40 m am below 7200

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

I'm of the opinion that spreading out and using any open frequency has done more to enhance AM than anything else. Most afternoons and evenings you can find 3-5 AM QSOs below 3750. The more AM is heard around the bands, the less it is seen as some 'specialty' or exception to normal modes. 2 days ago I was listening to an SSB group around 3738 when one of the guys asked another where he'd been lately. The guy responded that he'd been spending more time listening to and operating AM and was having a good time with it.

A regular presence below 7200 would go a long way toward improving AM on the 40m band.

 

[kb3ouk]

I think that we should try to operate more around 7190, since there will be no FBC stations there, and all license classes plus the Europeans (if I'm right) can use that frequency. 7290 and 7295 are good during the day, but that part is full of FBC stations at night and will be after the move out of the 7100-7200 part of the band. So most nighttime activity should be around 7190 and could possibly go down as far as 7180. Another thing is that the ARRL also uses 7290 as their phone bulletin frequency for 40 meters.
Shelby KB3OUK

[Pete, WA2CWA]

Another thing is that the ARRL also uses 7290 as their phone bulletin frequency for 40 meters.
Shelby KB3OUK

At 9:45 PM EST, for a few minutes, each evening.

[k3sqp]

I've been listening to the FBC stations below 7.2 and as of today  haven't seen
any movement. I just hope the stations  now below 7.2 don't just QSY up to further
screw up the band between 7.2 and 7.3...If this happens then the 7.190  slot would
be a good  fallback freq. ( to start with)...; We shall see.

Frank
K3SQP

[kb3ouk]

Last night between 7 and 8 there was no activity at all on 7290 or 7190, no FBCs or ssb

[k4kyv]

Most  should move above 7300.  Those frequencies are now formally reallocated to broadcasting by the ITU.  Until recently, the broadcasters operating up there, including WBCQ, have been unofficially using the frequencies as "outbanders".  That's the reason CHU moved up the band; their old frequency was reallocated as a broadcast channel. Moscow was on 7335 the other night.

But even if some of the broadcasters do move up into 7200-7300, that portion of the band is pretty well a lost cause during the evening hours anyway, so a little more congestion would be no great loss, and would certainly be a worthwhile trade-off for broadcast-free conditions on 7100-7200.

But I am wondering how many broadcasters will actually move out of 7100-7200.  I suspect many will drag their feet as long as they can; given the worldwide economic crisis, budgetary constraints will be a convenient excuse.  I seriously doubt that anyone is going to send troops into Berzerkistan to force its radio station to QSY.

And, it's a pity that when the US phone bands were expanded, that the 40m allocation wasn't extended down to 7075 or at least to 7100.

[kb3ouk]

If I'm right, the area above 7300 is for fixed services, which also means that usually the stations there stay on their frequency, instead of jumping around. CHU didn't really have to move the whole way up to 7850, they could probably found an unused frequency between 7400 and 7550.