getontheair60 m in the field (contiguous vs channels)
At a park or summit, the question is simple: can I run this mode on 60 m, where, and at what power? Get the segment wrong and you can be legal on the radio's wattmeter and still over the ERP limit that Part 97 cares about.
This page is a field decision aid. It is not a logger, not a spot page, and not legal advice beyond the FCC text. Confirm the current rules on the official Federal Register / Part 97 before you transmit. We are independent of ARRL, NTIA, and the award programs.
Content pack: fcc_60m_2026_02_13 Effective: 2026-02-13 (FR Doc. 2026-00587; ET Docket 23-120 / FCC 25-60). Figures last verified: 2026-09-15 against that FR and eCFR §§ 97.301 / 97.303 / 97.313.
License gate
General class or higher for these 60 m frequencies. Technician does not get this band.
Still working on the license or first net? Start on Get licensed, get on the air — then come back.
Two ways 60 m works now
| Contiguous slice | Retained channels | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | 5351.5–5366.5 kHz | 5332, 5348, 5373, 5405 kHz (centers) |
| Power (§ 97.313(i)) | 9.15 W ERP (= 15 W EIRP) | 100 W ERP |
| Bandwidth | ≤ 2.8 kHz emission (all 60 m) | Same ≤ 2.8 kHz |
| Channelization | Not required in the slice | Discrete centers; phone/data/RTTY carrier 1.5 kHz below center; CW on center |
The contiguous allocation is secondary. Protect primary Federal users — if they need the spectrum, you QRT. "Secondary" is not optional courtesy.
Retained channels (100 W ERP)
Four discrete centers remain outside the new contiguous allocation, still at 100 W ERP:
| Center (kHz) | Phone/data/RTTY carrier (kHz) |
|---|---|
| 5332.0 | 5330.5 |
| 5348.0 | 5346.5 |
| 5373.0 | 5371.5 |
| 5405.0 | 5403.5 |
That 1.5 kHz offset is the current Part 97 figure — not the older 1.4 kHz offset some pre-2026 materials still show.
Do not list 5358.5 as a 100 W channel. Under the pre-change US23 plan there were five channel centers, including 5358.5. That center sits inside today's contiguous slice. Operation there is under the contiguous rules — 9.15 W ERP, not 100 W.
The power trap (read this twice)
Contiguous ≠ 100 W. Cite § 97.313(i) for power, not folklore.
- On 5351.5–5366.5 kHz (including old 5358.5): 9.15 W ERP
- On the four retained channels only: 100 W ERP
Watts on the radio are not ERP. A portable whip or EFHW has gain or loss; the rule cares about ERP. If you are not sure your antenna + power stays under 9.15 W ERP on the contiguous slice, turn the power down or move to a retained channel where 100 W ERP is allowed — still within ≤ 2.8 kHz.
Future change possible: petition RM-11785 remains open; the Commission may adjust contiguous power later. Do not treat 9.15 W ERP as permanently frozen — re-check Part 97 / the FR before you write it into a club SOP.
Before you key at a park:
- License = General+?
- Segment = contiguous slice or a retained channel center?
- ERP limit for that segment (§ 97.313)?
- Mode bandwidth ≤ 2.8 kHz?
- On a retained channel for phone/data/RTTY: carrier 1.5 kHz below center?
Mode fit (≤ 2.8 kHz)
On all 60 m spectrum, emissions must not occupy more than 2.8 kHz (§ 97.303(h)(3), § 97.307(f)(14)). Authorized types include phone, RTTY, data, and CW — the FCC does not authorize or endorse specific software products.
| Mode | Field note |
|---|---|
| SSB (phone) | Keep it clean and narrow; the cap is real |
| CW | Fits easily; on retained channels, CW is on the center |
| FT8 / other narrow data | Normal FT8 bandwidth fits; still watch power/ERP on the contiguous slice |
| Narrow digital (data/RTTY) | Permitted if occupied bandwidth stays ≤ 2.8 kHz and other Part 97 rules are met (including care around Federal primary users). Wider digital is not "fine because it is data." |
Example (not FCC-endorsed): some amateurs use keyboard HF software with an ≈2750 Hz data mode; operators alone must verify occupied bandwidth ≤ 2.8 kHz, stay within authorized frequencies and ERP, and protect primary users. Naming a product is illustrative only.
This site does not control your TX. Match the emission to the bandwidth cap, then match power to the segment.
Before you key — park / summit card
Print a Field Sheet for the outing if you want park name, grid, sunrise, and freqs on one page. This chapter does not replace your logger.
Common misconceptions
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| 5358.5 is still a 100 W channel | No — it is inside the contiguous slice (9.15 W ERP) |
| The contiguous slice is channelized like the old five | FR: no channelization required in the new allocation |
| Technician can use 60 m | General or higher |
| Dial watts = ERP | Antenna gain/loss matters; ERP is the limit (§ 97.313) |
| Wide digital is fine because it is data | 2.8 kHz hard cap on all 60 m |
| Phone on a retained channel uses the old 1.4 kHz offset | Current rule: 1.5 kHz below center |
| Secondary means be polite if you feel like it | Protect primary Federal users; QRT when required |
| 9.15 W ERP can never change | RM-11785 remains open; re-verify Part 97 |
What this page is not
- Contest or activation logging
- Auto TX / radio control
- A spot page or awards authority
- Legal advice beyond citing FCC text — Part 97 and the FR win if anything here is stale
Sources
- Federal Register final rule 2026-00587 (91 FR 1405, Jan. 14, 2026; effective Feb. 13, 2026), ET Docket 23-120 / FCC 25-60 — govinfo HTML · PDF
- FCC Report and Order FCC-25-60 · document page
- eCFR § 97.301 (privileges) · § 97.303(h) (sharing, channels, ≤ 2.8 kHz) · § 97.313(i) (ERP)
- Footnote US23 / allocation text via the same FR
- Pack:
fcc_60m_2026_02_13 - Last verified: 2026-09-15
Program award rules (POTA / SOTA / WWFF) are separate — confirm those on the official program sites. This page is about FCC 60 m operating limits in the field.
Technician operators: 60 m is not a Tech allocation — see Get licensed.
Notes & edits
Comments and proposed markdown sit in a queue. Nothing is public until it is reviewed. How this works.