Slow progress for some on 40m extension

Dozens of countries in IARU Regions 1 and 3 are yet to adopt the 40m extension of 7.1 to 7.2MHz in their domestic regulations.

In IARU Region 3 only Australia, China, Japan, Korea and New Zealand report having finalised the band extension for their radio amateurs.

A similar story of progress is evident in IARU Region 1, with Belarus, France and South Africa being the latest to gain the band extension.

Is the apparent slow progress sending a wrong message to errant broadcasters? While the vast majority of shortwave broadcasting community have left the band, some have not.

Among those persisting is the recently returned Laos National Radio with Cambodian, English, French, Thai and Vietnamese language broadcasts on 7145.
Its 10kW transmitter has been heard on the west coast of the USA and also in Europe.

More details can be found in news section of the Amateur Radio Victoria website - www.amateurradio.com.au