Monday, April 06, 2009

7100-7200 Now Amateur

At the end of March, the long awaited radio regulation change became final on the spectrum between 7100 and 7200 kHz in ITU Regions 1 and 3.

This is the 40 meter amateur band. Amateurs are now primary in this allocation. International broadcast stations should have all moved out, though it's likely a few stragglers remain. However, now they are intruders, not valid authorized users.

In exchange, the spectrum above this band, which goes to 7300 in the Western Hemisphere, is now primarily broadcasting. Canadian time station CHU changed frequency at the beginning of this year as a result of broadcast interference to this formerly fixed-service primary allocation. The new frequency is 7850 kHz R3E (reduced-carrier upper sideband).