[Elecraft] US 60 Meter Band Changes Approved by FCC - CW Issues

[Mike Morrow]

Fred wrote:

> One big thing we ALL need to understand:  As currently proposed, the 
> new CW and digital modes are also to be centered.

But only the CW signals are anchored on the channel center frequency.
All the others are anchored at the channel carrier frequency, which
"may" be 1.5 kHz below the channel center frequency.

The new rule 97.303(h) states:  

"...control operators of stations transmitting phone, data, and RTTY
emissions (emission designators 2K80J3E, 2K80J2D, and 60H0J2B,
respectively) may set the carrier frequency 1.5 kHz below the center
frequency as specified in the table..."

That "may set" wording hasn't near the same force as "must set" or
"will set", so one wonders why the one form is used, if the others are
the intent.

We can be thankful that PSK31 won't be required to be on the channel
center frequency.

> ...5 MHz is a really cool spectrum, quite different than 7 or 3.5 MHz,
> that's probably why the NTIA/FCC feel somewhat protective of it.

Without the events of 11 September 2001, it is likely that a small
*continuous* segment would have been made available in the 5 MHz range.

73,
Mike / KK5F