The 60-meter band or 5 MHz band is a relatively new amateur radio allocation. First introduced in 2002, it was originally available in only a few countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. Several decades in use, an increasing proportion of countries' telecommunications administrations together with their government and military users have permitted Amateur Radio operation in the 5 MHz area on a short or longer-term basis, ranging from discrete channels to a frequency band.
At the closing meeting of the 2015 ITU World Radio communication Conference (WRC-15) on November 27, 2015, amongst the Final Acts signed into the International Radio Regulations was one approving "A Worldwide Frequency Allocation of 5351.5–5366.5 kHz to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis". The ITU's enhanced band allocation limits most amateurs to 15 watts effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP), with some countries allowed up to 25 W EIRP. The ITU allocation came into effect January 1, 2017, after which each country's national administration must formally revise their rules to permit amateur operation.
Prior to WRC-15, all 5 MHz Amateur allocations made by individual administrations were in accordance with Article 4.4 of the ITU Radio Regulations, which requires non-interference with other radio services. Where two-way amateur radio communication is authorized on 60 m, it has generally been within the frequency range 5250–5450 kHz, but the whole of this range is not necessarily available and allocations vary significantly from country-to-country. This has been particularly true in latter years since the award at WRC-12 of the range 5250–5275 kHz to the Radiolocation Service, thus effectively reducing the former frequency range down to 5275–5450 kHz.
In some countries the allocation is still channelized at present, whereas others have block or band allocations or a mixture. Voice operation is generally in upper sideband (USB) mode to facilitate inter-communication by non-amateur service users if necessary. In the United States and its territories and possessions, channelized USB is mandatory. Where channelization is used, the USB suppressed carrier frequency (a.k.a. 'dial' frequency) is normally 1.5 kHz below the quoted channel frequency. For example, 5403.5 kHz is the 'dial' frequency for the channel centered on 5405 kHz. The "center" of the channel is based on the assumption that the bandwidth of SSB transmissions are 3 kHz, at most. Transmitters that are capable of wider SSB bandwidths should be adjusted for 3 kHz bandwidth or less so their emissions stay within the allocated channel.
Amateur equipment made in Japan and surrounding countries often did not originally support the 60-meter allocation. However, it is usually possible to modify such equipment to work correctly on these frequencies within the terms of the individual's licensing conditions. More recently, commercial amateur radio equipment manufactured in Asia has begun to include provision for 60 m / 5 MHz operation, following the WRC-15 decision.
International Regulatory Status and World Radiocommunication Conferences The amateur radio service is unusual in the fact that it is regulated by international treaty. Worldwide amateur allocations are determined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect and strive to improve access to ICTs to underserved communities worldwide. This is done through successive World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs), which take place approximately every 3–5 years, when telecommunications administrations and organizations from all around the globe meet to make decisions on these elements.
At the conclusion of the ITU 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12) on Friday 17 February 2012, Resolution 649 [COM6/12] (WRC12) was ratified as being placed on the Agenda for the following WRC in 2015 (WRC-15). This resolution invited WRC-15 to consider "The possibility of making an allocation of an appropriate amount of spectrum, not necessarily contiguous, to the amateur service on a secondary basis within the band 5250–5450 kHz".
Following the decision at WRC-12 to implement a Radiolocation allocation from 5250 to 5275 kHz, the candidate band for an amateur allocation at WRC-15 subsequently became truncated to the 5275 to 5450 kHz sector.
On September 11, 2014, the National Telecommunications Agency of Brazil (ANATEL) announced its intention to propose an amateur service allocation from 5275 to 5450 kHz in the 60 m band at the next meeting of CITEL (Inter-American Telecommunication Commission). At the CITEL Regional Conference held in Mérida City, Mexico in October 2014, the conference recognised an IAP (Inter-American Proposal) for a Secondary Amateur Allocation from 5275 to 5450 kHz. This was proposed by Brazil, together with Argentina, Uruguay, El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, making up the required six administrations. Following the proposal a footnote stressed that "National administrations can adopt additional constrains to provide further compatibility with existed services."
The final meeting of the CEPT (Conférence Européenne des Postes et Télécommunications) Conference Preparatory Group took place in Bergen, Norway during the week 14–18 September 2015 at which was adopted the final European Common Proposal for WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.4 the adoption of a European Common Proposal for an allocation of 100 kHz between 5350 and 5450 kHz for the Amateur Service.
The ITU 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) took place in Geneva, Switzerland from 2 until 27 November 2015, where Agenda Item 1.4 went through a significant amount of discussion and debate until a consensus was eventually reached, whereby at the Concluding Meeting of WRC-15 on 27 November 2015, a Final Act was signed, approving a secondary amateur allocation of 5351.5–5366.5 kHz. Most stations are limited to 15 watts EIRP, with the exception of Mexico, who are allowed 20 W EIRP, and Central & South America, plus most of the Caribbean areas who are permitted 25 W EIRP. (see adjoining WRC-15 regulations extract for full country information). The allocation went into effect from January 1, 2017.
Bandplan
A bandplan has been adopted by the IARU (International Amateur Radio Union), for the WRC-15 60m Secondary allocation (5351.5–5366.5 kHz).
5351.5 5354 5357 5360 5363 5366–5366.5 CW and narrow digital modes All modes, USB voice Weak signal, narrow band 200 Hz 2700 Hz 20 Hz
The bandplan strongly recommends that the WRC-15 frequencies should only be used if other 5 MHz frequencies, allocated under Article 4.4, are not available.
It does not require stations to adopt the USB dial frequencies of 5354, 5357, 5360 and 5363 kHz but these frequencies provide a good fit with the American channel on 5357 kHz, and UK stations which can use 5354 and 5363 kHz but not 5360 kHz. Also, it is only by using these exact frequencies that there will be enough room for four simultaneous SSB conversations without mutual interference, assuming the 2.8 kHz de facto standard bandwidth of typical SSB transceivers.
WRC-15 frequencies, like all others, can only be used when they have been licensed for amateur use by a country's regulator.
Propagation characteristics
Lying approximately halfway between 80 m (3.5 MHz) and 40 m (7 MHz), the 60-meter (5 MHz) band forms a communication bridge when propagation effects make use of 80 or 40 m impossible for local-to-medium distance communications – usually between , often needed in emergency communication scenarios where there is no existing normal communications infrastructure or where the normal communications infrastructure has been devastated by either manmade or natural disaster(s). Less affected by D-Layer absorption than 80 m, the 60-meter (5 MHz) band is an ideal candidate for near vertical incidence skywave (NVIS), the most commonly used technique capable of providing seamless local-to-medium distance HF communications. Information about the critical frequency (foF2) of the ionosphere at any one time is highly important for setting up and maintaining reliable NVIS radio links. This information can be found online from ionograms produced by local ionosondes at this site
Propagation beacons A number of amateur radio propagation beacons are active on 5 MHz, some of which produce a sequence of varying power levels in various transmission formats. A number of these transmit 24/7 (but not all) and some personal beacons are activated as required.
On the 5290 kHz channel (5289.5 kHz USB) is the Danish (ITU Region 1) personal beacon OV1BCN (JO55si), operated by OZ1FJB, particularly for NVIS observations. From Spring 2011, it has been in operation h24 and is sequenced to transmit 2 minutes after the UK beacons, (hr+ 04/19/34/49 min.), transmitting a USB-announcement, followed by CW + MT63 identifications. (Info: Lars, OZ1FJB)
The South African Amateur Radio League SAARL (ITU Region 1) As of May 2017, the South African 5 MHz WSPR Cluster has two permanent beacons currently ZS6SRL in Johannesburg (KG33wv) and ZS1OA (JF95fx) in Cape Town. Although no longer operational, when SARL first announced its intention to have a 5 MHz Beacon operational, the South African club KARTS Kempton Park Amateur Radio and Technical Society commissioned a WSPR beacon callsign ZS6KTS (KG43cw), initially on 5250 kHz. At a meeting during Summer 2014 with their regulator, ICASA (The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa), SARL reached an agreement to exchange their channel at 5250 kHz for the more common beacon channel of 5290 kHz.
The 60 m band was released for amateur radio in Switzerland (ITU Region 1 ) in January 2017, however the Sursee Amateur Radio Club obtained earlier the necessary official authorizations from their Federal Office of Communications for a Swiss 5 MHz Experimental Beacon project. Using the callsign HB9AW, the beacon became operational on 5291.0 kHz at 0000 hrs UTC on 1 June 2014. The transmission commences with the call sign HB9AW in CW (100HA1B), followed by five 5 seconds-long dashes. The dashes are each accurately attenuated by 10 dB in the EIRP power sequence 10 W, 5 W, 1 W, 100 mW, concluding with 10 mW, and repeats every 5 minutes, commencing on the hour. The beacon transmits from Sursee (Locator: JN47be) using a half-wave dipole, configured for high-angle radiation as an NVIS 'fountain' type antenna at a height above ground of 0.12 of a wavelength. A reflector is placed beneath the antenna. The aim of the system is to explore the propagation conditions on 5 MHz in the hills and valleys of Switzerland in relation to its possible suitability as an Emergency Communications band. An on-line form on the Sursee Amateur Radio Club's website accepts reception reports.
9A5ADI has established a QRPp (very low power) CW Beacon 9A5ADI/B on 5288.8 kHz running 100 mW into a 15 m long wire. It is located in Vinkovci (JN95jg). The transmission sequence is as follows - 10 seconds tone, v v v, callsign, power, locator, room temperature and pressure.
The Luxembourg (ITU Region 1) national amateur radio society, Radioamateurs du Luxembourg, has re-established a beacon on 5205.25 kHz under the callsign LX0HF. Located near Junglinster (JN39dr), the beacon's power is 5 W EIRP, transmitting a continuous carrier with callsign identification at one minute intervals.