70MHz, 4 m band released in Switzerland

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70MHz, 4 m band released in Switzerland

As reported by the Swiss amateur radio association USKA, after lengthy negotiations with the national telecommunications authority OFCOM-CH, the 4m band was released. The approval is valid from 1st January 2023.

The following applies:

  • Only radio amateurs with HB9 licences are allowed to use the band.

  • Frequency range: 70.0000 to 70.0375MHz and 70.1125 to 70.5000MHz. Any transmission is prohibited in the range from 70.0375 to 70.1125 MHz.

  • The maximum power is 25 watts ERP.

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German Hams - Temporary Band Access Extended

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German Hams - Temporary Band Access Extended

On 21st December 2022, the Federal Network Agency BNetZa published Order No. 137/2022 in Official Gazette No. 24/2022 and thus the extension of the previous toleration regulations for 160 m, 6m, 4m, 13 cm and 6 cm. Otherwise, these temporary usage permission permits would have expired at the end of the year; now they are valid until 31st December 2023. As in the previous year, the RTA's application was fully accepted in terms of content.

6 m band: In the 50.0 – 50.4 MHz frequency range, holders of licence class A may transmit with a maximum of 750 watts PEP through to the end of 2023, holders of licence class E with 100 W PEP – only horizontal polarised transmissions are allowed. From 50.4 to 52.0 MHz only 25W PEP is permitted. Contest operation is permitted under this allowance.

In the 70.150 – 70.210 MHz portion of the 4m band, class A licence holders are allowed to transmit up to a maximum of 25 W ERP horizontal polarised signals until the end of 2023.

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ICQPodcast Digital Project Annouces Connection to M17

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The ICQPodcast Digital Project have announced successful integration of the M17 protocol into the project.

Following on from a listener query, and subsequent confirmation that M17 had become open-source and didn’t require any additional licencing or hardware requirements, the team set about programming the required connections to the existing set-up.

“I am pleased we can add another mode of communication to the ICQPodcast Digital Project, which enforces our believe that radio should be about communicating between groups of likeminded people, without the restrictions of protocols”
— Martin Butler, M1MRB

To find out more about the ICQPodcast Digital Group - digitalgroup.icqpodcast.com