[Lowfer] Last Season for Lowfers?

[John Davis]

Interesting questions, though some may be a bit premature.  I'd like to lump
a couple of the related ones together and offer thoughts on them as a group,
not necessari in order.l

>3. Will there be a significant loss of activity on 1750 meters as more hams
>move to 136khz?
>6. Will this be the "last season" for traditional widespread beacon
>operation on160-190khz?
>

I envision a lot of the day-to-day experimentation with new modes will shift
to 2200m, and even more of the antenna experimentation.  Will that
constitute a significant loss?  Probably depends on your definitions.  I
would imagine that some testing of different transmission modes will work
its way back to 1750m periodically, where the Part 15 limitations make
weak-signal experiments even more meaningful.

You may also be aware from some of the comments filed with the FCC already
that there are licensed hams who want to keep 1750m as it is, because it is
more challenging than the ham band will be.

As for beacon activity, no, I can't see that going away at all.  Remember,
most 1750m LowFER beacons operate unattended--something which is not
permitted at HF and lower frequencies in the ham bands.  Beaconing at 2200m
will need to be a human-controlled activity, most of it probably on a
scheduled basis.  There'll still be a place for our traditional LowFER
beaconing at 1750m (if the Part 5 licensees leave any room for it:).

>1. With thousands of US hams having access to the band, with Japanese
companies
>begin to include this band in their rigs next year?
>
>2. Will small companies pop up to offer products just for LF and will
>current companies
>like LF Engineering take a larger role in offering their products to hams?
>

Probably all of the above.  Based on experience in Europe, though, we may
not see a very big push by the Japanese makers.  Since the permitted modes
will be so strictly limited here--even more under the FCC & Canadian
proposal than is the case in Europe--they will see pretty quickly how
limited the LF ham market is really going to be here.

Before we see many Asian rigs here with 2200m capability, I think we'd first
have to see some indications that the FCC is seriously considering opening
up 1750m to hams.  Only the most serious operators are going to be willing
to live with the conditions they'll find at 136kHz, but the wider band at
1750m would appeal to a wider percentage of hams (including lids, alas); and
that might be enough of a potential market to interest the mass
manufacturers, whereas 2200m alone will be seen as a niche market at best.

>4. What will be the impact of new hams who are drawn to LF for the first
>time be?


Very little, especially as long as it's only 2200m.  Based on experience
elsewhere, we'll see a surge of initial interest; then once it becomes clear
that one has to work to get results, it'll settle back to rather moderate
interest.  If 1750 is added to the mix--???  Too early to say.

>5. Will this list continue to cover Part 15 activity and simply add 136khz
>coverage or will a new list replace it?


Too soon to speculate, IMHO, but I don't see any replacement of this list in
the future.  Most of the new activity on 136 will be from the same folks who
are on the list now, and will replace or be an adjunct to their current
activities.

My guess would be that this list will go on much the same as it is.  At
most, we might see a spin-off list for those who are only interested in
"pure" Part 15 at 1750m, but I would personally hope we can keep as much LF
activity as possible covered right here in this one location.

73,
John