Topband: Overseas Allocations

[Donald Chester]

>If you think about 160M, it was historically the "bastard child" of Loran 
>for
>many years.  Finally around 1980 we got the full band back and then, some
>time later we got the upper band back at a full KW power level.
>
>If you think that was progress at a snail's pace, consider this - BELGIUM
>(ON) did not get 160M back until JANUARY 1, 1987!
>
>Hungary came even later I think.  That's hard to believe.

We STILL haven't got the full band back.  Before WWII, the U.S. band was 
1715-2000, with a cw subband from 1715-1800.  For a brief period, the band 
was shifted to 1750-2050, a full 300 khz, but Pearl Harbor ended that, 
perhaps before anyone ever transmitted in the newly-allocated 2000-2050 
segment.

Today, the spectrum between 1705 (the expanded AM BC band) and 1800 is 
occupied by Radiolocation, but in recent years the radiolocation activity 
has been dropping off.  1900-2000 is shared with radiolocation; there were a 
half dozen or so beacons in operation in the early 90's, but now there is 
only one station that is regularly heard (the one on about 1947 kHz).  I 
suspect the advent of GPS is leading to the gradual demise of 160m 
radiolocation.

If radiolocation goes away, who will inherit the spectrum?  Maybe the 
amateur community should begin lobbying for the return of 1715-1800 kHz!

Don K4KYV

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