diff --git a/blog/_posts/2023-01-25-hotspots-in-the-bandplan.md b/blog/_posts/2023-01-25-hotspots-in-the-bandplan.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..65a2182 --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/_posts/2023-01-25-hotspots-in-the-bandplan.md @@ -0,0 +1,35 @@ +--- +title: Hotspots In The Bandplan +layout: post +date: 2023-01-25 05:42:40 +tags: Blog +excerpt_separator: +--- + +I'm getting ready to put my MMDVM hotspot back online after a few months. Having not have to set one up from scratch +in a couple years, I forgot where I used to keep them. When I consulted my local bandplan, I found a surprise. + + + +Finding a place to use your hotspot used to be a matter of just sticking it somewhere in the simplex and hope it +didn't interfere with anyone. A lot of people had a nasty habit of slapping them in wrong sections, like in +EME/weak-signal sections; which angered people who did EME. Another valid option was to stick it in Auxiliary/repeater +links, provided there wasn't anything actually working there. Technically, the band-plans aren't specified in Part 97 +and aren't law; but for the most part we all abide by it. When I got my hotspot, I ran it up in the sections my local +bandplan said was for auxiliary/repeater links. This was based on research I did years prior on doing an FM Echolink +node, which seemed to allude such a device would be an auxiliary station. When I had my full-duplex spot, I ran it +on what the local coordinator [TMARC](http://www.tmarc.org) called a "Shared Non-Protected Pair". + +That was back in June of 2020, so I hadn't been to their page in quite some time. Not remembering the local band-plan +I hopped over to their website to get a bit of a refresher. I was shocked to find out that a month later, in July of +2020; they adopted suggested segments for hotspots on 2m and 70cm. In the case of 70cm they carved out two segments: + +- 438.0125 - 438.2875 + - Indoor antenna, power <100mw +- 439.800 - 440.000 + - Outdoor antenna, power > 100mw + +Both cover hotspots/radio-over-IP nodes with the latter listing cross-band and other things that can't be coordinated. + +While it's probably not that big of a deal in the large scheme of things; it's nice to know they've done something. If +you run a hotspot, you might want to check your repeater coordinator to see if they've got a recommended spot to run.