(Apologies to non-UK amateurs who cannot use 60m)
Is there a protocol / accepted practice on which frequency one should centre a 3kHz wide upper sideband transmission on the various, UK, 60m allocations.
Before using this band, I consulted the band plan and note that 5.298-5.307; 5.333-5.338; 5.354-5.358; 5.378-5.382; and 5.395-5.4015 are not allocated for any particular purpose/mode and therefore all would be suitable for SOTA, telephony QSOs. All of these are wider than 3kHz so I was wondering where one should centre an ssb transmission (ie, what should I tune the radio to?).
I looked through SOTA alerts and noted that there were several alerts on 5.3985 and so I used this frequency on upper sideband. I note that 5.3985 is 3kHz lower than the edge of the band so is it normal practice to tune one’s radio to 3kHz below the edge of the band - all advice appreciated?
If you are an avid activator with only a Foundation or Intermediate licence then it is well worth the extra study to gain a Full licence and the privilege of being able to apply for a NoV to use 60m. As there are effectively just 5 channels then it is much easier for chasers to find you and so it is much easier to qualify those lower summits where neighbouring, taller hills block out VHF and above.
This assumes the sun “does its bit” and last week I had 0 contacts from 2 Cornish summits (G/DC-007, G/DC-004) despite posting spots and calling CQ for over 1/2 hour on each occasion. However, the latter did yield a S2S in central Spain on 20m. Last Saturday, I called CQ on 5.3985 from G/WB-009 and got 6 contacts straight away plus a summit-to-summit later on.
Hi Alastair, you are correct in thinking that for a usb signal, you should tune your radio to 3KHz below the upper band edge. The frequency displayed on the radio is normally where the carrier would be, if there was one.
Within the wider channels, you could of course tune down until the displayed frequency is getting close to the lower band edge…
Many of them can, I had a 60m QSO with Denmark yesterday.
Before using this band, I consulted the band plan
The RSGB band plan for 60m is rather terse.
As Pete said - the accepted place to see what is actually happening on 60m is the band utilisation chart that Ian Wade produces and which Pete linked to.
However note that Ian requests that people should publish the following link which will always point to the latest version:
There was a really useful printout doing the rounds at the Blackpool Rally. I downloaded the pdf and printed and laminated it. It’s in the SOTA bag should I need it. It used to be easy with a few fixed channels but it is a little harder to navigate around now. Ian’s pages don’t look like it and I’ve been searching for the link or the file I downloaded. I can’t put my finger on it which is most annoying. Too many TBs of disk space and not enough proper filing
It was title something like 60m Bandplanlet if anyone knows the doc I’m refering to.
This is a pretty document crammed with information. I dutifully arranged to reduce the page size to A6 and laminated it to take with me on activations.
I have, however, never used it. I have never found it necessary to stray outside the old NoV channels. I have them in memory channnels and as autocompletes on my phone for spotting. My first choice is FE (5.3985) but increasingly find it occupied by chatter and/or primary user data traffic. (Shouldn’t really be “and”, but there you go). Next choice is either up to FM (5.4035) or down to FL (5.3715), one of which is usually free and very occasionally even has somebody listening.
The main thing to avoid is straddling two of the old channels. I did once find myself on something like 5.397 by answering a CQ there, but it’s not a good place to be.
