ARRL Support FCC Proposes Changes to 60-Metre Band

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ARRL Support FCC Proposes Changes to 60-Metre Band

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comments about changing the secondary allocation available to radio amateurs on 60 meters. The FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on 21st April 2023, that deals with the band. In a prior petition, ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® urged protecting the existing use of the band by amateurs when adding a new allocation adopted internationally.

Currently, radio amateurs in the US have access to five discrete channels on a secondary basis: 5332 kHz, 5348 kHz, 5358.5 kHz, 5373 kHz, and 5405 kHz. Users of these channels are limited to an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100 W PEP.

The FCC proposes to allocate 15 kHz of contiguous bandwidth between 5351.5 - 5366.5 kHz on a secondary basis with a maximum power of 15 W EIRP (equivalent to 9.15 W ERP). This allocation was adopted at the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15).

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New Australian Ham Licences Delayed

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Hams in Australia who have been waiting for the introduction of the new amateur class licence on July 1st are going to have to wait a little longer. The Australian Communications and Media Authority has announced that it must make certain determinations concerning the licence's operational policy arrangements and to further clarify the implementation of higher power authorisation.

According to the ACMA website, that includes call sign administration, public register options, amateur operating procedures, arrangements for amateur club and international reciprocity for Advanced amateurs travelling overseas.

The ACMA's review also includes, among other things, its proposed access for standard-level amateur licensees for the 50–52 MHz band.

The ACMA said it will provide an update in the second quarter of this year.

70MHz, 4 m band released in Switzerland

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70MHz, 4 m band released in Switzerland

As reported by the Swiss amateur radio association USKA, after lengthy negotiations with the national telecommunications authority OFCOM-CH, the 4m band was released. The approval is valid from 1st January 2023.

The following applies:

  • Only radio amateurs with HB9 licences are allowed to use the band.

  • Frequency range: 70.0000 to 70.0375MHz and 70.1125 to 70.5000MHz. Any transmission is prohibited in the range from 70.0375 to 70.1125 MHz.

  • The maximum power is 25 watts ERP.

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