R3’s intention is very clear. They are trying to harmonize the 40m band plan globally. If and when R3 adopts this proposal, it will go to the whole IARU, and then there will be a process there. However, it is important for many of us to provide input at this stage. Early inputs matter a lot.
I totally understand the desire to harmonize 40m band plan, but I think the right way to achieve it is to get a new secondary allocation of 7.200-7.300 in R3 through scheduling such an agenda for the earliest possible WRC (it takes some years to get an item on their agenda). There are a few broadcasts in that range in Asia, but plenty of unused spectrum exists there. Data communication could use such a fragmented spectrum more effectively than CW and phone. It behooves amateurs to find technical solutions to coexist rather than changing the subband allocations, which only creates internal fights and dumpster fires.
Really? It’s been wall-to-wall Chinese* broadcast stations whenever I’ve checked that end of the band. Admittedly I only try up there when the band is open to DX (and hence the lower frequencies are full).
*My language-id for Asian langauges may not be accurate
The WIA AGM Reports show that there are approximately 3000 members of the WIA. I understand that there are approximately 15000 licensed individual amateurs in VK, thus approximately 20% are members of the WIA.
This number is far greater than any other organisation in the country which may claim to “represent” the Amateur Radio Service in Australia.
Furthermore, the WIA is the only representative body recognised internationally.
Some will not join because they don’t like the policies or attitudes of their national societies, rather than being stingy. I know some hams who hold the RSGB in contempt, and many who are only in it for Radcom. Getting a consensus of hams is like herding cats!
I remember listening to a excerpt from David Cameron’s book on his time as PM, in which he was challenged on UK Educational policy in a cabinet meeting. His answer was something like, we all know that education is a shambles and has been in desperate need of reform for a generation. There are lots of people who will object to any change, few people who will be pleased, and no votes to be gained. Let’s move on.
I am very grateful to those who give their time to support our hobby.
Combining data from more than one source would probably have helped. Using sites like RBN and PSKReporter that sample live activity would give a better picture of what’s actually happening in their particular zones of interest, but some modes are easier to sample automatically than others, and I’m not aware of any site that does for phone modes what RBN and PSKReporter do for CW and digital modes.
A quick look at “facts and figures” on our database shows that more SOTA contacts have been made on CW than SSB, and only a little less than SSB plus FM (which is primarily used on V/UHF). It also shows that 40m is the most heavily used band. Although this is an aggregate for all three regions rather than for region 3 it suggests that since as I said above signals don’t stop at regional boundaries, the status quo should not be disturbed.
So put your money where your mouth is and produce a bandplan for R3 that works there and works with the rest of the world.
The problem is that some people think QRP means only low power. It’s true the QRP/QRO codes used to mean: QRP?-> should I lower my power etc. Now it means so much more. QRP defines a philosophy of simple and often low tech equipment. Much like many of the radios shown in Colin M1BUU’s picture. A lot is rock bound and lacks selectivity and filtering. That’s why SOTA ops should steer clear of the QRP COA like 7.030… descending hordes of QRO chasers make it hard for true QRP ops to have QSOs. It’s not hard to move to 7.032 and up.
I don’t have a dog in the race. Three of my QRP radios aren’t QRP but low power, they all run 10W CW (705,K2,KX2) and whilst my QCXs are only 5W, all of them are synthesised. It’s the true QRP people that will be affected by such a change.
The problem for me, Andy, is that I do not understand why the current 40m CW allocation does so not work in R3 to the extent that they are prepared to change it to the detriment of long established international practices. They have the same raw material to work with, 200kHz of it, how different are the pressures on it.
While CW may out do SSB worldwide, in VK, SSB is by far more popular than CW for portable activities such as summits and parks.
The chances of a lower power portable signal getting out of R3 is small and compound by time-of-day operations.
The bigger problem around frequency selection (IMHO) is the view that what is used in the Northern end of the world must be used in the south.
For example, 7044Khz is outside the VK band plan, yet as it is used in EU for parks therefore it must be the frequency used in VK.
At some point though Warren, you’ll get someone in R3 very close to someone in R2 and that’s when incompatibilities ocurr. Whilst I don’t want it, if the usage is such that CW loses some space compared with digi modes then so be it. It is a very difficult issue to resolve. The only way to make it acceptable to all is maybe make everyone have to move about.
Go to the database and your activator page comes up. For some incomprehensible reason you will find “facts and figures” relegated to a footnote on that page. Click on it and a nerd’s delight of facts appears.
And IARU comes at the top of my list. They are the ones that deal with the ITU / WRC to defend the spectrum allocations, etc. (IARU stays out of the domestic politics, just focuses on the global issues, and let their member organizations (leagues in each country) deal with the domestic issues.)
