It's about time!
Dave, W3ST
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Donald Chester" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <amradio@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 2:45 AM
Subject: [AMRadio] Phone band expansion
Up to an extra 150 kc/s for phone on 75 m for Extra class.
75m Phone Allocations
General Advanced Extra
Current 3850-4000 3775-4000 3750-4000
New 3800-4000 3700-4000 3600-4000
Increase 50 75 150
40m Phone Allocations
General Advanced Extra
Current 7225-7300 7150-7300 7150-7300
New 7175-7300 7125-7300 7125-7300
Increase 50 25 25
Much better than anything I had anticipated, but we are still left with a
cumbersome matrix of subbands based on operator class combined with
emission mode.
Considering the relief in congestion we have already experienced due to
the general decline in amateur activity in recent years, there should be
plenty of room for all on 75m, without the griping about AM "taking up too
much room on the crowded band." Of course, if the FCC eventually
eliminates the code requirement, expect an initial spike in activity as
hoards of no-code Techs upgrade, but after the initial spike I predict a
return to stagnant growth. There should still be plenty of room for AM
activity.
Once the expansion goes into effect, we should immediately commence AM
activity on the new frequencies, including the 3600-3700 kc/s Extra
segment.
I have looked over the R & O, but I am not sure if it means that 3600-3700
is restricted to Extra class for all modes, or just that Extras can now
use phone in the segment. How this will affect non-voice licence class
restrictions is not made entirely clear in the FCC document:
"12. Regarding the division among license classes of the spectrum on which
we today
authorize phone emissions, we adopt the Commission's proposal to authorize
stations of General
Class licensees to transmit voice emissions in the 3800-4000 kHz frequency
segment, thereby
increasing by 50 kHz the spectrum for voice communications by these
stations. Because we
have decided to authorize more 75 m spectrum for voice communications than
was proposed in
the NPRM, we also authorize stations of Advanced Class licensees to
transmit voice emissions in
the 3700-4000 kHz frequency segment, thereby increasing by 75 kHz the
amount of spectrum for voice communications by these stations. We also
authorize stations of Amateur Extra Class
licensees to transmit voice emissions in the 3600-4000 kHz frequency
segment, thereby
increasing by 150 kHz the spectrum authorized to these stations for voice
communications. In
the 40 m and 15 m bands, we adopt the Commission's proposal to authorize
stations of Amateur Extra and Advanced Class licensees 7125-7300 kHz,
stations of General Class licensees 7175-7300 kHz, and stations of General
Class licensees 21275-21450 kHz for phone communications."
If Generals and above will still be able to use 3600-3700 for non-voice
modes, expect digital modes to continue to operate in this segment. I
suspect that may be the reason such a big hunk was set aside for Extras -
to limit phone activity in that region of the band so that some of the
digital stuff can continue on those frequencies.
Although the thinking of government agencies is extremely unpredictable,
this doesn't look well for the ARRL's bandwidth proposal. If the FCC were
seriously considering limitations by bandwidth any time soon, it is
unlikely they would have gone to all the trouble to work out this plan,
only to have to revise it in the near future to accomodate
subbands-by-bandwidth.
Looks like we'll soon be able to join the Canadians in their "AM Window"
on 3720.
The change is expected to go into effect sometime in mid-November.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-149A1.pdf
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