The 11-meter band was NEVER a true amateur radio band. The ITU treaty, after World War II, stated that 11-meters was for land mobile operation. Amateur radio operators were allowed to use the frequencies for most of the 1950s. However, amateur radio was 3rd behind scientific and then industrial uses. Things like the old diathermy machines, which were used in hospitals and doctors' offices, that ran with raw AC and put out all sorts of spurious signals, had priority over any amateur radio use of the band. As such, very few amateur radio operators ever even used the band. When the Novice Class license was first issued, those operators had CW privileges on the 80-meter and the 11-meter bands. However, it was not long before the FCC pulled the 11-meter allocation and gave the Novice Class operators CW privileges on 80-meters, 40-meters, and 15-meters. Operation using phone and CW was allowed in the 145.0 MHz to 147.0 MHz segment. Technician Class operators had 6-meter privileges and privileges 220 MHz and above. However, that class of operators did not have any 2-meter privileges. In 1959, Technician Class operators were granted the same 145.0 MHz to 147 MHz segment. Later, the 147.0 MHz to 148.0 MHz segment was granted and, finally the entire 2-meter band. When the Class "D" Citizens' Radio Service was established, that service met the primary use of the 11-meter band since this service is land mobile. For the FCC to again allow amateur radio use of the 11-meter band, that would be in violation of international treaties to which the United States is signatory. As such, don't hold your breath! Glen, K9STH
Website: http://k9sth.net From: Robert Bruninga bruninga@usna.edu To: amsat bb amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Sunday, February 8, 2015 1:53 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] RS demise - taking back 11 meters?
Here is an idea. Radio Shack was the #1 seller and supporter of CB radios. But as they close down, there remains a few BILLION dollars worth of 27 MHz spectrum sitting on the table.
Why not come up with a proposal for the FCC to give it back to HAMS? What for? That is the BIG question. Its wavelength is IDEAL for mobile operation. And HAMS love making use of old radios.
I do not want this to smack of self-interest, but APRS seems like a pretty good use of a channel. And it does not involve speakers having to listen to foul language..
So what is the KILLER APP for 11 Meters?
How do we make it happen?
Does anyone know of any "under used channel" for experimentation? Who would like to get an STA from the FCC to "experiment?
We already have a space segment at 29 MHz, and I dont think that AM is of much use for satellites... so I have no ideas for specific AMSAT applicatiojns.... But how could we u se all those $5 radios and antennas at flea markets.....