8M ISM - Experimenting

 

Here in the UK we don't have a 40Mhz allocation available to radio hams unlike Slovenia, South Africa & Ireland. Seems so strange Ofcom doesn't even want to entertain giving a small section of band that is pretty much unused by any other service here.

 a link to 8M Wiki

40MHz can provide a useful tool in early warning signs of band openings on VHF.

A small slice of 40Mhz can't be such a issue for Ofcom to release. Have it abit like 10Mhz only CW and DATA modes.

Anyway to get round this, a handful of UK amateurs applied and was granted Innovation and Trial License which you pay £50 for access to spectrum to carry out tests. It could be a stepping stone toward Ofcom allowing amateurs with NOV to access the bands for further tests......

It's been discussed that the section on band that Slovenia, South Africa & Ireland have fall in the UK IR 2030 allocation "Licence Exempt Short Range Devices". People have mentioned that anyone could set something up and aslong as it meets IR2030 then it shouldn't be a problem but it's still a grey area! But I remembered that a radio manufacture once produced a UHF handheld in the 434MHz range under IR2030 Exempt and in open field they travelled the distance just as PMR446. What do they class "short range" is then, at first I thought something like 10metres like you bluetooth device but when use look at the frequencies within the IR 2030 and the uses like remote controlled cars etc thats abit more than 10metres like those UHF handhelds!

Well I've decided to take the challenge on putting together a spare radio at the moment and running a "NON-AMATEUR WSPR BEACON" using a Yaesu FT-817ND with the required attenuation to get a max 10mW ERP out the antenna.

My intention is to allow me to conduct tests locally but if conditions take it further afield, then so be it  : ) 

Later I will fully detail the equipment being used.