The 2018 RSGB Band Plans have just been released. They’re available now on the RSGB website, and will appear in the February issue of RadCom, which is due to hit doormats in the next couple of days.
The revised band plans incorporate changes from the 2017 IARU Region 1 Conference, along with UK usage changes. The main changes are in the 5MHz (60m), 50MHz (6m), 144MHz (2m) and 430MHz (70cm) bands. Changes on 2m may affect DXers and Contesters, and changes on 70cm being of interest to those using digital modes (with designations added for personal hotspots and reverse split repeaters).
The highlights are as follows:
2m Changes
- CW band now starts at 144.100MHz
- PSK31 deleted from 144.138MHz
- ‘Personal weak signals beacons’ added for 144.491-144.493MHz
- 146MHz power limit increase to 50W
- Text changes.
70cm Changes
- Personal Weak Signal MGM Beacons added for 432.491-432.493MHz
- Internet voice gateway 434.475-434.525MHz now DV only
- Added 433.800-434.250MHz Digital communications
- Added 434.000MHz and 438.800MHz Low Power Non-NoV Personal Hot-Spot usage
- Added 430.250-430.300MHz UK DV 9 MHz reverse-split repeaters (Outputs)
- Added 439.250-439.300MHz UK DV 9 MHz reverse-split repeaters (Inputs)
- Deleted 432.088MHz PSK31 centre of activity
6m Changes
- RTTY on 50.6MHz has been removed, plus some text changes
60m Changes
- WSPR removed from 5.28MHz,
- USB usage removed from 5.403MHz,
- 60m added to the “no contests” bands
- Text changes
The changes came into effect from the 1st January 2018
Remember, it;’s good practice to keep a copy of the current band plan with you when operating, either at home, or when out-and-about. The RSGB site lets you view them on-screen, or download them as an Excel spreadsheet or in PDF format.
Stay up-to-date and get the latest copy of the RSGB’s Band Plans from thersgb.org/services/bandplans
