[Elecraft] 80 m CW and Digital Operation

[Michael E. Dobson]

Several comments:

This is not an FCC proposal but a Report & Order, the changes spelled 
out are the new regulations 30 days after publication in the Federal 
Register, there is no chance for change at this point.  RTTY 
generally starts at 3585, I participate in an RTTY net that has met 
on 3586 for years.  PSK is around 3580.  40M seems to do pretty well 
with the vast majority of CW/RTTY/data in the 7.0-7.1MHz range even 
though technically it runs up to 7.15.  Regardless of the mode, 
during world wide or other large contests, the mode in use will 
dominate the band segment extending well above and below the "normal" 
locations simply because of the large number of stations.  It is 
totally unrealistic to expect them to remain in a tiny area of the 
band. The CW contesters certainly operate up to and above the normal 
PSK/RTTY/data spots during major contests and on 40M during world 
wide contests you will find SSB down to 7.025 and sometimes lower. 
When a lot of operators are on they spread out as far as the regulations allow.

73,
Mike WA3KYY


At 02:22 PM 10/17/2006, Sandy W5TVW wrote:
>If the latest FCC FPRM holds with no changes, I think the 80 meter 
>people will
>be in trouble.  So far on 80, we haven't had much of a "digital vs. CW"
>conflict.  Most digital ops are above 3600 and most CW ops below 3600
>generally speaking.  The RTTY people seem to operate the entire CW sub-band
>during RTTY contests no matter what the "band plan" happens to be.