Situation Digimodes on the 40m band

There is still a lot of PSK31 activity in the now exclusive CW segment 7000 – 7040 kHz instead in the since 2009 extended Digimode segment 7040-7050 kHz for operation with max. 500 Hz bandwidth.

Last winter some stations (e.g. one very active station from Sweden) tried to get Digimode activity moved up by calling CQ in the new segment and had good results.

I have got several times the answer to my question “why not above 7040 kHz?: “if I am calling above 7040 kHz, nearly nobody answers”. It seems that we have still a “hen and egg” problem?

Member Societies should try to put an “egg” in the right Digimode segment by operating special event stations with special call signs there. DXpeditions should be asked in advance not to operate in Digimode below 7040 kHz for contacts with Region 1. These activities could help to settle PSK31 mode about 5 kHz upwards in the range of 7041 to 7042 kHz.

Quelle: IARU Region 1 HF Newsletter No. 66

Tom DF5JL