[aprssig] Radio Shack demise - Lets take back 11 meters!

[Stephen H. Smith]

On 2/8/2015 2:51 PM, Robert Bruninga wrote:
> Here is an idea.  Radio Shak was the #1 seller and supporter of CB radios.

RS hasn't been a major CB player for a decade or more, as they unsuccessfully 
attempted to be "Best Buy Lite" focusing on cell phones, tablets and other 
consumer mobile electronics.

The Pilot, Flying J, and Love's truck stop chains a.k.a. "travel centers" have 
been a far larger distributor of CB in recent years.



> as they close down, there remains a few BILLION dollars worth of 27 MHz
> spectrum sitting on the table.


I doubt it is worth remotely that much. Considering that the adjacent 30-50 MHz 
land mobile "VHF Low Band" is nearly empty, and that virtually all TV 
broadcasters on chans 2 through 6 (54-88 MHz) abandoned their traditional 
frequencies for UHF during the transition to ATSC digital TV, the market value 
at auction of 27 through 50-something MHz is almost nothing. Certainly not 
"billions" ....

[Have you noticed that the new-generation "all channel" TV antennas from 
Channel Master and Winegard are now about one-third the size of the traditional 
ones?  This is because there are no TV stations below the lowest hi-vhf channel 
7 (174-180 MHz) in most markets today.  Thus the longer elements are now 
unnecessary. The only antennas with lower coverage now are down to 100 MHz for 
TV/FM all-mode. ]

>
> Why not come up with a proposal for the FCC to give it back to HAMS?  What
> for?  That is the BIG question.  Its wavelength is IDEAL for mobile operation.

Huh???   Compared to two meters with a 19" whip?   Deafened by the digital 
trash in most new vehicles, along with traditional ignition noise?  Without the 
regular DX attraction of lower HF frequencies?



> And HAMS love making use of old radios.

Considering that both 6 meters and 10 meters are 99% empty most of the time, I 
don't think there is much of a crushing demand for more ham frequencies in that 
part of the spectrum.  Even when 10 meters is open, only about 150 KHz (from 
28.400 to 28.250 MHz) seems to have any activity at all. Not exactly 
overcrowding a 1.7 MHz-wide band.....      There's far more activity by bootleg 
CBers in the 27.4-28.0 MHz pirate "freeband" and in the first 100 KHz of 10m, 
than by hams on 10m.


>
> I do not want this to smack of self-interest, but APRS seems like a pretty good
> use of a channel.  And it does not involve speakers having to listen to foul
> language..
>
> So what is the KILLER APP for 11 Meters?
>
> How do we make it happen?
>
> Does anyone know of any "under used channel" for experimentation?  Who would
> like to get an STA from the FCC to "experiment?

Considering that 27 MHz is a completely unlicensed service, and an unregulated 
free-for-all now, why bother with paperwork?   Just use tactical calls.

__________________________________________


--

Stephen H. Smith    wa8lmf (at) aol.com
Skype:        WA8LMF
EchoLink:  Node #  14400  [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]
Home Page:          http://wa8lmf.net

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