Amateur Tools

On November 18, the FCC released a Report and Order (R&O), defining new rules for the 60 meter (5 MHz) band. In the R&O, the FCC replaced one of the channels in the band, increased the maximum authorized power amateur stations may transmit in this band and authorized amateur stations to transmit three additional emission designators in the five channels in the 5330.6-5406.4 kHz band (60 meters).

Here is a summary of the changes:

• The frequency 5368.0 kHz (carrier frequency 5366.5 kHz) is withdrawn and a new frequency of 5358.5 kHz (carrier frequency 5357.0 kHz) is authorized.
  
  
• The effective radiated power limit in the 60 meter band is raised by 3 dB, from 50 W PEP to 100 W PEP, relative to a half-wave dipole. If another type of antenna is used, the station licensee must maintain a record of either the antenna manufacturer’s data on the antenna gain or calculations of the antenna gain.
  
  
• Three additional emission types are authorized. Data (emission designator 2K80J2D, i.e. PACTOR-III), RTTY (emission designator 60H0J2B, i.e. PSK31), and CW (150HA1A, i.e. Morse telegraphy by means of on-off keying.) For CW, the carrier frequency must be set to the center frequency. For data and RTTY, the requirement to transmit “only on the five center frequencies specified” may be met by using the same practice as on USB, i.e. by setting the suppressed carrier frequency of the USB transmitter used to generate the J2D and J2B emission to the carrier frequency that is 1.5 kHz below the center frequency.

Additional information on the changes can be found here.

The following models and firmware versions also provide for the above mentioned 60
meter (5 MHz) band changes:

< Back to Amateur Tools