Changes to 60 meters band for U.S. operators

http://www.fcc.gov/document/amateur-radio-service-5-mhz

Some obvious errors (who proof reads these?) but should be entertaining for 60 meter ops.....

73,

Bill N9DSJ

 

should make CW and digital operators happy!

 

Makes it sound more like an amateur band, at least.

 

I was just going to start a thread on this!

Even the ARRL has not made any announcement of this, at least that I can find!

Upping the power to 100 watts and allowing CW is definitely for the good. Also, not allowing automatic control of data stations is also good.

Glen, K9STH

 

60 meters needs to made into a real amateur band 5.330 continuous to 5.406 no channels. The 50 watts is fine or the proposed 100 watts would be great.

 

60 meter changes????????

What date is this going in effect?????????Thanks Bill / N1ASS.73.........

 

I will attempt to provide a basic overview of the
changes and rules in plain language, as they apply to the
Amateur Radio Service in USA. See the synopsis
below, but please rely only upon the actual FCC rules.
http://www.fcc.gov/document/amateur-radio-service-5-mhz

Regards,
Bonnie Crystal KQ6XA

==================================================
USA's Federal Communications Commission
released a REPORT AND ORDER on November 18, 2011
with new 5MHz rules for the Amateur Radio Service.
The effective date: 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

The FCC adopted the use of the name "60 meter band",
to refer to 5MHz amateur radio in the frequency
range 5330.5-5406.4 kHz, but USA hams are still only
allowed to transmit on 5 specific channels in the band.

The FCC changed the rules to allow:
Phone (Upper Sideband), RTTY, Data, and CW;
with specific limitations on the use of these modes.

Amateur radio is a "secondary user" in this band, and
must not cause harmful interference to other services!
Amateur Radio Service must accept interference from
other primary services and other nations services.

Operators transmitting data or RTTY must exercise care
to limit the length of transmission so as to avoid
causing harmful interference to US Government stations.

New 60 meter band 5MHz Channel List:
General, Advanced, or Amateur Extra Class license only.

Suppressed
Carrier
VFO Dial freq
5330.5 kHz USB (center of channel = 5332.0)
5346.5 kHz USB (center of channel = 5348.0)
5357.0 kHz USB (center of channel = 5358.5) New!
5371.5 kHz USB (center of channel = 5373.0)
5403.5 kHz USB (center of channel = 5405.0)

Note: FCC deleted the channel at 5366.5 USB (center=5368.0)
and "replaced" it with channel 5357.0 kHz USB (center=5358.5)

The maximum allowed power level is now 100Watts PEP (ERP)
effective radiated power referenced to a dipole.
If another type of antenna is used, the station licensee
must maintain a record of either the antenna manufacturer’s
data on the antenna gain or calculations of the antenna gain.

Upper SideBand Phone, Data, or RTTY transmissions
may use dial (VFO) USB suppressed carrier frequency
at 1.5kHz below the center of the channel.

Transmissions must not exceed the 2.8kHz bandwidth channel.
RTTY modes such as PSK31 must not exceed 60Hz necessary
bandwidth. Data modes must not exceed 2.8kHz bandwidth.
CW bandwidth must not exceed 150Hz bandwidth and the CW
frequency should be at the center of the channel.

Data stations operating under section § 97.221
automatically controlled digital station, are not
allowed on these 5MHz channels.

===============================================================
Open to comments on any errors....

Regards

 

When does this become effective, or is it still a work in process?

 

What, if any, options do owners of rigs with factory-pre-programmed 60m frequencies have to change the factory pre-set? In my case, Yaesu FT-60R and FT-897D units.

 

RTTY itself is not permitted under the new rules, the modes allowed are CW, PSK31 and PACTOR-III

Oh and to N1ASS, the amendment was adopted on November 16th, 2011

 

Where did it say that?

 

This is the final section,

V. ORDERING CLAUSES
52. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to Sections 4(i), 301, 302(a), 303(c), 303(f),
303(g), and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 154(i), 301, 302a(a)
303(c), 303(f), 303(g), and 303(r), this Report and Order IS ADOPTED and Parts 2 and 97 of the
Commission’s Rules ARE AMENDED as set forth in Appendix B, effective 30 days after publication in
the Federal Register.
87 See

 

Accordingly, we
authorize control operators to transmit the following additional emission types and designators in the
60 meter band: CW emissions, limited to emission 150HA1A (i.e., Morse code telegraphy); data
emissions, limited to emission 2K80J3E (exemplified by PACTOR-III); and RTTY emissions, limited to
emission 60H0J2D (exemplified by PSK31).

 

The effective date: 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Watch for the news on when the publication happens.

Another note on Data and RTTY:

Any normal Data mode that fits within the 2.8 kHz bandwidth can be used.

The present wording of the rules seem to indicate that RTTY emissions must be less than 60Hz necessary bandwidth.

In ham radio these days, it is a little unclear where the definitive line between Data and RTTY exists (or if it exists).
Perhaps RTTY is more like a "real time keyboarding chat mode"?
But, "real time keyboarding chat" is also "computer communications", which might lead to interpretation as Data emission.
It's possible that FCC will need to clarify or interpret this further.
The FCC might fall back upon their interpretation of "content" of what is being sent.

Here is the FCC definition of RTTY:
(7) RTTY. Narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy emissions having designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol; 1 as the second symbol; B as the third symbol; and emission J2B. Only a digital code of a type specifically authorized in this part may be transmitted.

Here is the FCC definition of Data:
(2) Data. Telemetry, telecommand and computer communications emissions having (i) designators with A, C, D, F, G, H, J or R as the first symbol, 1 as the second symbol, and D as the third symbol; (ii) emission J2D; and (iii) emissions A1C, F1C, F2C, J2C, and J3C having an occupied bandwidth of 500 Hz or less when transmitted on an amateur service frequency below 30 MHz. Only a digital code of a type specifically authorized in this part may be transmitted.

Regards

 

Thank You very much.
Now if we could get shared use of all the other channels.......
And maybe some in the 11.0MHZ band.