[AMRadio] AM IARU Region 2 Bandplan

[D. Chester]

I haven't attempted to formulate a response yet, but two things immediately 
come to mind.

One, the bandwidth issue.  The Region 1 plan specifically accommodates AM on 
any phone frequency despite nominal maximum bandwidths posted in the chart. 
This is conspicuously absent from the current Region 2 plan.

Two, 40m. Although this would take FCC action to correct in the USA, 
phone/cw segregation should be more closely aligned with that of the other 
regions. Specifically, in light of the removal of (most) broadcast stations 
from 7100-7200, the N. American band plan should accommodate phone down AT 
LEAST to 7100 kHz. (Most other Region 2 countries are already operating 
phone well below 7100 anyway).

This would apply immediately to Canada, Mexico and other countries in the 
Americas, since nearly every country in the world, except for the U.S., long 
ago phased out government-mandated subbands.

It is ridiculous that 25% of the newly-vacated frequencies are off limits to 
US phone operators, yet at best there are hardly ever more than a half dozen 
or so CW/RTTY/data QSO's on 7100-7125 at any given moment, while 7060-7100 
remains under-used by U.S. non-phone ops as well. SSB ops are fond of 
complaining about AM activity in the vicinity of 7160 because of the 
"limited band space" to operate phone in the newly vacated segment. We need 
to be thinking of a petition to the FCC to further expand the 40m phone 
band.

Don k4kyv
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