Which frequencies?

[Magellan]

Just got my 77 man pack up an running and was wondering what freqs were used? Talking to The Booger at Corowa he say that his group are licensed to operate on certain freqs. I can envisage a 'gathering' to have an expedition and chat maybe?

Daryl

[kman]

You need to apply to ACMA for a frequency allocation. You can expect to pay around $700 for the application process and an annual fee for the licence. This will allow you to operate in your local area although if you are extremely wealthy you could apply for an Australia-wide licence. Your annual licence fee will vary depending on the radio usage density: if you live somewhere in the nullarbor it will be peanuts; if you live in Sydney it will be thousands of dollars.

Once you have a licence you can authorise others to use the frequency in the licenced area and you can charge them a fee. If there are enough of you this will make the annual fee quite acceptable.

The other option is to get a ham standard licence which will allow you to talk to other hams on frequencies around 52MHz. This is cheaper but the other alternative means anyone you authorise can use the frequency.

Howard

[THE BOOGER]

our group AAVA applies for 1 off use of a frequent for specific days not sure of the cost but it allows us to use 77 sets 524 and clans man radios in the military frequently did take a while to get organised

[AGAS 5]

or get an amature radio license. I think you need a standard or advanced license to use amature freqs in the 77 set range. The basic foundation license doesn't let you use those freqs.

EDIT:
Standard: 52-54 MHZ
Advanced: 50-54 MHZ

Cheers,

Pete

[Magellan]

Thanks for all the replies men. I'll look into an Amateur licence. The first option looks v.expensive

Daryl

[AGAS 5]

I was asked a question off line about the 16kHz bandwidth limitation on the above Standard Licence frequencies and the operation of the AN/PRC-77.

The AN/PRC-77 operates with channel spacing of 50kHz. This is not its operating bandwidth.

Whilst in voice mode it's operating bandwidth is a maximim of 3.5kHz with an additional 150Hz for the squelch function.

Most pre digital VHF/UHF radios (the ex army kit we have) will be similar.

Cheers,

Pete

[kman]

To the best of my knowledge there is no such bandwidth limitation. The 150Hz tone signal is audio the same as speech and does not impact on bandwidth.

You are free to use prc25/77 and similar military radios under an amateur licence.

Howard

[AGAS 5]

Hi Howard,

Note I was talking about the Standard License, not the Advanced. The limitation is well known and described at Schedule 3 of the Radiocommunications Licence Conditions (Amateur Licence) Determination 2015.
 
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2016C00286

Check out the tech manual off the 77 set. It characterises it's use of squelch bandwidth in addition to the voice bandwidth.

Cheers,

Pete

[kman]

Fair enough. I stand corrected.

Howard