I noticed that 18168 USB is being used today on an activation and lots of SOTA Chasers are making QSOs. There is plenty of room on the band to operate elsewhere.
The 17 Metre band allocation is from 18068 to 18168. If you operate on 18168 USB you are radiating up to 3 KHz outside the amateur allocation and are in breach of your licence.
This activation could be disallowed…
73 Phil G4OBK
I’m strongly persuaded to do just that Phil.
I agree!
My theory is that some ops are thrown by the non-round number band edge frequency (e.g. 18168) and probably would not have the same misunderstanding with those bands that have nice even band edge frequencies like 7200. The same thing happens with some of the 11 UK 60m ‘bandlet’ allocations.
Whilst we’re talking about out-of-band operation, some UK CW ops don’t seem to realise they can’t operate ever on band edges (e.g. 5354.0 kHz) as A1A mode is double-sideband AM (and it makes no difference whether your rig is set to CW or CWR).
My view on this matter is based on the understanding that one of the noblest tasks of a club management, and thus also of MT SOTA, is to support and encourage its members in carrying out their activities in the interests of the club.
This also includes addressing a member if they fail to comply with a rule set by the club for the first time, whether consciously or unconsciously.
In the present case concerning compliance with band limits taking into account the type of operation, the provision of a visual representation could, for example, help to improve the understanding of many SOTA enthusiasts.
However, if MT SOTA were to act as self-appointed OFCOM police officers in this case, as threatened, I would find this very strange.
73, Heinz
Heinz, SOTA rules say you have to be licenced to operate on the frequencies used. There ain’t no hams no where that are licenced to use above 18.168MHz in the 17m band so the operation is not valid for SOTA.
This kind of operating error is a standard question in the UK licence to make sure amateurs know about band limits and where their RF actually is. We have mentioned this many times on here.
Now not everyone did a UK licence exam and not every SOTA operator reads this forum. But we have to have some measure or sanction to actually get people’s attention to the fact they are operating outside of their licence and thus not acting within the SOTA rules.
How do we do this if after multiple times discussing the issue people still ignore their licence ?
Its a matter of operating within the rules of SOTA, Heinz. Rule 3.7.1.2 is “All operation must comply with the amateur radio licensing regulations and must use the permitted amateur radio bands of the country in which the association is based.” OFCOM can look after their own rules, we the MT must enforce our rules. We have the right and the duty to penalise operators that flount the rules of SOTA. If it becomes known that the SOTA MT do not care about the rules then neither will the participants, and you will end up with SOTA being like Donnybrook Fair to use an old idiom.
Guys,
How about a stiff letter requiring them to write out a hundred times all UK HF band limits?
There is no doubt a graphic would help some but really setting your dial to band edge and using USB is asking for OFCOM to get involved.
And what does it say about all those who worked that station without a care in the world.
There should be lots of blue certificates in the mail.
Cancelling that part of the activation using OOB operation is the very least the operator could do
73
Ron
VK3AFW
Not bad but I would favour bringing back the stocks and have townsfolk throw rotten fruit at them. The offender wouldn’t work O-of-B again.
Unless it’s the lower band edge of course.
Hi Ron
The activating station using 18168 last weekend was not from the UK but elsewhere in the EU. Some of the chasers may have been however…
73 Phil G4OBK
PS Edit - I just checked the database Ron and there were 21 QSOs made on 18 MHz but only two UK stations are in the log (One with a mistake in the callsign entered). I’m 99% sure the operator remained on 18168 as no other freq was spotted. Having said that, I didn’t listen to the whole 18168 activation!
Quite right Andy re bottom edge of a band. Of course, CW ops being the ones who frequent the bottom of the allocations, would not transgress and would soon sort out any SSB OP who went down there.
I could mention excess bandwidth usage with a particular proprietary Mode of FM commonly used on HF but as it doesn’t bother me I won’t
73
Ron
VK3AFW
A quick reminder why 18168 USB isn’t within the band, but 7200 LSB is, would have been the right way to go instead of just posting accusations. Shabby Band Police style.
Ahoi
Pom
Seems clear to me.
Yes, that’s true with all the older bands.
With the UK’s 60m allocation only one of the 11 ‘bandlets’ is recommended for only CW by the (RSGB) band plan - UK SSB and CW ops have to learn to coexist on all the others. And as there are only 2 bandlets which (wholly or partially) overlap with the WRC-15 60m allocation, there are precious few frequencies where we can QSO with our EU friends. Which is why – if you check some old threads – SSB ops like Brian @G8ADD and CW ops like me argue, eh I mean, discuss how and if SSB and CW ops should coexist around 5354.0-5354.5 dial frequency. In practice, there’s no problem – a great new(ish) band with excellent prop condx (e.g. NVIS) but sadly underused.
Shhhh 60 m. That’s top secret hush hush stuff here. Out DoD overruled our ACMA’s plan to introduce it in VK, on the basis of National Security. I think they thought their software in the OTHR could not cope with 15 W erp of CW or SSB or FT8 etc on a tiny bit of their own exclusive spectrum. Not even a consideration of a geographical exclusion zone. No discussion.
“I Cpt … have decided this cannot be agreed to.”. Finis.
Funny thing. The Indonesians have the band and some of them fall inside at least one of the OTHR antenna search areas. Our guys must get good signs from them.
Anyway I didn’t consider the 60 m band intricacies as it’s a non band here.
73
Ron
VK3AFW.