Andorra Returns to 60m, Gains 4m band, More Power on 6m

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In an Andorran government resolution dated 16th June 2016, Andorran Amateurs received news of two new amateur radio bands plus an increase in power in an existing one, following requests from its national society, URA.

60m/5 MHz

Andorra returns to 60m/5 MHz, but this time under the new WRC15 allocation of 5351.5 – 5366.5 kHz with a maximum power of 15W e.i.r.p.  CW and USB is permitted, with a maximum bandwidth of 5 kHz. The permission is temporary until 31 December 2016 and permanent from 1 January 2017. Andorra’s previous 60m allocation had been annulled at the beginning of December last year, following the end of the WRC15 Radiocommunications Conference.

4m

A new 4m allocation of 70.0 – 70.2 MHz has been granted on a non-interference basis with a maximum power of 10W. All modes are permitted and users must abide by the IARU Region One 4m/70 MHz Bandplan.

6m

A power increase has been granted up to a maximum of 600W

URA (Unió de Radioaficionats Andorrans) Bandplan page: [contains link to official Andorran government document] - http://www.ura.ad/Pla_de_Bandes.html

New HF Band Plan

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The new IARU Region 1 HF Band Plan, which came into effect from Wednesday 1st June 2016, and the HF Managers Handbook version 8.2 are available for download

Download the HF Band Plan - 
http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/downloads/Documents/HF/IARU-Region-1-HF-Band-Plan-2016/

HF Handbook - http://iaru-r1.org/

2016 HF Propagation Update

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Steve Nichols, G0KYA, the Chairman of the RSGB's Propagation Studies Committee, has updated his hourly UK HF Propagation Predictions maps for the rest of 2016.

The new charts take into account the latest smoothed sunspot numbers from NOAA/NGDC.

Steve’s group have seen a steady decline in sunspot activity from the peak of solar cycle 24. Since a high of 164 in May 2015, the current solar flux is well under 100.

Adding to the effects are plasma from solar coronal holes, created by the sun's open magnetic field allowing plasma to escape.

This increased K index is usually a sign of poor HF conditions, with noisy bands and depressed maximum usable frequencies. Any path over the poles is also badly affected. This can also lead to aurora, which while not being visible in the summer, can lead to openings on VHF.

Updated Propagaion Charts - http://g0kya.blogspot.co.uk

HF Propagation Prediction Tool -  http://www.predtest.uk