Northern California Digital Band Plan

last updated June 5, 2009

160 Meters, 1.8-2.0 MHz (same as ARRL)

1.800-1.810 Digital Modes

80 Meters, 3.5-4.0 MHz (same as ARRL)

3.580-3.620 RTTY
3.590 RTTY DX
3.620-3.635 Packet

40 Meters, 7.0-7.3 MHz (same as ARRL)

7.040 RTTY DX
7.080-7.100 RTTY

30 Meters, 10.1-10.15 MHz (same as ARRL)

10.130-10.140 RTTY
10.140-10.150 Packet

20 Meters, 14.0-14.35 MHz (same as ARRL)

14.070-14.095 RTTY
14.095-14.0995 Packet
14.100 NCDXF beacons
14.1005-14.112 Packet

17 Meters, 18.068-18.168 MHz (same as ARRL)

18.100-18.105 RTTY
18.105-18.110 Packet

15 Meters, 21.0-21.45 MHz (same as ARRL)

21.070-21.100 RTTY
21.100-21.110 Packet

12 Meters, 24.89-24.99 MHz (same as ARRL)

24.920-24.925 RTTY
24.925-24.930 Packet

10 Meters, 28-29.7 MHz (same as ARRL)

28.070-28.150 RTTY
28.600 FM Simplex

6 Meters, 50-54 MHz

50.60-50.80 NA

51.12 SCA backbone
51.14 BBS forwarding
51.16 Keyboard to Keyboard
51.18 NA
51.62 TCP/IP 9600 baud
51.64 NA
51.66 NA
51.68 NA

NOTE: On this band, adjacent channel interference is harder to overcome for repeaters. NARCC requests that any new six meter permanent packet installations (such as nodes) please check with their six meter coordinator. You don't need to get a formal coordination, but they would like to be aware of your station and have an opportunity to check for possible conflicts first.

2 Meters, 144-148 MHz

144.31 EP
144.33 Telemetry & Experimental
144.35 Keyboard to Keyboard
144.37 BBS forwarding
144.39 APRS (USA and Canada)
144.41 Duplex, lower half (145.61 upper half, 1.2 MHz split)
144.43 TCP/IP (OK to run duplex with 145.65)

144.91 EP
144.93 BBS
144.95 DX Spotting
144.97 BBS
144.99 EP
145.01 WL2K
145.03 Keyboard to Keyboard
145.05 Keyboard to Keyboard
145.07 BBS
145.09 BBS

145.61 Duplex, upper half (144.41 lower half)
145.63 WL2K
145.65 TCP/IP 9600 baud (OK to run duplex with 144.43)
145.67 DX Spotting
145.69 EP
145.71 9600 baud
145.73 EP
145.75 TCP/IP
145.77 DX Spotting

146.58 NA

NOTE: The lowest channels are relatively close to the weak signal segment, so watch your deviation.

1.25 Meters, 219-225 MHz

219.05-219.95 100 kHz channels, backbone

223.54 EP
223.56 NA
223.58 BBS forwarding, BAY (S.F.& Monterey Bay)
223.60 BBS forwarding, SACVAL (Sacramento Valley)
223.62 EP
223.64 TCP/IP
223.66 Keyboard to Keyboard
223.68 DX Spotting backbone
223.70 EP
223.72 NA
223.74 DX Spotting backbone

NOTE: 219-220 channels are by coordination only. There are currently political/legal problems with using 219-220, making them unavailable in most of northern CA. Contact the NCPA (Gary Mitchell, wb6yru@aenet.net) for details.

70 Centimeters, 420-450 MHz

431.45 / 434.85 Duplex pair (100 kHz)
431.55 / 434.95 Duplex pair (100 kHz)
431.65 / 438.40 Duplex pair (100 kHz)
431.85 / 438.60 Duplex pair (100 kHz)
431.95 / 438.70 Duplex pair (100 kHz)

433.05 TCP/IP backbone (100 kHz)
433.15 NA (100 kHz)
433.25 DX Spotting backbone (100 kHz)
433.33 NA (60 kHz)
433.37 BBS, 9600 baud
433.39 DX Spotting
433.41 EP
433.43 TCP/IP 9600 baud
433.45 NA
433.47 Keyboard Interlink
433.49 TCP/IP
433.51 Keyboard to Keyboard
433.53 Keyboard to Keyboard
433.55 NA

441.50 Any digital

NOTE: Amateur 70 cm is secondary to the PAV PAWS radar at the US Air Force base near Sacramento. Many amateur stations in Northern CA have had to cease operation on 70 cm or significantly reduce power output. If you will be transmitting any significant 70 cm signal near the greater Sacramento area, you might want to consider using another band.

33 Centimeters, 902-928 MHz (same as ARRL)

903.500 1 MHz wide, TCP/IP
904.500 1 MHz wide, TCP/IP

915.500 1 MHz wide, NA
916.100 200 kHz Wide, NA
916.300 200 kHz Wide, NA
916.500 200 kHz Wide, NA
916.650 100 kHz Wide, NA
916.750 100 kHz Wide, NA
916.810 NA
916.830 NA
916.850 NA
916.870 NA
916.890 NA
916.910 NA
916.930 NA
916.950 NA
916.970 NA
916.990 BBS

NOTE: 900 MHz activity is on a non-interference basis to vehicle locator service. 900 MHz is not considered suitable for omindirectional systems and is recommended for point-to-point links only.

23 Centimeters, 1240-1300 MHz (same as ARRL)

1246.0-1248.0 / 1258.0-1260.0 Narrow band FM point-to-point links and digital, Duplex pairs
1248.500 / 1298.500 Duplex pair, 1 MHz, NA
1249.075 D-Star data link, 150 kHz
1249.150-1249.450 NA
1249.500 100 kHz, NA
1249.600 100 kHz, NA
1249.700 / 1299.700 Duplex pair, 100 kHz, NA
1249.800 / 1299.800 Duplex pair, 100 kHz, NA
1249.870 NA
1249.890 DX Spotting
1249.910 / 1299.910 Duplex pair, NA
1249.930 / 1299.930 Duplex pair, NA
1249.950 / 1299.950 Duplex pair, NA
1249.970 / 1299.970 Duplex pair, NA
1249.990 / 1299.990 Duplex pair, NA
1250.500 1 MHz, NA
1251.500 1 MHz, NA
1252.0-1258.0 6 MHz, ATV #2 (digital)

1297.000-1299.450 NA
1299.500 100 kHz, NA
1299.600 100 kHz, NA
1299.870 BBS
1299.890 DX Spotting

13 Centimeters, 2300-2310 & 2390-2450 MHz (same as ARRL)

2300.0-2303.0 3 MHz NA
2303.0-2303.5 Packet, NA
2303.5-2303.8 TTY and packet, NA
2303.8-2303.9 TTY, packet, CW, EME, NA
2304.2-2304.3 packet, fax, amtor, SSB, SSTV, AM, NA
2304.4-2304.5 packet, fax, amtor, SSB, ACSSB, SSTV, AM, Experimental NA

2396.0-2399.0 3 MHz NA
2399.0-2399.5 Packet, NA
2413.0-2418.0 3 MHz NA

Definitions

9600 baud (bps) Stations using 9600 baud, typically using direct FSK or 9600 baud modems such as G3RUH, TAPR, etc.

APRS Automatic Packet Reporting System.

ATV Amateur TV, digital.

BBS Full-service networked BBS. Part of the cooperative world wide packet BBS network that typically carries routine message and NTS traffic. Keyboard to Keyboard is tolerated. Controlled by the PSNC.

Duplex Simultaneous transmit and receive. Duplex channels are intended for high-volume applications. 9600 baud or higher is encouraged.

DX Spotting Northern California DX Packet Spotting Network (DXPSN). No other activity should be on these channels.

EP Emergency Packet. Emergency communications involving ARES, RACES, OES, EOC, etc. Any of several packet modes and systems may be employed, including WL2K, APRS, nodes, etc. During non-emergencies, general usage is allowed.

Experimental This is where you can test new gear, programs, etc. Pretty much anything is allowed.

Forwarding No uncoordinated stations. These channels are for specific purposes as defined by the NCPA or affiliated groups. This is where the various BBSs, nodes, and networks forward traffic to each other and are very high volume channels. These channels are not intended for user access.

Keyboard to Keyboard Primarily chat channels. Some emergency communications may be here too. No continuous high-volume activity such as full service BBS, DX Spotting, or TCP/IP servers.

Interlink Typically used to link nodes or systems of nodes. See "Forwarding"

LAN Local Area Network. Some server stations are grouped into LANs for more efficient forwarding. A LAN frequency is the forwarding channel for the servers within the LAN and also may be the access point to a backbone. These channels are not intended for user access.

NA Not Allocated. These channels are not currently allocated to any specific activities, but may be assigned at any time, so no permanent activities please. Otherwise, treat the same as Experimental.

Personal Mailbox/Maildrop A BBS-like system, often running entirely within a TNC, with a small number of users that handles information of a personal, local or special-purpose nature. A Mailbox is allowed on keyboard to keyboard channels only if it does not forward with other BBSs (personal or otherwise). Mailboxes may forward with full-service BBSs on BBS channels at the discression of the BBS SYSOP.

TCP/IP Stations using TCP/IP protocol either direct (e.g. ethernet) or in an AX.25 envelope. Regular AX.25 is tolerated to communicate to TCP/IP stations if a compatible p-persistance access method is used.

Telemetry Balloons, model rockets, model vehicles, or anything else sending data by telemetry. Devices that do not use standard collision avoidance techniques (as AX.25 normally does) should only operate temporarily.

User Access User access to a network. This is for the next generation of packet which is expected to operate like the internet. Users would access such a network on these frequencies. The load on these channels may be rather high, like BBS channels. The activity may be like a combination of BBS, keyboard to keyboard, TCP/IP, or other modes.

WL2K Winlink2000 message server or anything involving the Winlink network.

NOTES

Channel spacing is 20 kHz unless otherwise noted.

Data rates up to 9600 baud are generally allowed on any channel. Lower data rates are tolerated on channels specified as 9600 baud or higher so long as it doesn't interfere with higher speed communications.

Except for the 219-220 segment, the NCPA currently isn't coordinating individual stations, nodes, etc. leaving that to the special interest groups. BBS station coordination is done by the PSNC in Northern CA. DX Spotting is coordinated by DXPSN. Some digital may be coordinated on auxiliary channels by NARCC as well as any kind of repeater.

The NCPA board conducts most of its meeting activity electronically by internet e-mail remailer. As with face-to-face board meetings, interested persons are welcome. Subscribe to the remailer by sending e-mail to ncpa-request@kkn.net with "subscribe ncpa" as the message (without the quotes), the subject doesn't matter. Subscribing to the remailer is like attending a continuous NCPA board meeting.

NCPA board internet remailer: ncpa@kkn.net (one needs to subscribe first)

NCPA president & freq. coord.: Gary Mitchell, WB6YRU, wb6yru@aenet.net, packet: WB6YRU@N0ARY.#NCA.CA.USA.NOAM

Procedure for changes

Send requests for changes to either the frequency coordinator or the NCPA board remailer.The frequency coordinator will then present the requests to the board along with suggested assignments. The NCPA, a representative committee, makes all digital assignments.