[Wswss] 902-928MHz Band Plan Proposal by ARRL will restrict WeakSignal use
KJ6KO
kj6ko at innercite.com
Mon Apr 9 12:14:18 EDT 2012
HI Mark,
Being both a 902 SSB operator and a repeater operator, I am on both sides
of the fence here. As a coordinator, you can make your own band plan
according to your area. Out here, we are running 25 MHz splits on
repeaters, but as you noted, there is very little clear spectrum. In fact,
there is actually only about 200KHz of clean spectrum for weak signal or
repeater inputs! Anyone that has tried to put up a repeater that has an
input of anything higher than 902.200 will find about a 15-20db reduction in
signal due to the "noise" from spread spectrum equipment in the area. That
topped with the new higher powered licensed LMS equipment that may soon be
deployed nationwide, and is currently under test in the SF Bay Area, has a
VERY adverse affect on any usage of the 900 spectrum from 904-927MHZ.
As far as the "One type of surplus equipment", well that's not true. There
is only ONE mfgr of an "amateur" 900 radio and it is the Alinco HT and it
will work anywhere, but it is only an HT and does not have the power to get
over most of the Part-15 noise. That being said, not every ham can afford
one and uses the commercial gear, which is very difficult to get to receive
in the middle of the band or to transmit in the middle of the band if you
are using 915 for inputs. Motorla, Kenwood and Johnson radios are all used
on 900 and most will RX at 927 and TX at 902-903 with "minor" modifications.
ALL require extensive modifications to operate to RX or TX in the 915
portion of the band. But, it can be done.
900 Repeater users outnumber weak signal operaters out here by about 100 to
1 ! Can't speak for the rest of the country. I do know that a majority of
repeaters everywhere are running 25 MHz, not 12, but there are still a few.
In that respect, the ARRL's old bandplan is outdated!
Also noted that most of the listed 900 repeaters in NY are 25 MHz split, so
not so sure how bad that change will really be!
Also, since the FCC decided to put Amateur Radio BELOW Part-15 equipment
with regards to the new LMS equipment, we have nothing to stand on! You
heard correct! LMS licensees must prove their equipment does not cause
"unacceptable" interference to Part-15 equipment but are required to do
nothing for Amateur users! This is a "backwards" direction in rule making
as far as amateur radio is concerned!! Amateur radio has always been
"primary" where Part-15 is concerned, and I had the FCC back me up on that!
You can argue that all manufactured amateur radios fall under Part-15 (it's
on the back of your rig!) but that fight is for another day!
Due to the lack of an "updated" national band plan, the frequency
coordinators for the LMS licensees out here (a HAM) looked at the SARA band
plan and decided there were no repeaters below 927.5 and designed their
equipment to operate there and wiped out most of the repeaters in the South
Bay area! Not the repeaters, but the mobiles and base operators trying to
listen to repeater outputs! With 20+ 30W transmitters in the area, we don't
have a chance! We got their coordinator out here and explained the local
band plan and how much HAM's in other areas of the country would be affected
and they are trying to make a change to stay below 927.0, but we will have
to wait on that. Regardless, they have licenses all over the country from
904-927.750 and that stuff will make most of the band useless to anyone if
it is deployed making 12MHz splits useless! WE are prepared to use the
bottom 200KHz for inputs and the top 200 KHz for outputs if it comes to
that, but with over 50 900 repeaters in NORCAL and well over 100 in the LA
area, it is a pretty grim picture!
That being said, if you would like to keep 12MHz splits in your area, that
is the option you have as a coordinating body, but, out here, we peacefully
coexist with the weak signal operators and the repeater operators in the
same portion of the band. I could never see the need for a full 1MHZ for
weak signal on the West Coast. Maybe you have more 900 operators that need
a full MHZ in your area, but for most of the country, I don't see the need.
I have also found that the Noise Blankers on most radios look at SS signals
as pulse noise and pretty much eliminate it! Not all of it, but most of it!
Much better than FM radios. It's the "baby monitors", cordless phones and
broad spectrum transmitters that really kill everything! LMS is almost 1.5
MHz wide each transmitter! It's basically a local GPS system.
Out here, the 900 repeater band is FULL of refugees from 440 where the USAF
has basically kicked most of the repeaters off the band. I have done
numerous tests and anything above 902.200 is extremely noisy and not fit
for a repeater. The only place the SSB users can operate in the metro areas
is 902.010! That's it! Too much "junk" elsewhere!
I am totally in favor of the new ARRL plan, as if it was in place a few
years ago, we would not be having issues with the LMS people out here. It
can also be "fine tuned" for local use in your area. Remember, it is just a
"suggestion" not a rule.
73 ...
Thanks and beware of the upcoming LMS licenses!!
Greg Stahlman KJ6KO
Trustee NC9RS Northern California 900 Repeater System
300+W @ 902.010 SSB
50W 903.3 Beacon CM88ws
US275 The band 902-928 MHz is allocated on a secondary basis to the amateur
service subject to not
causing harmful interference to the operations of Federal stations
authorized in this band or to Location
and Monitoring Service (LMS) systems. Stations in the amateur service must
tolerate any interference
from the operations of industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) devices,
LMS systems, and the operations
of Federal stations authorized in this band.
LMS Band Licenses...
Block A: 904.000-909.750 MHz and 927.750-928.000 MHz
Block B: 919.750-921.750 MHz and 927.500-927.750 MHz
Block C: 921.750-927.250 MHz and 927.250-927.500 MHz
Noticed they stayed away from the 910-919 area...that's because there dozens
of other licensed commercial users in that area around here! Very
busy....Very bad for repeaters!
Part 90-353d....
"....Additionally, EA multilateration LMS licenses will be conditioned upon
the licensee's ability to demonstrate through actual field tests that their
systems do not cause unacceptable levels of interference to 47 CFR part 15
devices."
http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/90.353
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Casey" <map at mapinternet.com>
To: <wswss at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2012 5:19 AM
Subject: [Wswss] 902-928MHz Band Plan Proposal by ARRL will restrict
WeakSignal use
> Weak Signal, EME, and FM Simplex and all amateur licensees:
>
> A few days ago the ARRL UHF/Microwave Band Plan Committee issued its'
> "Proposed Band Plan for Amateur Band (902-928 MHz)"
>
> The proposal will severely restrict Weak Signal, CW, SSB, Digital, FM
> Simplex, and EME operation. In the Northeast US, Weak Signal/FM
> Simplex/EME
> operators have been operating under a Band Plan that was approved by both
> the Repeater Coordination Body for the State of Connecticut (CSMA) and the
> North East Weak Signal Group (NEWS) back in 2005. That plan REALLY WORKS
> WELL. It is a reasonable plan for Weak Signal and Repeater users, Analog
> and
> Digital alike.
>
> The total amount of spectrum allocated to Weak Signal/EME in the NEWS
> plan
> is only 1 MHz out of 26 MHz available in the 902-928 band. And, as you
> know,
> with the increase of commercial noise on 902-928 MHz, it is absolutely
> vital
> that Weak Signal ops have a band segment that is a free of noise as
> possible. Some of those "less noisy" segments are allocated to Weak Signal
> in the NEWS Band Plan. And, some of the "less noisy" segments are
> allocated
> to Repeaters. While we all wish for a noise free spectrum, the fact is,
> that
> Repeaters, whether FM or Digital, can stand a little more noise than Weak
> Signal. With noise and interference, Weak Signal Amateurs are unable to
> operate.
>
> The 25 MHz split repeater band, (in the NEWS band plan) which is driven by
> only one type of surplus commercial gear, which may or may not be
> available
> in the future, has 39 repeater pairs, and is located in the least noisy
> area
> of the band. Most of those allocations are unused. And many of the
> "occupied" pairs are very short range or on paper only.
>
> The first commercial ham gear has recently become available. It is the
> Alinco DJ-G29 handheld, and it handles any repeater split available,
> whether
> it is 25MHz,
> 12 MHz, or any other choice of offset. So, the 25MHz split will not be the
> only likely choice in the future, and repeater users will be able to use
> other areas of the band.
>
> As Weak Signal, EME and FM Simplex operators, we need to make our choices
> known to the ARRL UHF/Microwave Band Plan Committee.
>
> Please endorse the NEWS Band Plan as the Common Sense Plan for 902-928
> that gives equal weight to all modes, and leaves room for new modes
> sure to come in the future.
>
> If you agree with the fair NEWS plan, please reply email to this email or
> to
>
> map1 at mapinternet.com
>
> then Please indicate: "Yes to NEWS 902 plan" or just "Yes" and , Your
> callsign and, OK or Not OK to use your name & callsign
>
> If you say "Not OK" to use you name & call, then we will count your
> choice,
> but will Not identify you in any way.
>
> If you say "OK" to use you name & call, then we will count your choice,
> and
> may use your call and name in a list of supporters of the NEWS Band
> Plan for 902-928
>
> If you are a member of a Weak Signal Society, or Club, please bring this
> up
> at the next meeting. Any clubs that would like to join NEWS in this band
> plan will be appreciated.
>
> The ARRL UHF/Microwave Band Plan Committee has only allowed until May 7,
> 2012 for further comments, so we need to make our choices known soon.
>
> Thank-You
> Mark Casey, K1MAP, NEWS Spectrum Manager
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> Here is the NEWS Plan:
>
> On Sept. 25, 2005, after much work, the Connecticut Spectrum Management
> Association (CSMA), which is the repeater coordination body for
> Connecticut,
> and the North East Weak Signal Group (NEWS), which is the weak signal
> organization of record representing Amateurs in the six New England states
> and Eastern New York, completed agreement of the following Band Plan for
> the
> 902-928 MHz amateur band.
>
> NEWS and CSMA Bandplan 902.000-928.000 MHz
>> 902.0000-902.4000 Weak Signal, SSB, CW, Beacons, EME
>> 902.1000 National Calling Frequency-Weak Signal USB, CW
>> 902.2500 SSB/CW/FM DX Calling Frequency
>> 902.3000-902.3750 CW Propagation Beacons, Simplex, Experimental & Mixed
>> Use
>> 902.4000-902.4875 FM Repeater Inputs, 25kHz channels-11-16kBW, 12.5kHz
>> channels-6-11k BW*
>> 902.5000 FM Simplex Calling Frequency
>> 902.5125-902.8750 FM Repeater Inputs, 25kHz channels-11-16kBW, 12.5kHz
>> channels-6-11k BW*
>> 902.9000-903.4000 Weak Signal, SSB, CW, Beacons, EME.
>> 903.1000 National Calling Frequency-East Coast & Alternate-Weak
>> Signal-USB, CW
>> 903.2500 SSB/CW/FM DX Calling Frequency
>> 903.3000-903.3500 CW Propagation Beacons
>> 903.4000-905.0000 Mixed use & Experimental
>> 905.0000-906.000 Digital, Links, Experimental & Mixed Use
>> 906.5000 FM Simplex Calling Frequency
>> 906.0000-910.0000 FM Repeater Inputs, Links,& Coordinated Uses*
>> 910.0000-917.0000 Amateur TV (primary), Experimental & Mixed Use
>> (secondary)*
>> 917.0000-918.0000 Digital, Links, Experimental & Mixed Use
>> 918.5000 FM Simplex Calling Frequency
>> 918.0000-922.0000 FM repeater Outputs, Links,& Coordinated Uses*
>> 922.0000-927.0000 Experimental & Wideband Digital Repeaters*
>> 927.0000-927.4000 FM Simplex & Links
>> 927.4000-927.4875 FM Repeater Outputs, 25kHz channels-11-16kBW, 12.5kHz
>> channels-6-11k BW*
>> 927.5000 FM Simplex Calling Frequency
>> 927.5250-927.8750 FM Repeater Outputs, 25kHz channels-11-16kBW, 12.5kHz
>> channels-6-11k BW*
>> 927.9000-927.9250 CW Propagation Beacons
>> 927.9000-928.0000 Weak Signal, SSB, CW, EME
>> *Repeaters will be coordinated only in the segments indicated
>
> The following segments are important to weak signal and contest operators:
>
> 902.0000-902.4000 Weak Signal, SSB, CW, Beacons, EME
> 902.1000 National Calling Frequency-Weak Signal USB, CW
> 902.2500 SSB/CW/FM DX Calling Frequency (primarily used as an FM simplex
> freq during contests)
> 902.3000-902.3750 CW Propagation Beacons, Simplex, Experimental & Mixed
> 902.5000 FM Simplex Calling Frequency (see 927.500 pair)
> 902.9000-903.4000 Weak Signal, SSB, CW, Beacons, EME.
> 903.1000 National Calling Frequency-East Coast & Alternate-Weak
> Signal-USB,CW
> 903.2500 SSB/CW/FM DX Calling Frequency (primarily used as an FM simplex
> freq during contests)
> 903.3000-903.3500 CW Propagation Beacons
> 906.5000 FM Simplex Calling Frequency (not used very much)
> 918.5000 FM Simplex Calling Frequency (not used very much)
> 927.5000 FM Simplex Calling Frequency (used for general FM simplex
> &contest
> contacts across the country, note that this pairs with 902.500 as a 25MHz
> split)
> 927.9000-927.9250 CW Propagation Beacons
> 927.9000-928.0000 Weak Signal, SSB, CW, EME
>
> As much as possible, we considered uses in other areas when designing this
> plan. Many of the bandplan segments were created specifically to agree
> with
> those segments created in existing the ARRL bandplan, the SERA
> coordination
> plan for the Southeast US, and the Florida Repeater Council. It would be
> good if each regional weak signal group would consider the NEWS
> bandplan, and either adopt it, or a version of it, or even create their
> own
> bandplan consistent with usage in their region of the country.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Here is the ARRL UHF/Microwave Band Plan Committee's Proposed ARRL Band
> Plan
> for a 902-928 MHz Amateur Band as shown in the April 5, 2012 ARRL Letter
> and
> ARRL Website. The proposal pretty much leaves Weak Signal & FM Simplex
> operators out in the cold. It leaves EME out completely.
>
> Proposed Band Plan for Amateur 33 cm Band (902-928 MHz)
> Frequency Range--Mode--From To --Functional Use--Comment
>
> 902.0000-902.0875--FM/other including DV--Repeater inputs
> 902.0125-902.0750
> paired with 927.0125-927.0750 (12.5 kHz channels)
>
> 902.1--CW/SSB--Weak signal calling--Regional option
>
> 902.1125-903.0000--FM/other including DV--Repeater inputs
> 902.1250-902.9875
> paired with 927.1250-927.9875 (12.5 kHzchannels)
>
> 903.0000-903.0875--CW/SSB--Weak signal
>
> 903.1--CW/SSB--Weak signal calling--Regional option
>
> 903.1125-903.2000--CW/SSB--Weak signal
>
> 903.2000-903.4000--CW Beacons
>
> 903.4000-909.0000--Mixed modes, Mixed operations including control links
> 909.0000 915.0000 Analog/digital Multimedia includingATV,DATVand SS
>
> 915.0000-921.0000--Analog/digital Multimedia including ATV,DATVand SS
>
> 921.0000-927.0000--Analog/digital Multimedia including ATV, DATVand SS
>
> 927.0000-927.087--FM/otherincluding DV--Repeater outputs 927.0125-927.0750
> paired with 902.0125-902.0750 (12.5 kHz channels)
>
> 927.1--FM/other--Simplex calling
>
> 927.1125-928.0000--FM/other including DV--Repeater outputs
> 927.1250-927.9875
> paired with 902.1250-902.9875 (12.5 kHz channels)
>
>
>
>
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