Topband: RM 11305/11306

[Jim Kearman]

> The Communications Think Tank proposal, based on the first
> 7 pages of 16 having been read, is less clear as to what it
> wants.  Among other things, it comments about discouraging
> (or is it disallowing?) split operation for DX.  It will
> require a bit of study to find what I suspect are old pitfalls
> in this one.

I think they are referring to the dissimilar voice-mode subbands on several bands; eg, 75 and 40. That requires split operation. IMO that isn't all bad as it gives the DX a place to ragchew when the bands are long, without getting jumped on by U.S. stations. 

I'm pretty skeptical about voluntary bandplans. They work more or less on 160, due to relatively low occupancy, and the enduring culture on topband. As the wall-to-wall SSB on 40 during the last CQWW SSB test showed, they don't stand a prayer on other bands. International regulation by bandwidth would prevent that, if the U.S. can convince ITU to go along. 

73,

Jim, KR1S
http://kr1s.kearman.com/