[CW] SSB below 7100?

[Werner Jochem]

> I have been noticing quite a number of SSB signals towards the bottom
> end of 40M over the last several weeks, here in Seattle WA. The voices
> are mostly Spanish, with an occasional japanese/chinese/korean speaker
> thrown in. These are definitely hams, not SWBCers. I have spotted them
> down as low as 7035. Tonight I heard them right on 7040 (the QRP CW
> freq.!!), and several places from 7050-7065.  I know that SSB *is*
> allowed between 7075-7100 in ITU Region 2 outside of the US, but nowhere
> can I find reference to any authorization for SSB or other 'wideband'
> mode use below 7075. What is going on with this? It is making 40 more
> frustrating than usual. I never heard this BS before this month. I also
> heard what seemed to be a VK or ZL tonight on 7123 SSB. What gives?
>
> Will, KD7BFX

Remember the pretty good conditions on 40m. So you might have heard some
amateur radio stations form region 1. According to region 1 bandplans SSB is
allowed down to 7040 here in Europe (and Africa, too).
For some more information see http://www.rsgb.org/operating/index.htm.
In fact the CW spectrum ranges from 7000 to 7035. Not too much compared to
region 2 ;-)
We do hope the next ITU conferences will bring an improvement especially for
40 meters.

73 Joe DK7VW (N7VW)