AM BANDWARMING

[k4kyv]

I'm hearing more and more Extra class AM'ers expressing their intent to appear on 3600-3700 the minute the expanded phone band opens on the 15th of December.

Frequencies I hear discussed are 3685, and down on the low end near 3610.  No need for everyone to congregate on one frequency.  Why not make it a point to start up right away on several frequencies spread uniformly throughout the band, and each station periodically shift around from one QSO to another,  so that all the QSO frequencies remain in use into the wee hours, but allowing everyone to participate in the QSO on each of the frequencies.

Let's make it more like the etiquette of a successful house party.  Instead of everyone standing around the entire evening confined to one small group, be sociable and continue circulating from one group to another for the duration.

WATSA y'all?  You got less than a month to upgrade to Extra if necessary, and to get the rig and antenna tuned up and working on the low end of the band!

[K1JJ]

Yep, a "Band Warming" Celebration, just like Heavy Metal Night style would be excellent.

December 15th falls on a FRIDAY night!  (even though 12:01AM Dec 15th will have occured hours earlier)

There will be many, many people listening, I'm sure. What a perfect time to showcase AM as a friendly group having lots of fun. Moving from QSO to QSO like on HM night is the way to go.

BTW, my own personal 30 day challenge is to finish up the two audio driver boards and have the new 4-1000A X 833A AM rig on for that night!   (We all have our crosses to bear)

73,
T

[KR4WI]

I think that would be some great contacts. just moving up and down the band jumping in on groups and saying hello. and Tom, I hope to hr that 4-1 on that nite, that will be  an extra treat for you and us, its beautifull construction. Matthew KR4WI

[k4kyv]

December 15th falls on a FRIDAY night!  (even though 12:01AM Dec 15th will have occured hours earlier)

That means the band opens Thursday night at midnight, eastern time. (11PM Central time and 9 PM PST).  If you live on the east coast, it will be worth it to lose a little sleep that night.

[wa1knx]

I've had just enuff time to renew me license, living in motels in phoenix
working. so I guess the band plan change is set, I'll have to find a pointer
to the new band changes. and I'll also have to scale my vertical system down
there. I read 3685 in there, dec 15 12:01am  local time from one post.
so uu's guys will be on b4 meeeeee!! I remember when W1IMM and I
got on years back, when 160mtr am when the band opened up..

[k4kyv]

I read 3685 in there, dec 15 12:01am  local time from one post.
so uu's guys will be on b4 meeeeee!!

"The changes in the R&O will take effect Friday, December 15, at 12:01 AM EST, 30 days after its publication."

It's at the same time for everyone.  They should have listed the hour as 0501 GMT - or better still, 0001 GMT.  That would have made it 5 hours earlier.

[WA3VJB]

Thanks Don for pointing out the actual enactment time.

To help celebrate the expansion of the 75m phone band I'll be running K3V on 3725Kc.

Special Event call for a Special Event.

Getting a 1x1 is really simple, and except for some individual stations I can't recall any wholesale AM activity running these Special Event calls. It took about five minutes to apply for one.

http://www.ncvec.org/1x1.php

I hope a bunch of folks whoop it up whether they're on their own calls or a 1x1 for that weekend.


This should be fun.

[W2JBL]

i found my old 3721 novice rock the other day. maybe i'll grind it up to 25 and fire the old 6L6 novice oscillator rig modded by a Fender  Super Reverb and back connected output trasformer. many years ago one brave afternoon i ran AM on 3721 with WA1QDH, and WA1QMK. we got away with it too!   

[WA3VJB]

Chris wasn't QMK now WA3WDO ?
He used to really strap from his parents place near Annapolis, pair of 572B driving a single 4-400 in a modified J500.

[WA1LGQ]

          There is a common xtal that is used for electronics (don't ask me what for) available all over the place that is on 3.6864 Mhz. I have found them on junked circuit boards, online for sale for a buck and at my local parts store for 2 bucks. You can even find them as a complete oscillator module. Also available are xtals at half that freq 1.8432. Heres a link:
http://www.cascadesurplus.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/1013

[k7yoo]

that I believe is a TV color burst Xtal. We used to use the second harmonic as the AM  40M freq back in the early 80's. It might be a good time to revive this as a freq for 80 & 40. I like the fact that it is not an even number.

[kf6pqt]

TV colorburst is 3.5979. I'm certain as I scored two truckloads of 1950's and 60's junk TV sets and I'm ripping all the goodies out.

That frequency, when not taken over by psk or rtty, used to be glowbug CW...

-Jason kf6pqt

[w3jn]

If I'm in NJ that weekend, count me in! I probably wouldn't be there on Friday night, but Saturday's fine with me. The Valiant is ready to go on that band segment.

*gulp*  K2PG on 75 metros.  Hide yer daughters and stow away the hooch!  Next thing you'll be extolling the virtues of the ARRL, Phil! 

Seriously, it'd be great to have you on.  As for me, I'll be there!

[Rob K2CU]

When I was discussing the pending band changes with Max, he pointed out the following regarding jumping onto 3685 while he was helping me improve the ground conductivity around the BiggIR.:

§97.313 Transmitter power standards.
(c) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 200 W PEP on:
(1) The 3.675-3.725 MHz, 7.10-7.15 MHz, 10.10-10.15 MHz and 21.1-21.2 MHz
segments;

I didn't see in the R&O a change to this paragraph. Someone, please find it.
Perhaps the party should start on 3670.

[W1ATR]

deleted.

[KF1Z]

When I was discussing the pending band changes with Max, he pointed out the following regarding jumping onto 3685 while he was helping me improve the ground conductivity around the BiggIR.:

§97.313 Transmitter power standards.
(c) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 200 W PEP on:
(1) The 3.675-3.725 MHz, 7.10-7.15 MHz, 10.10-10.15 MHz and 21.1-21.2 MHz
segments;

I didn't see in the R&O a change to this paragraph. Someone, please find it.
Perhaps the party should start on 3670.

It is changed in the R&O


§ 97.313  Transmitter power standards.

* * * * *
   
(c) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 200 W PEP:

(1) On the 10.10-10.15 MHz segment;

(2) When the control operator is a Novice Class operator or a Technician Class operator who has received credit for proficiency in telegraphy in accordance with the international requirements; or


*******

Line (1) USED to say.....

(1) The 3.675-3.725 MHz, 7.10-7.15 MHz, 10.10-10.15 MHz and 21.1-21.2 MHz
segments;




OK, so no worries.....

Full power !!!!

[Rob K2CU]

TNX!  One must read the full article!

[k4kyv]

So far, the specific frequencies I have heard mentioned are:  3610, 3650 and 3685.  Any others?  How many separate frequencies should we attempt?  I think we should try for four.

This should be well decided and publicised days in advance of the opening moment.

I have to get up at 5:20 Friday morning.  Plan to take a nap Thursday evening after dinner and get up in time for the initial band opening at 12:01 AM, but I probably won't try to stay on for more than an hour.  Friday evening should be interesting.

Let's see if there are any slopbucket jammers.  Shouldn't be, since there will be more than enough room on the band for everyone.

Are any specific frequencies being planned for the Advanced and General segments?

Generals will have access to the vicinity of 3825, where there already is AM activity regularly in late afternoon/early evening hours.

[ve6pg]

...I THINK THIS IS ALL BUNK....UNLESS YOU ARE ROCK BOUND., I WOULD NEVER SUGGEST A FREQ TO OPERATE ON...THIS IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED ON 3880/3885..IF YOU GUYS STRAY FROM THOSE FREQS YOU HAVE THE WRATH OF GOD ON YOU...YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN...SSB OPS TELLING YOU TO GO BACK WHERE YOU BELONG., ETC...REMEMBER..YOU CAN OPERATE ANY VOICE MODE, ANYWHERE FROM 3600-4000....WHY PUT YOURSELF IN A BOX, AND GET FURTHER FLACK, IF YOU STRAY FROM, SAY 3685....I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD DO AS WE DO IN CANADA....SPIN THE VFO..FIND AN OPEN FREQ., AND CALL CQ....SIMPLE....IT'S WERKED FER YEARS FOR US, AND I DONT SEE WHY YOU CANT DO THE SAME...AND FERGET THIS IDEA OF A "AM WINDOW"...TIM....SK..

[K1JJ]

So far, the specific frequencies I have heard mentioned are:  3610, 3650 and 3685.  Any others?  How many separate frequencies should we attempt?  I think we should try for four.

Something else to consider... I was listening to some 75M rag chew type DXer friends (not contesters) discussing their intentions to move their Yagis down the band into the 3650 area. Generally, the DX areas on CW have always been on the low edge of the bands, but it may be different this time for ssb - and here's why....

Some foreign countries are very limited in their bandspace allocations on 75M. Japan is a good example where they get only tiny 10kc spots here and there. What may happen is the DXers  will have to research  what countries in the world now have the most common frequencies to the USA.

As a gentlemen's agreement, since they are limited in flexibility, I feel the DX guys should be given the opportunity to pick a small window area based on international common frequency allocation rules. Once they determine this, then the band is free for everyone else.

The 3790-3800 current window has worked out beautifully for many years. Hopefully it can be arranged again down below.  Then again, with all the space, maybe DX windows will become obsolete, I dunno. Much depends on other countries' bandplans.

Just wanted to mention this in case it pops up in the future.

T

[k4kyv]

...I THINK THIS IS ALL BUNK....UNLESS YOU ARE ROCK BOUND., I WOULD NEVER SUGGEST A FREQ TO OPERATE ON...THIS IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED ON 3880/3885..IF YOU GUYS STRAY FROM THOSE FREQS YOU HAVE THE WRATH OF GOD ON YOU...YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN...SSB OPS TELLING YOU TO GO BACK WHERE YOU BELONG., ETC...REMEMBER..YOU CAN OPERATE ANY VOICE MODE, ANYWHERE FROM 3600-4000....WHY PUT YOURSELF IN A BOX, AND GET FURTHER FLACK, IF YOU STRAY FROM, SAY 3685....I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD DO AS WE DO IN CANADA....SPIN THE VFO..FIND AN OPEN FREQ., AND CALL CQ....SIMPLE....IT'S WERKED FER YEARS FOR US, AND I DONT SEE WHY YOU CANT DO THE SAME...AND FERGET THIS IDEA OF A "AM WINDOW"...TIM....SK..

Tim and Tom,

I think you have misinterpreted this thread.  Chances are, others have too, so let's clarify the issue. 

We are not talking about setting up new "AM windows," but agreeing upon where to meet on the 15th of December for the initial "bandwarming."  I believe it would be highly desirable to hit the ground running by immediately establishing several AM QSO's, spaced uniformly throughout the new Extra Class segment, as well as in the Advanced and General class segments, and we should all be aware and agree on approximately where we will meet that night.

The idea is to occupy several frequencies throughout the new allocations, and for each station to hop between these QSO's, so that the entire AM presence on the new frequencies doesn't end up on one frequency in one huge roundtable.  Better to keep each group limited in size to 3 or 4 participants at most, and for each participant to shuffle from one to the other QSO's throughout the early morning and evening of the 15th.  The idea is to make an impressive showing the first few hours of the expanded phone band with AM presence scattered throughout.

In the weeks to follow, habitual operating frequencies by all users will fall into place naturally.  What we don't want to do is to set up one or two clones of the existing "AM Window" somewhere lower in the band.

Don,
k4kyv

[K1JJ]

Yes, I understood your post, Don.

I'd agree that calling frequencies are a good thing - to get things kicked off in the beginning.

Whenever there is a minority group, like AMers on 75M, there is a tendency to group together anyway. It's a way of organizing strength to outside threats as well as simply having people of like mind to talk with. 

But with all this new band space, I doubt we will have many frequency squabbles anyway. It should be a new world for AM to go anywhere we desire on 75M.

My post above is meant to gives us a heads up that the DXers may need to have a certain small area reserved for them simply because of international bandplans out of their control. Regardless of whether we have AM windows or not, I feel we should be prepared to respect their new DX window without opposition, if it even evolves that way. The old 10kc DX window has a near perfect record - it works quite well.

73,
T

[ve6pg]

....DON....I UNDERSTAND THE IDEA OF WHERE TO MEET...BUT MAKE IT 3600-3750...TUNE THE RECEIVER, LISTEN TO A "CQ"., AND CALL THE GUY..THE IDEA OF MEETING PLACES, I THINK WILL ONLY CAUSE PROBLEMS, AS I'VE READ VARIOUS EMAILS OF GUYS ON SSB PLANNING THE SAME THING....IN THE OLD DAYS, I GUY WUD CALL CQ, AND SAY " TUNING THE BAND "..IN OTHER WORDS, HE WAS ROCK BOUND, AND THE GUY HE WAS IN QSO WITH....I ASSUME THERE WILL BE ALOT OF GUYS ON YOUR NEW PORTION, SO WHY NOT CALL CQ IN A CLEAR FREQ, AND HAVE THE GUYS COME TO YOU...THE IDEA OF 4/5 FREQS ON THIS NEW PART OF THE BAND IS CRAP....AS I SAID...WE IN CANADA FIND A CLEAR SPOT., AND CALL CQ....TRY IT...IT WERKS....TIM....SK...

[k4kyv]

That might work ok.  In the weeks to follow the opening of the band, habitual operating frequencies by all users will fall into place naturally.  What we want to avoid is merely setting up one or two clones of the existing "AM Window" somewhere lower in the band, or worst of all, after a few weeks, all the AM activity drifting back to 3880-90.

[2ZE]

To help celebrate the expansion of the 75m phone band I'll be running K3V on 3725Kc.

Special Event call for a Special Event.

I took your advice Paul.....
I will be operating as W2Z during the Bruce Kelley memorial QSO party this weekend, and when we can use the new expanded privleges. Hope to work everyone down the band!

Mike