Dan/W4NTI wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
Dan/W4NTI wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
Dan/W4NTI wrote:
All of 80 meters is open to digital modes. You know, the
modes all those new, young, modern hams are going to use
when Element 1 goes away.
If there's so much room, then what's the problem making
3500 to 3575 Morse Code only?
Because we don't use it now. 25 on the bottom of all bands is
plenty IF it is CW exclusive to ALL classes.
Is 80 meters full of digital signals? Or is it equally underused
by those modes as well?
80/75 is a seasonal band, as is 160. Summertime activity of any kind is
quite low. With the exception of SSB. It is always full up. At least in 4
land anyway.
Here in 3 land the activity is both diurnal and seasonal. During the
day 80/75 is very quiet - in part because of propagation, in part
because of people not
being near a rig, and in part because other bands are "more open".
Winter is more active than summer, sunspot minimum more active than
sunspot maximum.
Digital is indeed increasing, but so far are staying above 3575. On
occassion I am QRMed from them on the Alabama net, 3575. But they move
when they hear activity...to their credit.
But in general there isn't much digital going on either.
Some years back, a small PSK31 rig called the "Warbler" made the
3579.545 colorburst frequency popular among PSK31 folks. Although the
Warbler only covered about 2 kHz of the band there, folks with other
rigs flocked around.
Is 3575 to 3675 full of digital signals? I don't think so!
There's another effect going on, too:
Good 80 meter antennas are pretty big to folks used to VHF and 10 meter
type stuff. The popular G5RV is a compromise antenna on 80, at best.
The band doesn't really come into its own until after dark. Etc.
How many folks on rrap have an 80 meter setup? As in "at least a G5RV
that works on 80, 35 feet up at least") There's W4NTI, N2EY, K8MN,
K0HB, and probably W3RV.
Out of how many?
40 is another case and it is gonna be real tough to put that
mess straight..
hi.
Not really. The mess is due to the rest of the world wanting
7100-7300 for SWBC. That's going away, even as we speak, and
more and more of the rest of the world is letting their hams
have 7100-7200. Eventually 7000-7300 will be worldwide
exclusive amateur.
So what's the problem with 7000-7050 being Morse Code only?
See above
The band is 300 kHz wide. 50 kHz is 16%. There are plenty of
times - noncontest times - when 40 is one Morse Code signal
after another from 7000 to 7050. And that's with cascaded
8 pole 500 Hz filters in the rx.
40 meters is a butchered band. And yes I know that changes are FINALLY on
the way.
Not just on the way - they're here, and growing every day as SWBC folks
move out and more countries allow their hams to use 7100-7200. Soon
there will be no good reason for SSB below 7100 at all.
Perhaps when it is a exclusive Amateur allocation (at least for
Region 1 and 2) things will improve. But for now it is a complete mess.
The rules take so long to change that the time to ask is now. Look to
the future, when 7000-7200 or even 7000-7300 will be worldwide
exclusive amateur.
It is indeed a active band, for all modes. In reality it needs expanded to
7.5 or so. But that will never happen.
It won't happen if we say "never". Look how long the band stopped at
7100 outside Region 2. But the rules *did* change.
20/15/10 could all use some "CW Trimming" today.
Let's cut to the chase. It's about more room for 'phone and
less for Morse Code and digital modes. Some folks talk big
about "new directions" and "modernization" and "fresh ideas",
but what they really mean is more bandspace for SSB.
Is that what is best? More room for SSB and AM, less for
CW and digital modes?
I don't know what is "best". I would just like to see a clean spot for CW
only. That is a personal choice, nothing more. Whether I get it is
another story.
I think what is best for amateur radio is for the bottom 15% or so of
each HF/MF ham band to be Morse Code only. If that is done, and at
least some of it is open to all license classes, hams who are
interested in Morse Code can and
will flock there. The problems of incompatible modes will be greatly
reduced.
I still like my suggestion......bottom 25 of ALL HF bands....CW
ONLY. No
digital, etc. That way those that want can.
Those that don't.....won't.
The trouble is that it will take an Extra to get down there.
No it won't. Drop the Extra only and be done with that Dinosaur.
FCC won't go for that. Read the NPRM - they specifically state that
they think 3 license classes is the right number, and that we'll
get to three classes by attrition. They specifically denied
auto-upgrades, new entry level licenses, etc.
Then only extra's do CW. I have no solution for that. If the FCC don't
want it, it won't happen.
The trick is to offer the FCC something that doesn't contradict the way
they
think. Telling them to dump the Extra is a nonstarter because they're
convinced
it's a good thing. The idea of devoting 15% of each band to be Morse
Code only hasn't been presented to them. They might go for it as a way
to eliminate QRM
complaints. "Here's a Morse-Code-only preserve, folks the only QRM
you'll have is from each other!".
Other modes have similar protection. Look at the 'phone subbands - data
modes are not allowed there! Morse Code ops avoid the 'phone subbands -
when't the last time you heard real Morse Code operation in a 'phone
subband?
All you hear in the 'phone subbands are SSB, a bit of AM, some SSTV,
and maybe some digital voice and narrow FM. Some might even say those
rules are 'welfare' for analog voice modes.
If those modes can be protected from digital/data QRM, why can't a much
smaller part of each band be set up as a Morse Code preserve?
They also said that more frequencies was the best incentive.
The FCC has NO IDEA what is good for Ham radio. Nor do they give a RIP.
Doesn't matter - they make the rules. If we ask for something that goes
along with their mindset we just might get it. Asking for something
they
have already said is not on their agenda has little or no chance or
success.
73 de Jim, N2EY
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