Earlier News (2004):
Due to the recent allocation of 'spot' frequencies for the use of Amateur Radio Clubs in Finland, I decided to make enquiries to the Finnish Amateur Radio League as to what Clubs were licenced and active. My email was forwarded to Marko, OH2LRD who replied with a lot of interesting information. Marko seemed keen to make attempts to increase activity on 5 MHz in Finland and has decided to organize a '5 MHz Activity Afternoon' due to be held on the 28th February 2004 beginning at 1330 UTC.
As
UK and Finnish NoV holders are licenced to operate on three channels with
the same centre frequency, it may be possible to make two-way contacts
on SSB. UK NoV holders should remember that the primary purpose for their
having any allocation in the first place is to make experimental studies
of propagation, antennas etc within the UK. The RSGB has issued guidlines
in their FAQ's, which indicate that contact with licenced amateurs in
the USA may be carried out in the context of experimentation. I would
assume the same rules apply for making contacts with the Finnish amateurs
on their Activity Day. Therefore, if the band gets busy, we should keep
contacts
brief (exchange reports etc) and try to maintain an orderly conduct. If
the day proves to increase activity in both Finland and the UK, then it
can only be useful in both countries. UK operators can obviously still
make exchanges with other UK operators in SINPO form.
As there has been some activity between US and UK 5 MHz operators, I am hoping the US amateurs will show a presence also - probably later into the evening - and that they may give reports to the Fins also. It became apparent from my communication with Marko that their licencing permits only SSB and 50 watts in line with the US and that they share four channels (none of which are in common with the UK channels).
Follow this link for the Finland, UK & USA frequency allocations.
There follows the emails between SRAL, OH2LRD and myself:
To: The Finnish Amateur Radio League
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to enquire if you have any knowledge or information about which Amateur radio clubs in Finland have a license to operate on the 5 MHz experimental frequencies. I see that there are the following frequencies which may permit simplex communications with UK operators:
5288.6 kHz
5398.6 kHz
In the UK we have two frequencies which are within 100 Hz of each of the above and so could be used. I am keen to make contact with Finnish operators and would like to arrange such an event. Would you be able to forward me any information as to which clubs are licensed for 5 MHz operations?
Regards,
Robert Hemesley MM1RAH
Dear Robert
Your e-mail is sendt further to Marko OH2LRD. He is an expert on 5 MHz
(as I
know).
marko PSE send this further if You know anyone else QRV on 5 MHZ.
73!
Pasi oh3ws
President of SRAL
Hello Robert!
Thank you for your mail. Due to your mail I am now organizing an Finnish 5 MHz activity afternoon. It will take place february 28th 2004 beginning around 1330UTC.
I try to push 5 MHz stations on our new 60m band at that day. I have informed the stations about your frequency status (those two opportunities to keep QSO:s) so you will hear CQ:s there also.
I know these 5MHz club stations in Finland, but this list will be updated next week because I think there is now more stations:
Signals and Electrotechnical School's Radio Amateur Club
Station
OI3W/OI3AY
Signals Regiment Radio Amateur Club Station OI3AX
Southern Finland Signals Battallions Radio Amateur Club Station OI3AI
Artjarvi Telecommunications Society OH2Z/OH2MOH
NOKIA Radio Amateurs NORA ry OH2V/OH2AV/OH2AW/OH2NORA
Riihimaen Kolmoset ry OH3AD
Radio Club of Kauniainen OH2NRG/OH2K
Keski-Suomen Radioamatoorit ry OH6AD
OH-DX-Ring ry OH2AM
QRM-Team ry OH2ABO/OH2Q
Some of the club stations have english www-pages also, use Google to find them.
Some information about 5MHz in Finland:
http://www.ficora.fi/englanti/radio/ralicence.htm
The first 60m band QSO in Finland was done between Signals
and Electrotechnical Schools and Signals Regiments amateur club stations
27th january 2004... QRB was around ~100 meters and radio was the military
HF-6000 hi hi... I think that the other club stations have not yet managed
to get on band at the same time ;-)). The first QSO :
http://www.kolumbus.fi/srela/kusoilijat.jpg
(operators (on the left) Marko
OH2LRD (on the right) Marko OH2LGW)
After the historical new HF-band QSO we tried to scan
through the band to find other stations but we didn't find a single station
then.. We tried even both, the SSB carrier- and the median frequencies
for the RX at that day....
www.kolumbus.fi/srela/60m_radio.jpg
Of course now we have better antennas etc.
As far as I know, we don't yet have any QSO:s abroad.. It is an opportunity for you and your friends!
73 de Marko OH2LRD, member of the OI3W/OI3AY/OI3AX/OI3AI/OI2Z
srela@kolumbus.fi
Lieutetenant (engineer IT) M Saarela
Signals and Electrotechnical School
Po Box 5
FI-11311 Riihimaki
On 14 Feb 2004 at 23:16, R. Hemesley wrote:
> Hello Marco!
>
> Thank you very much for your email and for organizing a Finnish 5
MHz
> activity afternoon. This will be a great opportunity for Finnish
and
> UK amateurs to make contacts. Already I have mentioned this on-air
and
> there was some keen response over here. Also, I have noticed that
> there are actually three possible frequencies we have in common:
Sounds good!
> UK Channels Finland Channels
> =========== ================
> 5278.5 kHz USB 5278.6 kHz USB
> 5288.5 kHz USB 5288.6 kHz USB
> 5398.5 kHz USB 5398.6 kHz USB
Good information! I will put this forward.
> May I ask as to which operating modes you are licensed to use? If
it
> is the same as us, we have the ability to operate any mode which
will
> remain within the 3 kHz channel bandwidth. The use of USB is
> recommended over LSB. There is more information about UK licenses
on
> the RSGB 5MHz web site:
We can use only 50 Watts and USB (2K800J3E)
>
> http://www.rsgb-hfc.org.uk/5mhz.htm
>
> After receiving your email, I have decided to put up my own web page
> with some 5 MHz information. I shall be working on this over the
next
> few days and would like to give a mention to your Finnish 5 MHz
> activity afternoon in an effort to publicise it and in order to be
> able to convey the necessary information to other amateurs that I
> encounter on air between now and the 28th Feb. Would it be OK if
I
> were to copy our email correspondance? Or at least, the information
> about the Finnish Clubs operating 5 MHz and the links you gave. This
> would make interesting reading for anyone arriving at my 5 MHz web
> pages. Also, please feel free to copy my emails to anyone that may
be
> interested! I would expect a considerable amount of interest on the
> 28th and I hope the event runs smoothly. As you will see from the
FAQ
> published by the RSGB, there is a certain emphasis on our operating
in
> a controlled net and we should try to refrain from allowing 'pile-ups'
> to occur. However, there may be quite a number of UK operators eager
> to make contacts with the Finnish Clubs. At least we have up to three
> frequencies available, so this should not be a problem. It may be
a
> nice idea to attempt to assign one channel to CW and digital modes
and
> leave the other two channels for SSB operation. What are your views
on
> this?
>
Sounds good. Of course you can use my email to advertise the 5 MHz.
> For some time now, UK amateurs have been making
successful QSO's with
> amateurs from the USA on 5403.5 KHz USB. The path to the US usually
> seems to open around 2200 UTC and last for some hours. Inter UK
> operation is usually very good during daylight hours and tends to
fade
> just after dusk, but sometimes stays open during darkness hours.
> Recently, I have been making successful simplex contacts with England,
> N Ireland and USA at or around 2200 UTC. Alas, our American friends
> only have SSB and 50 Watts at the present time. A number of UK
> operators have been communicating with the US hams by sending CW
and
> receiving SSB voice, but two-way voice contacts have been plentiful
> also. I have noticed that the USA and Finland have four channels
in
> common, but none of these are on our UK allocated frequencies. With
> your permission, I will email my ham friends in the USA with your
> details, so that you may make arrangements with them also - perhaps
> during the evening of the 28th?
It would be a great thing if you know how to get our
fellow hams in USA
to 5 MHz in activity day.
> My equipment is IC-736 100 Watts and an inverted
V wire antenna
> resonant at 5398 kHz. The antenna is only about 7 metres above ground
> at the apex and currently runs East to West.
I know that there is at least radios IC-736, FT-1000MP
and FT-847 in
use with the clubs in here.
> My 5 MHz web page will be at: www.netronic.co.uk
and I will put a link
> from my listing on www.qrz.com
>
> Regards,
>
> Rob Hemesley MM1RAH
> Loc: IO88GL
>
>
Marko OH2LRD
loc: KP20JR
Here's an email from K4AVC (Gary):
Rob, you do have a great website and I have been mailing it around quite a bit today as time allows. The 60 meter crowd is already getting excited about the Finnish operation on February 28th. Of course there is still a lot that would like to have Scotland in their log. After reading and rereading your e-mail exchanges between Oh2LRD and yourself, I am not sure about Marco's e-mail address. I wonder if you would be so kind to let me know his address since it does not appear on QRZ.com. Another option is to foward this mail to Marco, my letter below. thank you..73, Gary
Marco,OH2LRD, My name is Gary Coffey, K4AVC. The hams that use 60 meters
were just alerted that Finland is having a "5MHZ Activity Afternoon".
MM1RAH has it listed on his website and I have been sharing this info
with quite a few 60 meter enthusiast here in the states. The ARRL main
purpose in proposing to open up this band was to have a better link to
the Caribbean during storms or disasters. However experimentation and
tests are still ongoing.
After trying this band since opening day for us, (July 3rd, 2003) it seems
like the Vertical antenna is the best for long haul communications, however
a lot of us use everything from dipoles cut for other bands with tuners
to 60 meter dipoles at various heights. Since August I have contacted
all 50 states and several foreign entities, including 10 English stations
and of course MM1RAH in Scotland. I notice we have 4 frequencies in common
(almost) 5.330.6, 5.346.6, 5.366.6, 5.371.6. The frequency 5.366.5 here
in U.S. from opening day has a constant digital signal and is not good
here in the states for small signal reception.
I live on the coast of N.C. and use a 1/2 square antenna that has some
directivity and I start to hear the British Isles about 2115 Gmt. The
Signals usually peak about an hour later for me but other stations father
inland it is up to 30 minutes later than my peak . Of course we are allowed
just 50 watts ERP so building a higher gain antenna one would have to
reduce power accordingly. I hope some of the Participants in 5Mhz Activity
day from Finland will listen for us later that night also. Looks like
it might be a fun and interesting time and also a learning experience
for all of us involved.....73, Gary
Hi Gary!
My e-mail address is: srela@kolumbus.fi
You can use it to reach me in the matters conserning the 5 MHz activity day. You can also try to reach the 5MHz stations on-line from the internet (IRCNET channel #ham.fi) during the day then.
I'll register myself for the QRZ.com as soon as I can.
QSL:s for the 5 MHz Finnish club stations are ok via byro.
73 de Marko
Dennis, DC1RBI wants to go cross-band:
On 19 Feb 2004 at 12:27, Dennis M. Härtig, DC1RBI wrote:
> Dear Marko OH2LRD,
>
> I found your information concerning the 5 MHz-Activity-Afternoon
> yesterday, as I am also interested in 60m-activity. But unfortunately
> here in Germany, we are not allowed to transmit yet. Nevertheless,
I
> took the chance to forward the information on this special activity
> afternoon to be announced in several German HAM-bulletins this week-end
> - maybe this can raise the interest of German HAMs in this band and
> maybe even lead to legal access to this band here in Germany also
...
> Who knows?
>
> Do you think, that we could make any skeds for cross-band operation
> between DL and OH ??? For example 60m to 40m ??? I would be glad,
if we
> could discuss any options as soon as possible, maybe we could announce
> that in the German bulletins as well ... ???
>
> Best 73s and hpe 2 cu on 60m de Dennis, DC1RBI / OZ0RBI
>
> Thank you in advance ... ;)
> --------------------------------
> Dennis M. Härtig, DC1RBI
> Grabenstr. 32, 2.OG
> 53225 Bonn-Beuel
> Tlf. +49 (0)228 6896846
> Mob. +49 (0)160 945 10 356
> dc1rbi@darc.de
Hi Dennis!
This sounds good and maybe even possible. Before or during the
activity day you can try to reach the Finnish stations for the cross-band
QSO:s at least from the internet (IRC in IRCNET). From 60m to 40m
sound ok for the cross-band. But I'm not sure how many stations can at
the moment handle this cross-band operating.
Maybe Rob MM1RAH could find also some other ways to handle these
cross-band skeds with UK and USA?
73 de Marko OH2LRD
srela@kolumbus.fi
IRCNET: srela (at channel #ham.fi)
A note from MM1RAH regarding the above:
Alas, here in the UK our Operating Procedures states:
"Cross band operation involving any one of the 5 MHz spot frequencies is only permitted between those stations holding current 5 MHz NoVs. Cross band working with stations outside of the UK is not considered to be within the spirit of the experiment. When stations are working cross-band, as a part of the propagation investigations it is suggested that voice operations, in particular, be confined to a limited number of frequencies. Those suggested are 1990 kHz, 3645 kHz, and 7045 kHz, in order to minimise confusion being caused to other amateur stations. The use of LSB on these three amateur bands, rather than USB, will have to be a matter of operating convenience, bearing in mind that USB is advised on 5 MHz and that certain data modes such as MT63 should employ USB on all amateur bands."
I think it is clear from the above, that UK Amateurs holding 5 MHz NoV's are unable to participate in cross-band operations with non UK Amateurs. If anyone knows anything to the contrary, then please let me know!
However, my thoughts are that UK Amateurs may in fact work split-frequency with US (or Finnish) licenced 5 MHz Amateurs. This may be useful if, for example, the noise levels on 5403.5 KHz are prohibitive for the reception of SSB signals from the US, but perhaps 5258.5 KHz and 5346.5 KHz were quieter. This would enable UK stations to transmit on 5258.5 KHz to the US and receive the US signals on 5346.5 KHz. The same frequencies could be used between UK and Finland also.
In fact, there may be some merits in operating split-frequency in this manner. This would (sort of) enable three-way QSO's between UK, USA and Finland. Also, it would leave channel FM (5403.5 KHz) clear here in the UK, as it is the most often used channel for inter-UK operation and is used here as the 'calling' channel.
As for cross-band operations between Finland or the USA and other countries, the operators in their respective countries will have to consult their licensing conditions to ascertain whether this is permitted.
Does anyone have any comments on this?
Please email me with your suggestions and I will publish them on this page. (My email address is at the bottom of the page).
At 20:49 21/02/2004, you wrote:
>Hello Barry!
>
>Thanks for the info and the photos. Your equipment looks like lots
of fun!
>May I put the pictures onto my web site?? ( www.netronic.co.uk )
Yes seen that.. you can use what pics you like I have lots here of the
Racal stuff. I have 4 TX racks main and standby TA1816's these run 500w
out on CW SSB ISB FSK AM(USB-6dbCarrier) one with a MA1720 driver and
one with
MA1723 driver then there are 2 TA1885's there have MA1723 drivers and
4cx1500 pa's run at 3.9Kv about 1amp thus they give a constant 1 to 1.4Kw
out CW (not PEP) these I have not yet restored. on the RX side I have
3 RA1792's 2 are with 1hz step tuning and 1 is 10hz step tuning, I use
software DSP to clean up the signals but tonight I was just messing about
and had a 1792 on the workshop floor with a long wire antenna just run
out across the floor and up the garden the TX was on a 600ohm open feed
dipole with the dipole configure as a 4 wire cage-loop at 45feet horizontal.the
balun is the size of a dustbin see the pic. cost me £100 which was
cheep for a 20Kw balun cant get a ham one for that hi hi and one or me.
hi hi I was also one of the first hams to activate VR18g St-Kilda in 1979-1990
I spent 8 years on/off working there .
more later. Barry
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Hi Rob,
Enjoyed the activity on Saturday. Wonder if you heard the CT station calling me. I received a QSL card direct from him today. I have worked him on various bands over the years, he has an impressive website and sound authentic.
I telephoned the RSGB to find out if Portugal has an allocation on 5MHz but they “don’t know”. The attachments show the QSL card – what do you think ?
73
Jack Drake
GM4MOX
Hello again Rob,
Thanks for your e-mail. Yes, Jose certainly has an excellent set-up –
enough to put you to shame!
He was authentic and from correspondence received from him, it appears that my short QSO was unique so please put details on your website if you wish.
Hope you can read attachments. I’m having a problem downloading mail so cannot forward the latest e-mail in which Jose states that ANACOM is not giving permission for the 5MHz experiment to continue in Portugal. He is very disappointed and states that ANACOM is more optimistic about BPL than 5MHz.
Jack Drake GM4MOX
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