[Elecraft] [Elecraft]KRC2 first!

[k4wtf@enterzone.net]

On Wed, 14 May 2003, Bruce D. McLaughlin wrote:

> With discrete, 2.8 Khz channels, it looks like CW will be either
> discouraged or not allowed.  And even with only 50 watts ERP I suspect
> propagation would extend over significant territory at night which means
> that very few simultaneous QSOs will be practical.  I sort of doubt that
> many will be rushing to these allocations, but I guess we will see.  I

I'm definately going to be an "early adopter" in this band.  Since my
equipment will go there and it won't take too much to put up an antenna
for it, I can't think of a reason why I shouldn't take advantage of it!

> high 4 Mhz region (MARS frequencies).  The QRN is every bit as bad as 75
> meters in the summer so I don't know how useful the assignments will be
> with the rather severe power limits imposed, especially if we are really
> limited to primarily SSB which needs a much better S/N ratio than CW.
> 
> Bruce - W8FU


Well, as someone else pointed out, the reason that the league gave to the
FCC for wanting the new band was for use with emergency communications
during hurricane season.  The phrase "emergency" comes to mind here.  If
I'm on a sailboat in the middle of a hurricane and I can't establish
communications using my marine band radio and I can't establish
communications on 14.300 or one of the 60m USB freqs, I'm going to try 60m
CW!  If that doesn't work, I wouldn't hesitate a second to tune to 11.175
USB and start calling "Mainsail, Mainsail, this is K4WTF declaring MAYDAY!
MAYDAY! MAYDAY! GPS coordinates are NN.NNNN by NN.NNNN."  The global HF
system operated by the United States military has quite a few ears
listening in some quite diverse locations.  They'll likely hear me, know
what I mean?

If they take my license for doing so, so be it.  I'd rather be an EX-Ham
than a DEAD Ham.

73 de John - K4WTF