After a long time: AM on 3885!

[pe1mph]

Hello AM Lovers,

This night we had a hot night in Dokkum (Holland).
So I wake up early this morning.
Around 05.30 our time I were sitting in our livingroom.
Nearly I falling from the chair..... I heard AM on 3885.
That after a very long time......
I thought I hear Ken, one man's voice sounding like his...
But it was not him, but another AM Lover.
So I have no complete calls, you know why?

Signals were poor to fair, so I missed some words.....

Good DX,

Henk
PE1MPH
Dokkum
The Netherlands

[W2NBC]

Hi Henk,

Lots of static here in the Northeast USA.. I'm Jeff, W2NBC, (you've heard me before), and I was chatting with Joe, WA2PJP around that time.. Thanks for the report!!

Jeff W2NBC

[pe1mph]

Hi Henk,

Lots of static here in the Northeast USA.. I'm Jeff, W2NBC, (you've heard me before), and I was chatting with Joe, WA2PJP around that time.. Thanks for the report!!

Jeff W2NBC

Thanks for your reply.
I heard the name Joe & Jeff 'mentioned' this morning, I am sure!
But conditions were to weak to get calls correct..... sorry!
I heard a man talking about his? BC 610 transmitter.
And someone talking about his mother, who is in hospital.

So I heard this morning +/- 6 AM stations on 3885.

Good DX,

PE1MPH
Dokkum
The Netherlands

[k4kyv]

I have yet to hear any of the AM regulars from Europe on 40m.  Condx should be  good between about 2300 and 0700 GMT.

I hear LOADS of Italian SSB.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I talked to Fortunato, 9H1ES several weeks ago on 40-meter AM, 7160 kHz. But that's it for the EU gang. Also did try an AM contact with  PA4AR but conditions wouldn't allow it with only 25 watts on his side. Maybe they are waiting for the FB conditions in the winter months.   

Just read this on the RSGB site

More countries get access to 7MHz frequencies    

Belarus has gained access to the extended 40m band. In the 7.1 - 7.2MHz frequency range it is allowed to use SSB and CW with 500W max and, as always, up to 1kW in contests under a special authorisation. In the same decision of the State Commission for Radio Frequencies that was dated May 14 but just recently released, the 160m band has also been extended for Belarus amateurs. The frequencies accessible are now 1.810 to 2.000MHz.

On 27 June, the French administration announced that 7.1 – 7.2MHz will be available to the amateur service. Unfortunately another signature is needed before publication.

The last part is interesting since I've worked numerous French stations in the last few months above 7100 kHz. I wonder if they were bootlegging?

[k4kyv]

More countries get access to 7MHz frequencies   

Belarus has gained access to the extended 40m band. In the 7.1 - 7.2MHz frequency range it is allowed to use SSB and CW with 500W max and, as always, up to 1kW in contests under a special authorisation. In the same decision of the State Commission for Radio Frequencies that was dated May 14 but just recently released, the 160m band has also been extended for Belarus amateurs. The frequencies accessible are now 1.810 to 2.000MHz.

On 27 June, the French administration announced that 7.1 – 7.2MHz will be available to the amateur service. Unfortunately another signature is needed before publication.

I wonder if Belarus really is limited to SSB only, or if that was an oversight, the typical assumption by amateur radio publications that all "phone" is slopbucket, so they use "SSB" as a generic term instead of "phone".

I read somewhere back in March that French stations were supposed to gain access on the 29th, which as I recall was the date broadcasters were to vacate.  I have heard only a handful of F's on the band since the expansion.  I just assumed that all countries had access after that date, but I suppose each country has to wait for its bureaucracy to overcome inertia and formally make the rule change.  It was that way in the US after LORAN vacated 160.  The FCC sat on its ass and did nothing for several months, until they received several petitions to lift the restrictions.  Maybe that's why there are so few French stations while the band is filled with Italians and Spaniards.

We may think it is bad here, but the EU countries are much worse about being bogged down with picky rules and layers upon layers of bureaucracy.

[pe1mph]

I talked to Fortunato, 9H1ES several weeks ago on 40-meter AM, 7160 kHz. But that's it for the EU gang. Also did try an AM contact with  PA4AR but conditions wouldn't allow it with only 25 watts on his side. Maybe they are waiting for the FB conditions in the winter months.   

Just read this on the RSGB site

More countries get access to 7MHz frequencies    

Belarus has gained access to the extended 40m band. In the 7.1 - 7.2MHz frequency range it is allowed to use SSB and CW with 500W max and, as always, up to 1kW in contests under a special authorisation. In the same decision of the State Commission for Radio Frequencies that was dated May 14 but just recently released, the 160m band has also been extended for Belarus amateurs. The frequencies accessible are now 1.810 to 2.000MHz.

On 27 June, the French administration announced that 7.1 – 7.2MHz will be available to the amateur service. Unfortunately another signature is needed before publication.

The last part is interesting since I've worked numerous French stations in the last few months above 7100 kHz. I wonder if they were bootlegging?

Last weeks (months) I have heard no AM on 3885 & 7160!
So I were surpriced to receive AM after such long time on 80 mtrs.

Greetings,

PE1MPH

[k4kyv]

Last night I called CQ-AM on 7160.  The second time I heard a SSB signal on frequency, so turned on the BFO, and it turned out to be a Bulgarian station calling me, from near Sofia.  I replied to his call, and we had a short but nice QSO.  He said my AM signal was S-9 plus on his homebrew SSB transceiver that he had built back in the 70's.

I'm sure that transatlantic AM could become routine on 40m if some stations would get on the air more often from that side of the Atlantic.