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- From the files of the ARRL Automated Mail Server, (info@arrl.org):
- file: training.air updated: 08-26-94
-
-
- AIRS Guidance - De W7JIE
-
- 1. In preparing report forms for AIRS, remember the compiled reports from
- all AIRS members are circulated world-wide. As a part of the IARU
- monitoring service, ARRL and AIRS provides input through these reports.
- Therefore, it is very important that several items be considered.
-
- 2. Of primary importance is to know what frequencies are shared with other
- services and what signals can thus be considered for reporting. Just
- because the FCC allows amateur operation does not mean that we have
- exclusive use of that frequency or band. In fact, most bands open to USA
- hams are "shared" somewhere in the world. So, in your reporting of
- signals, you should make certain that the signal under question actually
- violates international agreements. Many do, but most are perfectly legal,
- and should not be reported. For example:
-
- 160 meters, 1800-2000 Khz. Shared worldwide with radiolocation beacons,
- mobile units, radionavigation and fixed stations. In most cases, a non-
- amateur signal, particularly a repetitive beacon-like signal, is probably
- radio navigation or radio location and should not be reported. Non-amateur
- voice communication can qualify as mobile or fixed-mobile systems.
- Actually, there is seldom any reportable signals on 160 meters, sorry to
- say.
-
- 80/75 meters. Again, a worldwide shared band from 3500 to 4000Khz. Take
- Region one (europe, africa, etc.) as an example. Amateur operation is
- permitted 3500 to 3800 only. Region 2 (N. and S. America), amateur
- operation is permitted from 3500 to 4000 with certain countries limiting
- frequencies. Region 3 (Asia, Japan, Australia, etc), amateur operation
- 3500 - 3900 with limintations. Broadcasting in Region one from 3950 to
- 4000 while broadcasting permitted in region 3 from 3900 - 4000! In both
- Region 1 and 3, across the band, mobile operation, fixed station operation,
- aeronautical mobile stations, and inregion 2 even fixed stations and mobile
- stations are permitted from 3750 to 4000! Therefore, unless you can prove
- that a station is in actual violation, in almost all cases, the signal on
- the 75/80 meter band is probably legal and not reportable.
-
- 40 meters. 7000-7050 is allocated to fixed stations on a primary basis in
- certain countries in Region 1. These countries are Angola, Iraq, Kenya,
- Rwanda, Somalia, Togo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi,
- and Tanzania. Care must be exerciesd in that frequency area to make sure
- it is not one of the above. The best way is to get a QTE/QTH from a known
- and reliable QTF source. 7050-7100 is world-wide exclusinve Amateur.
- Albania, and a couple others regularly stick broadcasting in the upper
- portionof this band and should be reported. 7100-7300 is world-wide
- broadcasting in Region 1 & 3. However, no digital transmissions are
- supposed to occur from non-amateur sources! A swep of this portion of the
- band may turn up some violators and are reportable. Jammers usually occur
- in the band also but reporting them may or may not be fruitful.
-
- 30 meters. 10100-10150 is shared world-wide. Just plain fact of life.
- Probably no signals are violators and therefore not reportable.
-
- 20 meters. Exclusively amateur world-wide from 14000 to 14250 Khz.
- However, 14250 - 14300 is 'shared' with Afghanistan, China, Ivory Coast,
- Iran, and the USSR. These are 'fixed' stations but can still be herard in
- U.S.A. and are reportable 'harmful interference'. Just make sure you know
- the QTH of the signal.
-
- 15 meters. 21000-21450 Khz. Exclusive amateur. No sharing and therefore
- any non-amateur signal is reportable. Harmonics of broadcasters and others
- are reportable.
-
- 12 meters. 24890 - 24990 Khz. Until 1 July 1989, there is still some
- sharing on this band. Then it becomes exclusive world-wide amateur.
-
- 10 meters. 28000-29700 Khz. Also exclusive world-wide amateur but subject
- to harmonics, etc.
-
- 6 meters. 50.0 - 54.0 MHz. A bunch of sharing in Region 1 and 3 with
- fixed, mobiles, and broadcasting. If DX is in, the signal may be OK. Use
- good judgement.
-
- Above 6 meters, watch for local signals that can occur from many sources
- and are reportable. Often find unlicensed users as well as accidental
- sources of offending signals.
-
- AIRS operating information and frequency recording. Check your receiver
- against WWV occasionally. Make sure your report is accurate within one
- Khz. and even better than that should be easy with today's digital
- readouts. Report the frequency of F1B at mid-point. In other words, if it
- is F1B with a shift of 500 hz, then report the midrange point of the
- signal. That is, read the mark and space frequencies and report the center
- of the two. For other frequency-shifted signals, use the midpoint. For
- other signals, report the carrier frequency as read.
-
- Time. use only "Z" time, GMT, or Coordinated Universal time. Do not use
- local twelve hour or twenty four hour time for reporting. Also, if at all
- possible, report the time your first heard the signal and the last time you
- heard it, which is usually the time spent measuring and trying to identify
- it. A single time is OK, but should be shown both as "from" and "to" on
- the form.
-
- Call/identification - Put in what you can, but do not leave blank.
- Even a question mark is better than a blank. Sometimes, calls can be
- obtained, sometimes not. Sometimes country of origin can be picked out but
- anything that can be accurately added is helpful.
-
- Emission. Very important! Acquaint yourself with the various emission
- codes used by FCC, IARU, ITU and amateurs. There are only a few that
- commonly occur. They are A1A (dot and dash codes), A1B (dot and dash
- radioprinters, etc), F1A (frequency shifted dot and dash stuff), F1B
- (frequency shifted radio printers etc), N0N (carrier with no intelligence)
- (sometimes said to be American television), J7B (multi-tone audio modulated
- systems), A3E( Broadcasting stations) Others are rarely heard but can
- occur. You should get acquainted with as many as possible.
-
- *eof
-
-