"Freebanding"

Freeband operation is seldom discussed in other than the most disparaging manner in the Ham press. Let's have a closer look at this activity and its influence on Ham Radio.

To begin with, the word Freeband seems now to be both a verb and a proper noun. "Freebanding" is the act of operating HF equipment illegally on an 11-meter frequency, usually in SSB, and primarily in or slightly above the Citizen's Band (26.965-27.405 MHz).

"Freeband" also refers to the band itself, just above the CB and below the 10-meter amateur band (28 MHz). It is important to understand that a Freebander is distinguished from an illegal CB'er by the fact he uses a modified general coverage HF transceiver for his illicit operation while the CB'er uses an extended coverage channelized CB. The difference may at first seem trivial, but is actually quite significant to our hobby.

Amateurs not familiar with Freeband, upon monitoring 27.5 to 28 MHz SSB during a band opening will find the average Freeband operator to be certainly less technically apt but perhaps slightly more courteous and inviting than the average 75-meter operator. This too is significant, because Freeband is a major "entry point" to Ham radio today. There may be no exact polling to verify this, but surely any reader is familiar with at least a few individuals who came into the hobby through 11-meters. Suffice to say that once an illegal CB'er progresses in his hobby to the point of operating an HF SSB radio, he is well on his way into the ranks of Ham radio proper.

The Yaesu FT-101, with its "peculiar" (ARRL) 11-meter band position was the first radio to allow the CB'er to operate Freeband, ushering in a new style of 11-meter operation. Unlike CB radios, the 101 and radios like it allowed 11-meter operators to monitor the Ham bands, where the "big boys" played. Subsequently they, as a group, mimicked the operating style they heard on HF, right down to the use of Q-signals and the phonetic alphabet. This Freeband operating style continues today, in an environment where HF transceivers of every class are readily available and easily modifiable for Freeband. In fact, some of these Freebanders use equipment that would be the envy of many HF amateurs.

This is significant to our hobby because Freeband is in practice an illicit sub band that brings forth a new crop of HF operators every eleven years. This situation has existed since the FT-101 became available to them and will persist as long as general coverage transceivers remain inexpensive and available.

It works like this. With every new cycle, some (Worthy?) CB'ers can be counted on to develop an insatiable curiosity about the DX they suddenly, mysteriously, hear on the radio. Think of it as free advertising, courtesy of the ionosphere. As the cycle progresses, they pursue this interest into the Freeband as illicit SSB DXers, working the world as they see fit. However, with the waning of the cycle a few years later, these now-experienced DX Freebanders find their 11-meter DX opportunities fewer and fewer in number. Having monitored the lowbands with their' HF equipment, it is only natural that they move into Ham radio to take advantage of the better band conditions below 11-meters.

Make no mistake, when these operators appear on HF, they bring with them much more practical HF operating experience than does an amateur progressing through the VHF entry point. Other than the jargon they have picked up on this illicit journey, they are, in fact none the worse for the wear. Once acquainted with, and accepted by the Ham ranks, few if any return to the Freeband scene, other than for the occasional listen, having found something better.

And so the Freeband sits largely vacant, until the next cycle lures another batch of migrants up from CB to eventually make their' way into Ham radio in their own good time.

Just as the Internet is luring away amateurs, Freeband has and will continue to cyclically replenish our ranks, at least to some extent. No doubt there are pros and cons to this, but suffice to say it is a reality at present.

Hmmmmmmmm I still love 11Meters and dont think it is that empty, you just have to look for your DX

You're right, 11m ain't empty ... far from it in fact .... however it is very dependant upon the propagation cycle which annoys a lot of folks who maybe don't fully understand it.

2009 will see the start of some good skip but in the mean time ...................!

I think its fair to say it annoys folks who either understand it or don't.  Even though I understand propagation I am still annoyed when we're at the bottom of the cycle.

I think theres something about 11m that makes it appeal to people.  There are lots of die hard 11m freebanders who will stick to their guns no matter how easy they make the amateur test.

There is indeed that "something" that makes people seem to want to be there, the idea of being against the state in the old times and now the simple fact that pirates will never die I guess.
Many have gone the OM route and some now also deny they were even on the 11m or indeed CB bands.

Thats the sad part, wait some time and the voices will return and the bands active, now is the time of the silence and the sometime sporadic bit of activity

Simon

Hi all, I found this page searching for some 11M stuff, so I hope its ok to bring back an old topic.

I'm a die hard freebander, or as I prefer to say, 11M operator. I am also a HAM radio operator, I have done the entry level tests and the upgrades over the years. I spent a good amount of time on the HAM bands, but I came back to 11M it was like a breath of fresh air, it is better.

Some people go on and on about us 'Freebanders' and how terrible we are to break the law (which is akin to Jay Walking) yet if you have spent any amount of time on the HAM bands you will surely have seen some truly terrible behavior. New operators and not welcomed, abused, QRMed etc There is an ego elitism present there with people actually thinking they are better than another person based on their license class ! It's petty in the extreme and it's a mess ! It's no fun. The number of times I walked out of the shack in disgust, was ... too many, so I decided to say good bye to HAM and stick to 11m. And the ironic thing is that many of the same operators who are so strict and opinionated are the ones running 1.5KW (400w is our legal limit) and dropping carriers and playing music etc ! Talk about hypocrites !

Now, there are many good HAM ops out there, I know some (some who also are 11M ops) and I have made some great contacts, but there is too many of the 'element' unfortunately who spoil it.

In anycase 11M operators are some of the best I have heard on any band, professional, but not anal, polite, but relaxed, knowledgeable but they don't bang your ear for a 20 minute over about their antenna.

The 11M band is also very challenging, but 11M ops take up the challenge and do things HAM banders don't bother with. Most HAM banders will tell you that the 10M band is closed during low sunspot years, but it opens every summer here in 43 division, world wide, including all over Europe, even during the recent solar min ! Sure the openings are brief, but if you know where to look and are patient with a decent station then you'll find some magic DX. Meanwhile 10m is silent. Sometimes I get told by HAM banders, or read in HAM media that "10M opened on the weekend and I worked into (some other state in Australia that I don't even consider DX)." I always sound politely interested, but during the same weekend I may have worked Europe and the Middle East along with many other 11M ops in 43 !

11M operators, as far as I am concerned, lead the way in their operating habits, skill and results. It really is better than HAM. That's why I use 11M, not because I want to break any laws, but simply because it is better !

Cheers and 73s
Steve
43SW001
http://www.shackpix.com

I would say that is a pretty acurate description of how i came into Amateur Radio Dave....i still love 11m when open...but have also found 10m very easy to work now licenced...and good to hear you 43 div boys in the UK some heard this week by FB-001...and cheers nice site Dave

Good Description Indeed and nice to see you Steve, hope to hear you on the air with the DA call soon

I come from a 1970's/ 80's Echo Charlie & broadcasting background & some of the "Wealthy" Cb'ers started appearing on Echo Charlie in the early 80's...General opinion was much the same as it is today on Amateur Radio, some are exellent, they have very good operational skills & good technical knowledge. But far too many lack the ability to move operational skills & technical competence upto the levels required on Amateur Radio or Echo Charlie bands & thus make life hard for others who come from a CB background.

Echo Charlie...still very active

mark in essex wrote:Echo Charlie...still very active

It is starting to pick up again, but it's still very quiet by the standards of the early 80's when there were at least 2 nets on 46 alone most evenings.