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.

• Captured well by G3NRW's chart 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 hf_r1_bandplan.pdf

• 100W PEP ERP
• Data & CW must be on centre frequency of channel (FT8 on 5357.0 + 1.5kHz ONLY??)

• Same channels as USA
• Also WARC Band 5351.5 → 5366.5 at 100W ERP

• 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?

SSB and “Dial Frequency” unless specified

• W = WSPR
• WL = Winlink
• D = Digi (Olivia, MFSK, Contesia, PSK31 etc.)
• DV = Digital Voice (FreeDV?)

• 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

• 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 Cadet Radio Info

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60-meter_band#

— John Pumford-Green 31/03/24 18:50

Page Updated: 19/04/24 18:21 BST