<-[[.:start]] ====== 60m ====== ** A return to 60m in earnest ** I've been active on 60m since it was first available (with a NOV) - and mostly in Digimodes on **FK / 5366.5kHz**, along with a bit of CW and very little SSB. For many years 60m digimodes was the //only// activity I did on the radio. In recent years I've been largely QRT, or having the odd spell on CW, but I still have an interest in 60m as a place for experimentation and for inter-UK communications. 2024 will be my year of 60m, with more SSB operating. ===== Band Utilization ===== * Captured well by G3NRW's chart {{ :public:radio:uk_60m_5_mhz_band_utilization_chart_band_plan_by_g3nrw.pdf |}} * Since this chart was first produced **many more European countries have access to 60m** - mostly using the **WARC** allocation **5351.5 -> 5366.5** * The UK was first to have access to 60m but we are now out of touch with how the band is developing, locked in our unique set of //bandlets//. * Digimodes among UK stations still takes place on 5366.5kHz (USB Dial) which is an RF centre frequency of 5368.0. This is therefore **out of the WARC allocation**. * Many Eu hams choose to ignore this - the WARC allocation goes to //5366.5kHz// and if they set their radios to //5366.5kHz// they operate there ignoring the fact that their actual signal is out of band. * I tend to just work them and leave them to juggle the legalities. * I still see the band as interesting mainly for it's use as quiet, mostly channelized band for inter-UK experiments, rather than a band for "working DX". * The WARC band has evolved its own internal band-plan. * IARU Bandplan including 5MHz WARC {{ :public:radio:2024:hf_r1_bandplan.pdf |}} ^ 5351.5 -> 5354.0 ^ 5354.0 -> 5358.0 ^ 5358.0 -> 5362.0 ^ 5362.0 -> 5366.0 ^ 5366.0 -> 5366.5 ^ | **CW** \\ **NOT UK** | **All Modes** \\ UK OK\\ FT8 @ dial 5357\\ UK Beware band edge| **All Modes**\\ **NOT UK** | **All Modes**\\ UK OK\\ SSB 5363 Common | **Weak Signal**\\ UK OK\\ WSPR @dial 5364.7 | ==== USA ==== ^Channel^Dial^Centre^Comments^ | 1 | 5330.5 | 5332.0 | | | 2 | 5346.5 | 5348.0 | | | 3 | 5357.0 | 5358.5 | In WARC : FT8 | | 4 | 5371.5 | 5373.0 | **Shared UK** | | 5 | 5403.5 | 5405.0 | **Shared UK** | * 100W PEP ERP * Data & CW **must be on centre frequency of channel** (FT8 on 5357.0 + 1.5kHz ONLY??) ==== Canada ==== * Same channels as USA * **Also WARC Band 5351.5 -> 5366.5** at 100W ERP ===== UK : Occupancy versus Bandlet/channel ===== * I plan to investigate which bandlets are used for amateur QSOs and where/when any non-ham, commercial, military and UNID activity blocks access to our allocated spectrum. * Which bandlets are clobbered regularly? * Which bandlets have clear SSB channels most of the time? * Where are the regular amateur nets, QSOs, CQ calls? ===== UK Bandlet List ===== ^No.^Start -> Stop ^ Width^Comments\\ (**__Centre of Activity__**)^SSB Dial range^Utilization 2024^CQ?^Non Ham Occupancy^ | 1 | 5258.5 -> 5264.0 | 5.5 | **FA** 5258.5\\ **__UK CW @ 5260.0__**| |**CW @ 5260.0** | CQ | | | 2 | 5276.0 -> 5284.0 | 8.0 | **FB** 5278.5 |5276.0 -> 5281.0 |**5279.0** | | Fishfone | | 3 | 5288.5 -> 5292.0 | 3.5 | **FC** 5288.5\\ BEACONS & WSPR ONLY | |Beacons\\ **W @ 5287.2** | | | | 4 | 5298.0 -> 5307.0 | 9.0 | | 5298.0 -> 5304.0 | | |5298.0->5303.0 data@night\\ 5304.0 clear | | 5 | 5313.0 -> 5323.0 | 10.0 | **__UK AM @ 5317.0__** | 5313.0 -> 5320.0 |**5320.0** | | | | 6 | 5333.0 -> 5338.0 | 5.0 | | 5333.0 -> 5335.0 | **5335.0**| |5333.0->5335.0 data@night | | 7 | 5354.0 -> 5358.0 | 4.0 | //WARC//\\ FT8 @ 5357.0 USA Ch. 3\\ **UK beware band edge** | 5354.0 -> 5355.0 | | | | | 8 | 5362.0 -> 5374.5 | 12.5| //WARC->5366.5//,\\ WSPR\\ 5363.0 SSB\\ **FK __UK DIGI @ 5366.5__**\\ **FL** 5371.5 USA Ch. 4| 5362.0 -> 5371.5 | **5363.0**\\ **W @ 5364.7**\\ **D @ 5366.5**\\ **5371.5**| | | | 9 | 5378.0 -> 5382.0 | 4.0 | | 5378.0 -> 5379.0 | | | | |10 | 5395.0 -> 53401.5 | 6.5 | **FE __UK SSB @ 5398.5__** | 5395.0 -> 5398.5 | **5395.0**\\ **5398.5** | CQ | 5395->5397 data@night\\ FE Clear | |11 | 5403.5 -> 5406.5 | 3.0 | **FM** 5403.5 USA Ch. 5\\ DX | 5403.5 |**5403.5** | CQ | | SSB and "Dial Frequency" unless specified * W = WSPR * WL = Winlink * D = Digi (Olivia, MFSK, Contesia, PSK31 etc.) * DV = Digital Voice (FreeDV?) ===== Other 60m Users ===== ^User^Frequency^Location^Comments^ |UK Cadets|5245|Various | NRN - Replacement for 5345?| |RAF Volmet |5450 |England | | |Shannon Volmet | 5505 |Ireland | | |UK Rescue | 5680 |Various | Based at NMOC Fareham?| |DRA5 | 5195 |Germany | CW Beacon -> [[https://www.dk0wcy.de/schedule_en.html | DK0WCY]] | |Aero | Various |Various |[[public:radio:swl:hf_frequencies|]] | ===== Further Information ===== ==== Exercise Blue Ham 2024 ==== * 60m is shared in the UK with the Primary User - military - and we are allowed to have 2-way communication with Cadet Stations. * While they do appear occasionally on our shared //bandlets// they tend to be more active on their own specific cadet frequencies * Once or twice a year there is a better opportunity to work Cadet Stations - Exercise Blue Ham === The next Blue Ham is === * June 17 - June 21 2024 * All 5MHz UK SSB slots and data on 5366.5 * See Alpha Charlie [[https://alphacharlie.org.uk/exercise-blue-ham/]] * See M0PLT [[https://www.m0plt.me.uk/blueham.php]] * Callsigns: * Air Cadets : MRxyy * Sea Cadets : MFxyy * Army Cadets : (tbc) * CCF : (tbc) For other cadet radio info, as I find it, see [[public:radio:swl:cadets|]] ==== 60m band Wikipedia Page ==== * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60-meter_band#]] --- //John Pumford-Green 31/03/24 18:50// Page Updated: ~~LASTMOD~~ {{tag>60m radio ssb}}