[AMRadio] Phone band expansion


Donald Chester k4kyv at hotmail.com
Thu Oct 12 02:45:45 EDT 2006


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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