Transcript www.bosshardradio.com

60 Meters – A New Frontier







Why the 5 Mhz / 60 Meter Band ?
MUF and LUF.
Propagation – Skywave and Groundwave.
EMCOM and NVIS.
Simple Rules
What you will find on the air.
Going Forward.
Why the 5 Mhz / 60 Meter Band ?



40 Meters cannot support reliable communications
during ½ of each 11 year sunspot cycle and
daytime D layer absorption makes 80 Meter
daytime communications ineffective.
The 60 Meter band falls between D and E Layer
daytime absorption and F Layer Maximum Usable
Frequency.
The ARRL petitioned the FCC for rulemaking to
create a 150 Khz secondary use band with no
restrictions July 24th of 2001.
Why the 5 Mhz / 60 Meter Band ?
The ARRL Petition




Even logarithmic distribution of HF bands makes 5
Mhz a logical choice.
Propagation characteristics make 60 Meters a
logical choice.
Amateur Radio successfully shares the 30 Meter
band on a secondary basis.
Both the National Telecommunications
Information Agency (NTIA), who regulates use of
Government allocations in the 5 Mhz band and the
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)
recognize the need for a 60 Meter allocation.
Why the 5 Mhz / 60 Meter Band ?
The ARRL Petition



There are several proposals for a 5 Mhz Amateur
Radio band in Europe and the UK has a proposal
similar to that of the ARRL.
Ongoing experimental operation by WA2XSY
demonstrate favorable propagation in coastal areas
needing disaster communications frequencies and
co-existence of Federal and Amateur operations in
the same band.
Going forward the trend is for Federal and other
current users of the 5 Mhz band to migrate toward
Satellite and Under Sea Fiber Optic comms.
Why the 5 Mhz / 60 Meter Band ?
GRANTED

In May, 2003, a long-awaited FCC Report and
Order (R&O) in ET Docket 02-98 granted US
amateurs secondary access to five discrete
channels in the vicinity of 5 MHz. The atypical
amateur allocation became available to US
amateurs on July 3, 2003.
Why the 5 Mhz / 60 Meter Band ?
Not exactly what we asked for.


Amateur radio was granted 5 channels instead of a
150 Khz band because the NTIA had last minute
second thoughts.
The Petition sought no special restrictions other
than to protect incumbent primary users. In our
grant we are limited to 50 Watts PEP into a ½
wave dipole antenna, USB Phone, and 2.8 Khz
channels on a non-interfering basis.
LUF and MUF


LUF, the Lowest Usable Frequency is determined
by primarily by Daytime Absorption in the D and
E layers of the Ionosphere. Ultraviolet light from
the sun causes these layers to become ionized and
they absorb low frequency radio waves.
MUF, the Maximum Usable Frequency is
determined by the F Layer of the ionosphere.
Signals above the MUF pass through this layer
into space. Signals at and below the MUF are
reflected back to the earth.
Layers of the Ionosphere
Propagation, Skywave and Ground
Wave.


Skywave propagation depends on absorption and
reflection in the different layers of the ionosphere.
Ground Wave propagation depends on free space
loss, scatterers, obstructions, and curvature of the
earth as well as reflections and refraction causing
constructive and destructive interference patterns.
This is the primary mode of propagation for VHF /
UHF communications and Lower HF Frequencies
in the 2 and 3 Mhz bands.
Skywave Propagation
Layers of the Ionosphere


The D Layer is closest to the Earth and extends
between 37 and 57 miles above the Earth.
Ultraviolet rays from the Sun excite the molecules
in this relatively dense layer to cause very high
absorption in the 160 and 75 Meter bands during
daylight hours.
The E Layer is between 62 and 71 miles above the
surface of the Earth and is likewise causes
absorption of lower frequencies to a lesser degree
than the D Layer.
Skywave Propogation
Layers of the Ionosphere


The F Layer is actually two Layers, F1 and F2 that
instead of absorbing radio waves, re-radiate
signals and through refraction direct them back
towards the Earth.
There may be multiple hops and also long path and
short path communications.
EMCOM and NVIS


The 60 Meter Band came into being to provide
regional radio communications when traditional
infrastructure fails during widespread disasters like
the hurricanes in recent years, or whiteouts where
power and telephone service is interrupted in a
wide area.
Near Vertical Incident Skywave (NVIS)
propagation provides regional coverage through a
distributed network of stations using low to
moderate power levels.
NVIS
NVIS Concept

Visualize NVIS propagation like a water hose
spraying straight up, and the water coming down
and covering a large close in area.
NVIS – High Angle Radiation Ant.
NVIS is a Technique, not an
Antenna.
What the FCC Rules Say
{97.303}(s)



An amateur station having an operator holding a
General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class license
may only transmit single sideband, suppressedcarrier (emission type 2K8J3E) upper sideband on
the channels 5332 kHz, 5348 kHz, 5368 kHz, 5373
kHz and 5405 kHz.
Amateur operators shall ensure that their
transmission occupies only the 2.8 kHz centered
around each of these frequencies.
Transmissions shall not exceed an effective
radiated power (ERP) of 50 W PEP.
What the FCC Rules Say
{97.303}(s)



For the purpose of computing ERP, the transmitter
PEP will be multiplied with the antenna gain
relative to a dipole or the equivalent calculation in
decibels.
A half-wave dipole antenna will be presumed to
have a gain of 0 dBd.
Licensees using other antennas must maintain in
their station records either manufacturer data on
the antenna gain or calculations of the antenna
gain.
What the FCC Rules Say
{97.303}(s)

No amateur station shall cause harmful
interference to stations authorized in the mobile
and fixed services; nor is any amateur station
protected from interference due to the operation of
any such station.
What the FCC Rules Mean.




Upper Sideband Suppressed Carrier Phone ONLY!
- 2K8J3E
Channels: 5332, 5348, 5368, 5373, and 5405 Khz.
These frequencies are indicate “Center of
Intelligence” or Channel Centers. Amateur radios
'typically' indicate carrier frequency. With single
sideband, where the carrier is suppressed, the dial
indicates where the carrier should would be.
The LOWER edge of each channel is 1.5 Khz
below the center of intelligence, or 5330.5, 5346.5,
5366.5, 5371.5, and 5403.5 Khz.
What the FCC Rules Mean.




Most Amateur Radios display this LOWER
frequency.
The UPPER edge of each channel is 1.5 Khz.
Above the center of intelligence, or 3 Khz. above
the LOWER edge of each channel or 5333.5,
5349.5, 5369.5, 5374.5, and 5406.6 Khz.
We are authorized 2.8 Khz. occupied bandwidth
which equals an audio range between 100 Hz, and
2900 Hz.
If your radio has transmit audio contouring, it is
best to run the radio with flat audio in a narrow
setting and avoid compression.
What the FCC Rules Mean.


Transmitter Output Power is limited to 50 Watts
Peak Envelope Power into a ½ Wave Dipole. You
may use a different antenna but you are required to
maintain gain calculations in your station records.
This is a requirement unique to the 60 Meter Band.
And the obvious, Amateur Radio is SECONDARY
to government and commercial users.
ON THE AIR.






LISTEN CAREFULLY.
The channels are refered to as 1 thru 5 in order of
frequency, starting with Channel 1, 5330.5 Khz.
Channel 3 has data transmissions from a
government user and is mostly unusable in this
part of the US.
Channel 5 is shared with the UK and other nations
and somewhat reserved for DX contacts.
You will find many stations in the South East US
using channel 4.
Courtesy Prevails.
60 Meters in other Countries
UK
USA
ICELAND
FINLAND
CW, USB & Digital Modes
USB
CW & USB
USB
Channel
Centre Freq kHz
USB Carrier Freq
Centre
kHzFreq kHz
USB Carrier Freq
Centre
kHzFreq kHz
USB Carrier Freq
Centre
kHzFreq kHz
USB Carrier Freq kHz
FA
5260
5258.5
FB
5280
5278.5
5280
5278.5
5280
5278.6
FC
5290
5288.5
5290
5288.5
5290
5288.6
5300
5298.6
FK
FL
5368
5373
5366.5
5371.5
FE
5400
5398.5
FM
5405
5403.5
5332
5330.5
5332
5330.5
5332
5330.6
5348
5368
5373
5346.5
5366.5
5371.5
5348
5368
5373
5346.5
5366.5
5371.5
5348
5368
5373
5346.6
5366.6
5371.6
5400
5398.5
5400
5398.6
5405
5403.5
5405
5403.5
N5TD's 60 Meter Butternut Vertical
Modifying Radios







To use the Kenwood TS850/950 move one diode.
To use the Icom Pro 1 or 2 remove 2 diodes.
The Kenwood TS-50 is simple to mod.
The Icom IC-7000 is ready – Mars/Cap mods
allow transmitting a carrier for antenna tuning.
Modification Info at www.mods.dk
Also there are a couple of yahoo groups for 60
Meters.
Also www.arrl.org 60 Meter FAQ
Going Forward



October 27, 2006 ARRL Comments to the FCC in
preparation for the World Administrative Radio
Conference, 2007.
In these Comments the ARRL cites the need for a
150 Khz. Allocation in the 5 Mhz. Band to provide
communications when the Maximum Usable
Frequency is below 7 Mhz. and the Lowest Usable
Frequency is above 4 Mhz.
The ARRL makes reference to Amateur Radios
current record of sharing and other Countries use
of the 60 Meter band.
In Closing




The 60 Meter Band is a viable resource for
Amateur Radio today.
Unique characteristics of this band overshadow
power and usage limitations.
60 Meters fills a need not served by other bands.
Consistent and Steady work by the ARRL will
bring this band to further fruition for all Radio
Amateurs.
Credits:




FCC Petition Information – ARRL, Inc.
“60 Meters in other Countries” by
[email protected]
“NVIS, Another Look” by Tom Sanders, W6QJI
and Ed Bruette, N7NVP.
“NVIS by Norm Fusaro”, W3IZ