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From the ARRL Letter:
The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology on September 13 granted Part
5 experimental license WD2XSH to the ARRL on behalf of a group of radio
amateurs interested in investigating spectrum in the vicinity of 500 kHz.
The two-year authorization permits experimentation and research between 505
and 510 kHz (600 meters) using narrowband modes at power levels of up to 20From the ARRL Letter:
The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology on September 13 granted Part
5 experimental license WD2XSH to the ARRL on behalf of a group of radio
amateurs interested in investigating spectrum in the vicinity of 500 kHz.
The two-year authorization permits experimentation and research between 505
and 510 kHz (600 meters) using narrowband modes at power levels of up to 20
W effective radiated power (ERP). ARRL Member Fritz Raab, W1FR, of Vermont,
will serve as experimental project manager for “The 500 KC Experimental
Group for Amateur Radio” <http://www.500kc.com/>“I’m kind of excited to see how we can apply modern technology to a ‘classic
part’ of the radio spectrum,” Raab told ARRL this week. He pointed out that
500 kHz – the traditional maritime emergency frequency – is roughly
geometrically halfway between the 136 kHz experimental band and the 160
meter amateur allocation.“In contrast to 160 meters, 500 kHz is low enough to offer good groundwave
propagation, but in contrast to 137 kHz it is high enough to allow us to
engage in real communication with realistic equipment.” Raab eventually
would like to see at least a secondary 600-meter amateur allocation from 495
to 510 kHz.“Besides the opportunities for experimenting at low frequencies, that
frequency is well suited to regional groundwave communication,” Raab said.
He envisions eventual use of the spectrum to provide Amateur Radio emergency
communication via groundwave, without having to deal with the vagaries of
the ionosphere or causing interference to other services.For about a century, the 500 kHz region was an important band for maritime
communication, emergency and otherwise. The band is occasionally used by
“heritage” commercial maritime stations, such as the Maritime Radio
Historical Society’s KPH on the West Coast, on special occasions. 500 kHz
remains designated as an official maritime emergency CW frequency, although
the vast majority of maritime users have shifted to satellite-based systems.In addition to experimentation and regional emergency work, Raab says he
believes that the 505-510 kHz spectrum could serve as “an historic band”
that could support various commemorative special event-type operations.
Proposals are under consideration in the UK and Ireland to establish an
experimental Amateur Radio allocation in the vicinity of 500 kHz.The WD2XSH project calls for operation from 21 discrete fixed sites spread
throughout the US. Participants all are electrical professionals, many with
maritime radio backgrounds, Raab said, adding that operation already has
begun. The group eventually will be seeking reports from non-participants,
he said.Raab says the gear participants will use represents “every kind of antenna
and equipment you can imagine,” including surplus vacuum-tube maritime
units. At his Colchester, Vermont, location he’s using a 42-foot vertical,
but others are employing inverted Ls, loops and Marconis, among others.Raab was a co-author of the article “A 100-W Class-D Power Amplifier for LF
and MF,” which appeared in the March-April edition of QEX
<http://www.arrl.org/qex/2006/03/toc.pdf>. He’s using an amplifier of that
design for his WD2XSH operations.The FCC turned down a 1998 petition from the ARRL to create an Amateur Radio
“sliver band” in the vicinity of 136 kHz, but some US amateur licensees have
obtained FCC Part 5 Experimental licenses to research the possibilities of
LF, including transatlantic and transpacific propagation. Amateur Radio
licensees in Europe and elsewhere already have access to 135.7 to 137.8 kHz,
and several hams in Canada have authorization to operate there using Amateur
Radio call signs.
Total posts : 45366Hi John,
Thanks for the post but I wonder why this is limited to a chosen few. I suppose this a way to try it without chaos but the propagation characteristics are well know on this frequency and it seems there is really not much experimentation that needs to be done.
Just wonder what you and others think about this.
Neil
Total posts : 45366What modes will be allowed?
Total posts : 45366Currently only CW (Morse Code) is allowed but the group is petitioning for Packet mode.
Here is a link, shown in the original post, to the web site for the Amateur 500 KC Experimental Group.
They are on the air and reporting contacts of 300 miles to over 1200 miles.
The site has info regarding equipment and antennas.
Total posts : 45366I fired up my “big ear” dipole and my Yaesu FRG100 on 506 kHz. and I hear nothing.
I am interested in why the FCC and the ARRL apparently believe that this frequency band needs to be subjected to experimentation by a limited number of amateur radio operators under an ARRL call sign since the propagation characteristics at 500 kHz. have been know since the Titanic sank in 1912.
Does anyone have an answer or an opinion?
Neil
Total posts : 45366maybe use it or lose it?
WDCX AM1610 Part 15
John
Owner-Operator-Chief Engineer-Program Manager
Total posts : 45366John,
That was pretty much on my mind regarding this. It would seem that the more users the less likely the loss. That’s why I wondered why it is restricted to just a handful of tx. stations.
I have been listening on and off for a while around 506 kHz. and have heard nothing. My receiver/antenna works since I hear aircraft nav. markers near this frequency.
Neil
Total posts : 45366Neil.
I’m not sure it’s reserved for a handful of hams, it might be that hams are the only ones who applied for experimental use. Then again I could be wrong.
WDCX AM1610 Part 15
John
Owner-Operator-Chief Engineer-Program Manager
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