Can someone confirm that the expanded 40 mtr band is now available in France?
I have noted a number of F-stns calling SOTA activators in the 7100 to 7200 kHz during this morning, but I have not seen any announcement anywhere. Have I missed it?
73 de Ken
In reply to GM0AXY:
Like you, I have seen no announcement. However, the 40m band plan at the REF-Union website appears to indicate that the full 7000 to 7200 band is now available within metropolitan France and Réunion.
73 de Les, G3VQO
In reply to G3VQO:
Hi Les, and many thanks for the link.
Let’s hope that France is now at last on board with our Region’s Bandplans. It will certainly help spread the QRM a bit, hi!
Also, there should no longer be any excuse for F-stations to use the digi-mode section 7040-7060 for SSB contacts.
I have also noted that the ARRL has invited interested parties to comment / consult on the question of a ‘harmonisation’ of the bandplans between Regions 1 and 2. A move which is long overdue in my humble opinion
I am still puzzled as to why there has been no announcement on this from the likes of the RSGB.
73 de Ken
In reply to GM0AXY:
The trouble with trying to harmonise what modes go where between regions 1 and 2 is that whatever may be the desires of the rest of the world, in the USA the ARRL proposes but the FCC disposes!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to GM0AXY
Here in Northern Ireland the skip conditions often mean that the SOTA frequencies on 40M are swamped by French digital signals. I asked the G-QRP Club to make representations to the RSGB spectrum people, and this has been done.
73
Ken GI4FLG
In reply to GI4FLG:
I have also made representations to the RSGB Spectrum people about this for a a long time.
As I read the bandplan, the 7040 to 7060 segment should now be for the digimodes, and the reluctance of the PSK operators in particular, to move from 7035 kHz is noted by a number of people.
I tried to call CQ on 7042 PSK a few weeks ago, and was called by a GB-special event station, using LSB, who told me to go to ‘…’.
I am afraid that until our national organisation(s) get a grip of the situation it is not going to improve.
73 de Ken
In reply to GM0AXY:
Hi Ken,
Can someone confirm that the expanded 40 mtr band is now available in
France?
No news here, but I’m not god…
I have noted a number of F-stns calling SOTA activators in the 7100 to
7200 kHz during this morning, but I have not seen any announcement
anywhere.
They had better to use CW…
73 Alain F6ENO
In reply to F6ENO:
I must apologise Alain, my previous posting reads as though I am blaming only the French, when there are plenty of other ops wrongly using the band in this way. But it would help if the French authorities would introduce the new bandplan.
73 Ken GI4FLG
In reply to GI4FLG:
Don’t worry Ken,
The only people to be blamed is french administration…
and we can understand that some french hams are tired to wait for one or two papers to be signed (since last june); that is why they come on an unexpected band segment.
But if I can understand that, I can’t encourage it…
73 Alain F6ENO
In reply to F6ENO:
I have received a response from Colin, G3PSM, former RSGB President and also RSGB Spectrum Coordinator as follows:-
You might not have noticed that the link you mention is dated June 2009 and in fact reflects the IARU Region 1 Bandplan. REF quite innocently assumed that they had been given access to the upper part of 7 MHz but unfortunately it was quickly pointed out to them that the minister concerned had not signed the final decree which allowed that access. As far as I am aware that situation still prevails and we were not advised otherwise during the recent interim meeting of HF Managers in Vienna.
The 40m bandplan published by REF Union on their website is wrong and can only be descibed as wishful thinking! So until things are sorted out in France, contacts with french stations in the 7100-7200 segment of 40m are of questionable validity.
73 de Ken
In reply to all :
Hi, 40M is still restricted up to 7,100 MHz in France.
French “OMs” calling up are in illegality. You should delete them from your logs, these QSOs can’t be approved…
French Hams are waiting for signature of the final decree, waiting, waiting… 
In reply to F8DZY:
You should delete them from your logs
I’m not so sure about this. If I did, my log would not be a correct record. I do know that I have worked French stations above 7.1 (well, one in particular), but I do not record the exact frequency so I cannot be sure which QSOs might be invalid. I don’t consider it my job to enforce or even know the regulations in other countries.
I am not aware of any cases in which I would be relying on such a QSO for my qualifying 4.
If the offending chaser claims the chaser points for an illegal QSO, that isn’t really my problem, and in any case removing the QSO from my log would not make any difference.
In reply to F6ENO:
The only people to be blamed is french administration…
and we can understand that some french hams are tired to wait for one
or two papers to be signed (since last june); that is why they come on
an unexpected band segment.
As far as I can concern French authorities do not care too much things like this. (BTW: This is not the very first time when French HAM stations pop-up at frequencies where they were not allowed to… During the passed years, especially 5-10 years back I frequently noticed French stations at about 10.118 communicating from Bosnia to the home land in USB even if the IARU Region-1 bandplan unambiguously declares that NO phone but exclusively narrow band modes (CW and RTTY) shall be used in the 30m band.)
We had similar doubtful situation back in the 70s and 80s when the NASA asked a 2 weeks QRT in the 70 cm band, since the stage landing on the Moon and the Apollo 12 shuttle were communicating at a nearby frequency. The local authority tried to take advantage out of this and tried to confiscate the band. First we were working at 70 cm only at the “Victory” international cup contests, later all of the IARU contests, finally week-days also. After about a “draw game” lasting for over a dozen of years we got it back officially. Unfortunately at secondary basis as lots of medical equipments and gate opener remote control units got licence for the usage of 433+ MHz section.
Based on this experience, I think (hope), the more French HAM station uses the 7.100 … 7.200 MHz section, the faster the French authorities will give in to and modify the approved band edges complying with the IARU regulations.
73: Joska, HA5CW
In reply to HA5CW:
Hi Joska
Based on this experience, I think (hope), the more French HAM station
uses the 7.100 … 7.200 MHz section, the faster the French
authorities will give in to and modify the approved band edges
complying with the IARU regulations.
Sorry Joska, I can’t follow you… not sure it’s the best way.
And what can we say about this station who sent “QSY here SOTA QRG” when K4IX (QRP) was calling on 7032 this morning, and made a QSO with F6CEL. May be new regulations ?
73 Alain F6ENO