160-meter band

Just above the mediumwave broadcast band, 160 meters refers to the band of radio frequencies between 1800 and 2000 kHz. For many decades the lowest radio frequency band allocated for use by amateur radio, before the adoption, at the beginning of the 21st century in most countries, of the 630 and 2200 meter bands. Older amateur operators often refer to 160 meters as the Top Band[lower-alpha 1]. It is also sometimes referred to as the "Gentleman's Band" in contrast to the often-freewheeling activity in the 80 and 20 meter bands.

History

The 160 meter band is the oldest amateur band and was the staple of reliable communication in the earliest days of amateur radio, when almost all communications were over relatively short distances. The band was allocated on a worldwide basis by the International Radiotelegraph Conference in Washington, D.C., on 4 October 1927.[1] The allocation at that time was 1715–2000 kHz. The International Radio Conference of Atlantic City reduced the allocation to 1800–2000 kHz under the provision that amateurs must not interfere with LORAN operation.[2]

As the high frequency (HF) bands were developed in mid-1920s – along with their smaller, more feasible antennas – 160 meters fell into a period of relative nonuse. Although there has always been activity on the band, fewer and fewer hams are willing (or able, due to lack of sufficient real estate) to put up the antennas necessary to take advantage of the band's unique properties. For most amateurs, the HF bands are much easier to use, and HF antennas need a lot less real estate.

After World War II, the 160 meter band was apparently not coming back. A large part of the U.S. 160 meter band was allocated on a primary basis to the LORAN radio-navigation system that began operating in and around the 160 meter band in 1942. Amateurs were relegated to secondary, non-interfering status, with severe regional power limitations and restricted day/night operations on just a few narrow segments of the band.

Many older hams recall, with no great fondness, the ear-shattering buzz-saw racket of high power LORAN stations that began in 1942 until LORAN-A was phased out in North America on 31 December 1980, and most of the world by 1985. LORAN-A was still operating in China and Japan in 1995.

Great ingenuity was used to eliminate the pulse noise of the powerful LORAN-A transmitters through such famous circuitry as the "Select-O-Ject" of the late 1950s. The technology was adapted to modern noise blanking circuits used in current amateur receivers and transceivers.

Despite many obstacles and threats from commercial and military spectrum users, the efforts of a small number of determined 160 meter operators enabled the band to survive. In the UK it was the primary band for mobile operation for many years. The band experienced a rebirth with the demise of LORAN-A in the United States in December 1980, and the removal of power restrictions below 1900 kHz soon thereafter. Power restrictions above 1900 kHz were removed in March 1984, and 160 meters was then no longer regarded as the "orphan" band, as it had been for more than half a century.

Technical Characteristics

Effective 160 meter operation can be particularly challenging, as full sized antennas (on the order of a quarter-wavelength or more, over 130 feet) are difficult to erect for many amateurs with limited space. Nevertheless, many radio amateurs successfully communicate over very long distances with relatively small antennas. 160 meters is populated by many highly dedicated experimenters, as it is a proving ground for ingenuity in antenna design and operating technique.

Propagation is limited to local contacts during the day, but long distance contacts are possible at night, especially around sunrise and sunset and during periods of sunspot minima. Much about ionospheric and propagation on 160 meters is still not completely understood. Phenomena such as "chordal hop" propagation are frequently observed, as well as other unexplained long-distance propagation mechanisms. Inexplicable radio blackouts - sometimes encountered on the AM broadcast band - also occur on 160 meters. Many of these phenomena have been investigated in the scientific community also.

Frequency allocation

The International Telecommunication Union allocated the frequencies from 1810–2000 kHz to amateur radio operations in ITU Region 1 (Europe, Greenland, Africa, the Middle East west of the Persian Gulf and including Iraq, the former Soviet Union and Mongolia) and 1800-2000 kHz in the rest of the world.[3]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Top band" possibly refers to the position of 2000 kHz very nearly at the top of the medium frequency band (MF); it is the highest amateur band within MF.

References

  1. ↑ "International Radiotelegraph Conference" (PDF).
  2. ↑ "International Radio Conference of Atlantic City (1947)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 July 2012.
  3. ↑ "Amateur HF Bands". Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  • "US Amateur Bands 2005" (PDF). Newington, CT: American Radio Relay League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2005. Retrieved August 3, 2005.
  • "2005 ARRL Band Plans". Newington, CT: American Radio Relay League. Archived from the original on 3 August 2005. Retrieved August 3, 2005.
  • "Canada HF Band Plan" (PDF). RAC Web. Radio Association of Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
  • "Ham Radio QRP". Retrieved August 3, 2005.
  • "UK Amateur Radio Band Plans". Retrieved February 3, 2010. (Click the [160 Meter] button at the bottom of the page.)
  • "HF Amateur Bands". ITU Frequency Allocations. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  • "Bandplan" (PDF). IARU Region 1. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  • "Bandplan" (PDF). IARU Region 2. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  • "Bandplan" (PDF). IARU Region 3. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  • "Japan Bandplan" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  • "NZ4O 160 meter propagation theory notes". Archived from the original on 23 September 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2009. A website dedicated to layman level explanations of "seemingly" mysterious 160 meter (MF) propagation occurrences.
Range Band ITU Region 1 ITU Region 2 ITU Region 3
LF 2200 m 135.7 kHz – 137.8 kHz
MF 630 m 472 kHz – 479 kHz
160 m 1.810 MHz – 1.850 MHz 1.800 MHz – 2.000 MHz
HF 80 / 75 m 3.500 MHz – 3.800 MHz 3.500 MHz – 4.000 MHz 3.500 MHz – 3.900 MHz
60 m 5.3515 MHz – 5.3665 MHz
40 m 7.000 MHz – 7.200 MHz 7.000 MHz – 7.300 MHz 7.000 MHz – 7.200 MHz
30 m[w] 10.100 MHz – 10.150 MHz
20 m 14.000 MHz – 14.350 MHz
17 m[w] 18.068 MHz – 18.168 MHz
15 m 21.000 MHz – 21.450 MHz
12 m[w] 24.890 MHz – 24.990 MHz
10 m 28.000 MHz – 29.700 MHz
VHF 6 m 50.000 MHz – 52.000 MHz[x] 50.000 MHz – 54.000 MHz
4 m[x] 70.000 MHz – 70.500 MHz N/A
2 m 144.000 MHz – 146.000 MHz 144.000 MHz – 148.000 MHz
1.25 m N/A 220.000 MHz – 225.000 MHz N/A
UHF 70 cm 430.000 MHz – 440.000 MHz 430.000 MHz – 440.000 MHz
(420.000 MHz – 450.000 MHz)[y]
33 cm N/A 902.000 MHz – 928.000 MHz N/A
23 cm 1.240 GHz – 1.300 GHz
13 cm 2.300 GHz – 2.450 GHz
SHF 9 cm 3.400 GHz – 3.475 GHz[y] 3.300 GHz – 3.500 GHz
5 cm 5.650 GHz – 5.850 GHz 5.650 GHz – 5.925 GHz 5.650 GHz – 5.850 GHz
3 cm 10.000 GHz – 10.500 GHz
1.2 cm 24.000 GHz – 24.250 GHz
EHF 6 mm 47.000 GHz – 47.200 GHz
4 mm[y] 75.500 GHz[x] – 81.500 GHz 76.000 GHz – 81.500 GHz
2.5 mm 122.250 GHz – 123.000 GHz
2 mm 134.000 GHz – 141.000 GHz
1 mm 241.000 GHz – 250.000 GHz
THF Sub-mm Some administrations have authorized spectrum for amateur use in this region;
others have declined to regulate frequencies above 300 GHz, leaving them available by default.

[w] HF allocation created at the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference. These are commonly called the "WARC bands".
[x] This is not mentioned in the ITU's Table of Frequency Allocations, but individual administrations may make allocations under "Article 4.4". ITU Radio Regulations. . See the appropriate Wiki page for further information.
[y] This includes a currently active footnote allocation mentioned in the ITU's Table of Frequency Allocations. These allocations may only apply to a group of countries.

See also: Radio spectrum, Electromagnetic spectrum
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