This just in, from the QCWA Monthly Bulletin....
FCC RETURNS 11 METER BAND TO THE AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE Effective April 1, 2023, the FCC will return frequencies assigned to the Citizens Band Radio Service (CB) to the Amateur Radio Service. Formerly known as the 11 meter amateur radio band, it had been re-assigned on September 11, 1958 for CB use.
“After much consideration, the FCC realized their 1958 decision to strip these frequencies from the Amateur Radio Service was an egregious act,” said a spokesperson. “Since the telecommunications companies didn’t want to purchase these frequencies, the FCC decided, in a reparations gesture, to return them to the amateur radio community.” The spokesperson added that current CB Radio Service users may continue to use the band and will not need to obtain amateur radio licenses.
Note that the ARRL was not first in reporting the availability of this new (shared) band. Way to go, QCWA! But at least we
finally got it back!
But in hindsight, maybe it is not such good news. The QRM from the freebanders may make the band totally unusable for FT8, digital voice, weak signal (QRP), etc. Perhaps we should just let them keep it?
?