Worldwide DXing on 60
meters will become a possibility over the next several years, following
approval by the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) in November of a
worldwide secondary amateur allocation between 5351.5 kHz and 5366.5 kHz. Power
will generally be limited to 15 watts effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP),
according to the ARRL. This is the first new worldwide amateur HF allocation
since the 30, 17 and 12-meter bands were approved in 1979.
The 5-MHz band is
currently available on a country-by-country basis. In the US, amateurs currently have access on a secondary
basis to five discrete channels between 5330 and 5405 kHz, and are permitted to
operate SSB, CW and PSK-31 with up to 100 watts EIRP. It is not clear how the
WRC action will affect the US amateur allocation, since it creates a smaller
band with lower power limits. There will be no change to the current
allocation, however, until the U.S. adopts the conference's final acts and the FCC
goes through the rulemaking procedures to put any new rules in place.
