Amateur band microwave band usage
Due to the technically challenging nature of the microwave spectrum the levels of activity look low when compared to the more widely known HF bands such as 80m, where it is much easier to build up a station of ready made equipment.
Almost all microwave operators build their own transmitting and receiving equipment and often have sophisticated test gear not usually found in the average amateur enthusiast’s shack.
Operating modes on the UK microwave bands are mainly narrowband types (SSB/CW and, occasionally, NBFM/FSK) and wideband modes such as ATV. There is also some interest being shown in data modes. Much operation is at terrestrial level but there is also a great (and growing) interest in communication via satellites and E.M.E (Earth-Moon-Earth, or “moonbounce”)
All these specialised areas within amateur microwaves create their own special conflicts of interests and require spectrum management of a higher degree than is perhaps required at lower frequencies.
The most active microwave bands in the UK are the 23cm (1296MHz) and the 3cm (10GHz) bands, the former having several hundred UK operators with working equipment and the latter with around 100 if not more. There are also many enthusiasts who spend much of their time building and testing equipment rather than operating.
In recent years there has been an upsurge in amateur operations on the millimetre bands, i.e. 24GHz, 47GHz, 76GHz and higher.
The so called “middle microwave bands” of 2.3GHz, 3.4GHz and 5.7GHz have also seen a rapid increase in activity in the past few years, largely due to the availability of excellent kit sets from both the UK and overseas.
There are high levels of activity on the Continent on nearly all the amateur microwave bands The European stations are often workable at distances up to about 1000km or more by UK microwave operators, using with modest equipment, but with good knowledge of propagation, the European microwave beacons providing excellent indicators of such favourable conditions.
A casual tune across any of the microwave bands will usually fail to find any amateur signals other than beacons. This is because of the highly directional nature of the antennas being used. Beam widths of 5 degrees or less are common. A casual listener may therefore be forgiven for thinking the bands are not being used. This is far from the case. Every month of the year sees organised activity in the form of contests (often two a month) and activity days. There is also a strong contingent of home stations who operate on a regular basis (Monday evening being the traditional “microwave activity night”). Due to the directional nature of antennas, some form of liaison is necessary, often on the 144MHz and 432MHz band as well as via the internet where a dedicated microwave chat room has been set up.
Microwave Beacons
There is a well developed network of microwave beacons in the UK, on all bands from 1296MHz to 47GHz. A list can be found at www.g3pho.org.uk.
Applications for unattended beacons are coordinated through RSGB. Beacons are very much welcomed as they provide not only the amateur fraternity with most useful propagation and frequency indicators but are also used by government, university and commercial organisations.
Representation
In matters of spectrum allocation and licensing matters, UK microwave enthusiasts are presently represented by the RSGB and its Spectrum Forum. The RSGB Microwave Manager is Murray Niman G6JYB. He in turn is supported by the UK Microwave Group (UKuG), which is an RSGB Affiliated Society. UKuG is an independent organisation with some 250 members and issues a monthly newsletter (Scatterpoint) as well as organising almost all the microwave contests and activity days for the country.
In addition, UKuG runs its own website at http://www.microwavers.org together with a microwave email reflector (open to all, regardless of membership status of UKuG). Details of the latter, as well as membership information, can be found on the Group’s website.
All matters of concern with respect to microwavers should be sent, in the first instance, to the UKuG Chairman, e-mail chairman
microwavers.org, who will then forward the item to the RSGB Microwave Manager.