(Source: CQ Newsroom & FCC)
Hams in the U.S. will soon have two new bands on which to operate, experiment and contribute to the collective knowledge of “the radio art.” In a Report and Order issued on March 30, the FCC approved creation of secondary amateur allocations at 135.7-137.8 kHz (2200 meters) and 472-479 kHz (630 meters), the first amateur bands with wavelengths above 200 meters since the dawn of radio regulation.
The new bands come with lots of strings attached, since they will be shared with “PLC” systems used by electric utilities to control the nation’s power grid. Hams will be limited to fixed station operation, antennas no higher than 60 meters (196 feet) above ground and radiated power limits of 1 watt effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) on 2200 meters and 5 watts EIRP on 630 meters (1 watt in some parts of Alaska). Plus, operation on these bands will not be allowed within one kilometer of electric transmission lines using PLC and advance notice of all planned operation to the PLC network coordinator will be required.[…]
Click here to download the full Report and Order from the FCC (PDF).
Not that I’m a General class (yet) but this will be perfectly useless for me. I’m within 1 km of power lines operating PLC. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m less than 50 feet from them at any given time.
They finally found a use for this spectrum wasteland. Right now it is used as a leaching field for the QRM cesspool. It seems that every CFL lamp and high efficiency power supply is broadcasting in that band. Maybe the Hams will come up with a way dealing with it and put pressure on the FCC to get the electronics industry to clean up it’s act with all these unintentional radiators.
The only way to receive anything IMO is to follow the
Guidelines stated in 2002 by an Italian ham:
1.All equipment portable so you can move away
from The Infernal Noise.
2.All equipment battery powered-no switching power supplies.
3.Use a Loop to null out The Infernal Noise.
This guy used a homebrew hula hoop longwave loop
and a Kaito 1103 receiver,his quietest place was outside
his town next to a vineyard.
(You can search YouTube for the NG9D hula hoop longwave loop.)
Using the above practices got all five European LWBC here.
(If you’d rather buy than build,get the 14 inch PK Loop.)
YouTube NG9D longwave loop:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ng9d+youtube+longwave+loop&view=detail&mid=19754959942898A294A919754959942898A294A9&FORM=VIRE
PK longwave Loop:
http://amradioantennas.com/longwave_antennas.htm
Be sure to get the 150-500 khz version for full coverage.
Depending on the U.S.-Aus. exchange rate,expect around
$100 or so by airmail to your door.
Finally!