A couple of comments on the new band plan:

There is NO intention to move any existing SSB nets, or move SSB operation in general above 7100 - we are only encouraging activity above 7100.

The whole purpose of spreading activity above 7100 is to encourage use of the unused sections of 40m - that's it. However, if you do not want to go above 7100 there is no compulsion, whatsoever.

Fitting in with the broadcasters, particularly at night, will be tricky, however there are vacant areas we can use. We have 300 kHz of band space, which we have fought very hard for, against lots of international opposition. We should be using more of it - the old adage 'use it or loose it' applies here.

Of course, you are fully within your right to speak where ever you want on 40 - the ACMA does not mandate bandplans, they are purely a gentleman's agreement - i.e. voluntary. However, if we all ignored the band plans, I'm sure you would agree that there would be chaos on the bands.

I'm glad to have found this forum, as I am after the view of DX'ers on band plan changes, and this seems the right place to start.

I'm a DX'er myself, but only on CW, so I'm not really across SSB DX, apart from a few US nets around 7150.

A couple of specific questions:

1. Is there much SSB DX between 7030 and 7050?
2. Do you suffer from much QRM in the general phone segment above 7050?

I personally have not heard any ssb DX between 7030 and 7050

I have been suffering QRM from what appears to be an automatic
ATV repeater, 7055, in the last 2-3 weeks, this has driven me crazy. I believe from the ident that is from Victoria somewhere

73

We certainly can't allocate digital at 7070. The current digital segment tops out at 7040 - hence my question about SSB operation from 40-50 - I was thinking of extending the digital segment another 10k to 7050.

However, it appears that there is too much SSB DX between 40 and 50.....so we will probably have to leave the current digital segment (7030-40), and go above 7100...