An extra 1MHz on 2-Metres?

[G6Tanuki]

Not sure if this is really the right place to post this (if not, mods please feel free to move it somewhere better) but I've received notice that OFCOM have opened a consultation for holders of "Full" amateur-radio licences to operate in the 146-147MHz spectrum-slice, subject to the operator applying for a NoV.

More details here: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/bin...nsultation.pdf

Given that my recent experience is that the existing 144-146MHz amateur allocation is already a wasteland of radio-silence pretty much all of the time, I wonder if this is really a good use of spectrum?

A questions and statements... (when I say we and us I mean transmitting and listening radio amateurs)

1) Would you like your (and my) amateur frequency allocations be reduced?
2) We have free reign on what we do on (in?) the bands, barring encryption, unlike other countries.
3) Amateurs (i.e. not paid) have led the way in using the spectrum, that is why we have got a lot of allocations from 'DC to light', look at the 1920's when 200m and below was considered useless.
4) I agree that most of the VHF/UHF spectrum allocated to us seems unused, what about the spread spectum innovators?
5) Radio enthusiasts lead the way in our modern wi-fi, mobile, always connected world, I bet they design most of the kit.

The sub text may be 'oops we have messed up a bit on the frequency allocations, lets leave it up to the experts' (amateurs!) and give them a bit of encourgement.

[HamishBoxer]

This is correct as iI read it out last night on the RSGB news broadcast as listed reader.

[Restoration73]

If they gave us another 1.5 MHz we could just squeeze in a 405-line channel.

[G6Tanuki]

I'm wondering about the legality of transverting some wideband-FM pilot-tone-stereo from a professional Band-II source I have access to.
Come to think of it, what about future GB2RS transmissions being simulcast using WBFM, broadcast-quality speech-synthesis and the smoothly seductive "Joanna Lumley" voice rather than tying up a human-reader?

[G0HZU_JMR]

I'd vote for giving it over to the public. eg some kind of licence free band for CB and telemetry and some kind of gateway system into the web. eg something along the lines of dstar but cheaper.

[SiriusHardware]

Somewhere along the line I seem to remember reading / hearing that when the Citizen's Band Radio service in the USA was conceived during the 1950s, the 27Mhz frequencies it was allocated had been part of the amateur radio spectrum there.

I agree that VHF would have been technically / useably a much better band for CB radio originally (as typical performance and usage on 2 metres illustrates!), but it would be hard to argue that there is any enthusiasm among the wider public for a new general radio service now.

There is already PMR446, but it is crippled by being limited to voice only / no external audio or data input / output allowed and no external aerials allowed. - maybe just allowing the use of external aerials including beams / purpose made vehicle radios and antennas and external audio and data input / output on equipment for that band would meet the needs you suggest.

Anyway - it seems that 146-147Mhz is already spoken for / protected, for the time being.

[Junk Box Nick]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

OFCOM have opened a consultation for holders of "Full" amateur-radio licences to operate in the 146-147MHz spectrum-slice

Crikey - Perhaps I'll get another crystal ground for my Liner 2.

[Alan Stepney]

There seems to be less 2m activity now than I have ever heard (or not heard) in the past.
It was even busier when we used AM and crystal control.

Given that, I am not sure that more bandwidth is worthwhile, but if we do get it, I would encourage everyone to use it as much as possible.
What we don't use, we may lose!

[G8HQP Dave]

Could we have, say, 500kHz for old-fashioned zonal rock-bound split frequency QSOs? I used to enjoy 2m before channelisation turned it into a form of CB.

[HamishBoxer]

Re your comments Alan,"Tuning From High To Low" comes to mind when xtal controlled AM. Circa 1974 when iI passed the RAE.

Also had a Liner 2 and no it did not "splatter". Hope have not gone OT here.

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by G8HQP Dave

Could we have, say, 500kHz for old-fashioned zonal rock-bound split frequency QSOs? I used to enjoy 2m before channelisation turned it into a form of CB.

Given the current price of crystals, coupled with the "transient" nature of the 146-147MHz proposal, I don't think I'll be investing in any new rocks for my collection of Pye Westmonsters.

[Junk Box Nick]

It's been a long time since I looked at the band plans. I remember the tuning high to low days - a lad at school got his class B licence and set up a Pye Ranger along with an Eddystone EC10 and a MOSFET converter. The trick was to spin the dial with enough force that it travelled gently down the band without further assistance. I don't know what room there is for AM and whether it ever gets used.

My first outings on 2m were using the RSGB Handbook design nuvistor converter tuning 2-4MHz. I still have that converter and have thought about restoring it. The receiver it worked with is currently under restoration.

I had great fun with my Liner 2. By the time I got mine Trio, Yaesu and Icom were on the scene and it had become a much derided 'stone age' set. Fortunately there was plenty scope to make modifications and I did much work on mine to produce a clean output with good audio and improve the receive capabilities. I even used it for CW. I learned a heck of a lot in the process.

[Peter.N.]

I remember the days when it was difficult to find a clear channel on 2m and they were talking about 12.5khz channel spacing - how times have changed. While its always nice to have some extra space, its on HF we really need it, although even that's quieter than it used to be. I do hear the occasional 2m station here but I do live at 500' asl.

Peter

[Aub]

Originally Posted by G8HQP Dave

Could we have, say, 500kHz for old-fashioned zonal rock-bound split frequency QSOs? I used to enjoy 2m before channelisation turned it into a form of CB.

Spot on!

[Radio Wrangler]

Wonder if it's pan-European?

David

[SiriusHardware]

Originally Posted by G8HQP Dave

Could we have, say, 500kHz for old-fashioned zonal rock-bound split frequency QSOs? I used to enjoy 2m before channelisation turned it into a form of CB.

That's a bit harsh - channelisation of PART of the band did make it possible to use that part for something akin to a civilised form of CB - one of many equally valid ways of operating on the amateur bands. If you prefer to tune around in 1Hz steps there's still the 'all mode' part of the band.

The days when everyone had a different fixed TX frequency and tuned up and down on a continuously tuneable receiver sound like a way of working which was imposed, not chosen, primarily due to the prohibitive cost of crystals. I can understand why it was done that way then - but it would have been mad to continue that way after the introduction of frequency synthesisers. However did you manage a three way conversation or a net?

Many higher end bench top transceivers have dual VFOs for split-frequency TX/RX working, so if you insist, you could still work 2m in the 'old' way just for fun.

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler

Wonder if it's pan-European? David

No - from speaking to the OFCOM guys this is a UK-only initiative. And to be reviewed annually - hence my thought that it would be ill-advised to invest in crystals for the 'band' given that it could be terminated at short notice.

[SiriusHardware]

I'm not intimately familiar with the transceivers in question, but assuming the mode to be AM, you could possibly use one of the ubiquitous AD9850 Direct -Digital - Synthesis modules (driven by an Arduino Uno, perhaps) to generate the spot frequencies required for the duration. It depends on the actual crystal frequencies required, as I don't think the modules in question can go higher than about 50-60Mhz.

- If the band then got pulled, you would just re-use the DDS for some other purpose.

[G8HQP Dave]

Originally Posted by SiriusHardware

If you prefer to tune around in 1Hz steps there's still the 'all mode' part of the band.

1Hz steps? I prefer to have continuous tuning. In the good old days of 2m my receiver was a homebrew MOSFET convertor feeding a homebrew 28-30MHz hybrid receiver: valve push-pull front-end loosely based on a G2DAF design, with a 17.3-19.3MHz JFET LO. Although I used FM, this was stable enough to receive SSB with just an occasional tweak.

The problem with the 'all-mode' section is that it is littered with dedicated 'channels'.

I have plans to use 4m - an extra 500kHz there would be nice!