2200-meter band

The 2200 meter or 136 kHz band is the lowest frequency band in which amateur radio operators are allowed to transmit. It was formally allocated to amateurs at the 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07). The band is available on a secondary basis in all ITU regions with the limitation that amateur stations have maximum radiated power of 1 Watt effective isotropic radiated power.

The 2200 meter band is in the low frequency (LF) region, just below the 153–279 kHz longwave broadcasting band.

History

The International Telecommunication Union's 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07) in Geneva agreed a secondary allocation of 135.7–137.8 kHz to the Amateur Service on Friday, 9 November 2007. Prior to the ITU formal allocation some countries did have access or predecessors. For example, in the UK, operation on the even lower frequency of 73 kHz had been allowed from 1996 until 2003. A small number of countries also have limited license-exempt use (LowFER).

International frequency allocation

A number of European countries have already allocated the zone 135.7–137.8 kHz to amateur radio use based on CEPT/ERC Recommendation 62-01 E ("Use of the band 135.7-137.8 kHz by the Amateur Service", Mainz 1997). The allocation is on a secondary basis with a maximum ERP power of 1 W. Otherwise the band 130–148.5 is allocated on a primary base to the Maritime Mobile Service and the Fixed Service. The main users are naval one-way transmissions and radiolocation systems.

Technical issues

Such low frequency transmissions require specialized equipment – usually custom made. In countries where it is allowed, maximum radiated power is usually limited to 1 Watt (0 dBW or 30 dBm), but even this can be extremely difficult to achieve from practical equipment and antennas. Reception also poses problems due to considerable natural and man-made noise and interference (QRN and QRM).

Many users and experimenters have settled on extremely slow, computer-generated and displayed Morse code as the most common transmission mode. This mode is known as QRSS, where the doubling of the ‘S’ emphasises the extreme slowness. (The international Q code QRS means “Please send more slowly”, or “slow Morse” in radio jargon.)

Band plan

The 2005 IARU Region 1 Conference defined the band as follows:[1]

135.7–136.0 kHz
Station Tests and transatlantic reception window
136.0–137.4 kHz
Telegraphy
137.4–137.6 kHz
Non-Telegraphy digital modes
137.6–137.8 kHz
Very slow telegraphy centred on 137.7 kHz

United States

There is no active 136 kHz amateur allocation in the United States.

In 1998, the FCC rejected an ARRL petition for LF allocations at 135.7–137.8 kHz and 160–190 kHz. In 2002, indications from the FCC had been that 136 kHz privileges would be authorized soon. On 14 May 2003, however, the FCC declined to grant these privileges citing concerns over potential interference with power line communications (PLC) systems operating unlicensed under Part 15 which are used by electrical utilities to send control through the power grid. But the FCC added that amateurs wishing to experiment with 136 kHz communications may apply for a Part 5 Experimental License [2] or operate under Part 15 regulations for this part of the electromagnetic spectrum. In the case of Part 15, the field strength measured 300 meters from the antenna may not exceed 2,400 microVolts per meter divided by the frequency in kilohertz, or approximately 17 μV/m.

On 19 November 2012, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking [3] demonstrating intent to authorize the amateur service as a secondary user of the LF band between 135.7 and 137.8 kHz with a maximum EIRP of 1 Watt. The notice seeks to reexamine the 2003 rejection citing the international allocation of the band in all ITU regions by WRC-07 and the lack of use by the primary allocation holders. The notice seeks further comment and empirical evidence regarding interference to PLC systems based on data collected by experimental licenses granted in the United States and by other stations around the world.

On 27 April 2015 the Federal Communications Commission announced a preliminary decision to permit amateur operation on a secondary basis from 135.7–137.8 kHz, at a maximum output of 1 Watt EIRP.[4]

Countries in which operation is permitted

Countries with a known band allocation

Countries with past or current experimental operation

See also

References

  1. ↑ "International Amateur Radio Union Region 1" (PDF). Archived from the original (pdf) on 2005-12-29. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
  2. ↑ FCC 47 CFR Part 5 Rules: Experimental Radio Service (other than broadcast)
  3. ↑ FCC ET Docket 12-338
  4. ↑ Report and Order, Order, and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking FCC-15-50A1 (2015-04-27) Federal Communications Commission
  5. ↑ "Belgian Rules and regulations". Belgian Amateur Radio Society. 2010-04-21. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  6. ↑ JOURNAL OFFICIEL DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE
  7. 1 2 "Décision no 2013-1515" [Decision No. 2013-1515] (PDF) (Press release) (in French). Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes. Réseau des Émetteurs Français. 17 December 2013. pp. 4–5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  8. ↑ Government Gazette, issue B'2845/23 October 2012
  9. ↑ page 23
  10. ↑ http://members.shaw.ca/ve7sl/136.html 136 kHz Report, retrieved 2011 August 13
  11. ↑ http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf09688.html
  12. ↑ "Australian Amateur Band Plans" (PDF). Wireless Institute of Australia. 6 August 2011. p. 3. Retrieved 2011-08-13. The following plan is recommended as an interim plan for the 2200 metre band. This plan is based on the unofficial 2200 metre band plan adopted by LF operators in ITU Region I.
  13. ↑ "HISTORY of LF / MF / VLF Bands". Alex (R7NT) in Russia.
  14. ↑ "Japanese Bandplans" (PDF). Japan Amateur Radio League.
  15. ↑ "New Zealand Amateur Radio Bandplans" (PDF). New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters. 2011. p. 1. Retrieved 2011-08-13. 0.130 to 0.190 MHz – 1800 metres Radiated power must not exceed 5 W e.i.r.p.
  16. ↑ "Philippine Radio Hams get 7200-7300 kHz". Southgate Amateur Radio Club. September 1, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  • Dodd, Peter (2000). Low frequency experimenter's handbook. Potters bar,UK: Radio Society of Great Britain. ISBN 1-872309-65-8. 
  • Dennison, M.; Moritz, J. (2007). LF Today: a guide to success on 136 and 500kHz. Potters bar,UK: Radio Society of Great Britain. ISBN 978-1-905086-36-8. 
International amateur radio frequency allocations
Range Band ITU Region 1 ITU Region 2 ITU Region 3
LF 2200 m 135.7 kHz – 137.8 kHz
MF 600 m 472 kHz – 479 kHz
160 m 1.810 MHz – 1.850 MHz 1.800 MHz – 2.000 MHz
HF 80 / 75 m 3.500 MHz – 3.800 MHz 3.500 MHz – 4.000 MHz 3.500 MHz – 3.900 MHz
60 m 5.3515 MHz – 5.3665 MHz
40 m 7.000 MHz – 7.200 MHz 7.000 MHz – 7.300 MHz 7.000 MHz – 7.200 MHz
30 m2 10.100 MHz – 10.150 MHz
20 m 14.000 MHz – 14.350 MHz
17 m2 18.068 MHz – 18.168 MHz
15 m 21.000 MHz – 21.450 MHz
12 m2 24.890 MHz – 24.990 MHz
10 m 28.000 MHz – 29.700 MHz
VHF 6 m 50.000 MHz – 52.000 MHz1 50.000 MHz – 54.000 MHz
4 m1 70.000 MHz – 70.500 MHz N/A
2 m 144.000 MHz – 146.000 MHz 144.000 MHz – 148.000 MHz
1.25 m N/A 220.000 MHz – 225.000 MHz N/A
UHF 70 cm 430.000 MHz – 440.000 MHz 430.000 – 440.000 MHz
(420.000 – 450.000 MHz)3
33 cm N/A 902.000 MHz – 928.000 MHz N/A
23 cm 1.240 GHz – 1.300 GHz
13 cm 2.300 GHz – 2.450 GHz
SHF 9 cm 3.400 GHz – 3.475 GHz3 3.300 GHz – 3.500 GHz
5 cm 5.650 GHz – 5.850 GHz 5.650 GHz – 5.925 GHz 5.650 GHz – 5.850 GHz
3 cm 10.000 GHz – 10.500 GHz
1.2 cm 24.000 GHz – 24.250 GHz
EHF 6 mm 47.000 GHz – 47.200 GHz
4 mm3 75.500 GHz1 – 81.500 GHz 76.000 GHz – 81.500 GHz
2.5 mm 122.250 GHz – 123.000 GHz
2 mm 134.000 GHz – 141.000 GHz
1 mm 241.000 GHz – 250.000 GHz
THF Sub-mm Some administrations have authorized spectrum for amateur use in this region.

1 This is not mentioned in the ITU's Table of Frequency Allocations, but individual administrations may make allocations under Article 4.4 of the ITU Radio Regulations. See the appropriate Wiki page for further information.
2 HF allocation created at the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference. These are commonly called the "WARC bands".
3 This includes a currently active footnote allocation mentioned in the ITU's Table of Frequency Allocations. These allocations may only apply to a group of countries.

See also: Radio spectrum · Electromagnetic spectrum
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/29/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.