the USA and its territories, I answer to Ofcom, other countries have their own authorities. Its a big world, we don’t all march to the same drum.
Thanks for the lecture. Don’t think I need to watch your video.
Congratulations on your 5/9 across the planet and near by stars.