by Thomas (K4SWL)
The FCC just handed us a new gift, and we're keeping the one we already had, too.
Keep in mind, this is my interpretation of the following FCC Report and Order FCC 25-60, released December 9, 2025 (click here to read the full PDF copy). Please correct me if you discover any of these points are inaccurate.
What's new
We now have access to a brand-new chunk of the 60-meter band: 5351.5-5366.5 kHz.
That's on top of the discrete 60m channels we've been using up to this point.
Here are the only caveats (and they're pretty minor): Of course, you'll need at least a General Class US license to use the new allocation. And if you're working the new band, you're limited to 9.15 watts ERP which is well within margin for those of us who run QRP.
What modes?
Phone, CW, RTTY, digital--seems like it's all fair game. We just need to keep our bandwidth no wider than 2.8 kHz.
Summary
The ruling also notes power restrictions in the 70-centimeter band for operators in military coordination areas, but that's outside the scope of anything I do in my field ops.
I feel like this is a big and--at least for me--unexpected win. The 60-meter band is a good one, and I used to use it more often in the doldrums of the last sunspot cycle.
