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FISTS Centre of Activity Frequencies
This page gives details of the FISTS Centre of Activity Frequencies that you can use to monitor and contact members.
The recommended areas are the following frequencies plus or minus 10 kHz. If you are not using QRP (5 Watts output or less), please use the 10 kHz that avoids the QRP areas per the table.
We have available a handy A4 chart of FISTS frequencies, IARU Region 1 CW band plan areas and QRP frequencies,
making it easy to visualise the layout of the CW areas.
You can download or print the
PDF version
or the
Microsoft Word version.
| Band | Centre Frequency |
To avoid QRP, extend |
|---|---|---|
| 160m | 1.818 MHz | |
| 80m | 3.558 MHz | Down |
| 40m | 7.028 MHz | Down |
| 30m | 10.118 MHz | Up |
| 20m | 14.058 MHz | Down |
| 17m | 18.085 MHz | Down |
| 15m | 21.058 MHz | Down |
| 12m | 24.908 MHz | Up |
| 10m | 28.058 MHz | Down |
| 6m | 50.058 MHz | |
| 4m | 70.158 MHz | |
| 2m | 144.058 MHz |
If you're a member or not, call on or around these frequencies at whatever speed you're happy at, be it 5 wpm or 35 wpm, and you will most likely get a reply from one of our members. We pride ourselves on having a friendly, helpful membership that is always ready to assist the newcomer as well as veteran operators.
Notes
-
If you call 'CQ FISTS', please welcome calls from non-members - they are an opportunity to promote your club and
FISTS encourages contacts between members and non-members.
Also, it helps to add a vanilla 'CQ' from time-to-time for the same reason. - If the centre frequency is busy and you want to call CQ, QSY away (say 500 Hz) and try there. If you are monitoring the centre frequencies, it helps to open your receiver's bandwidth to 2.5 kHz or wider so you will hear calls on nearby frequencies.
- If calling exactly on a centre frequency, once contact is established, it can help others if you and your QSO partner QSY to a clear frequency. However, please bear in mind that less experienced operators might not be used to doing this, and also it's not advisable if signals are weak or the band is busy; it's better to stay where you are rather than risk losing contact.
- When replying to a CQ, please send no faster than the caller. Don't assume if it's a G3/G2 station coming back to your call they will be comfortable at 25 wpm.
- If you are asked to QRS ("send more slowly"), please do so.
- It's helpful to call CQ at different speeds. Experience has shown that we have many members that are key-shy due to only high speeds being used, so you may get more replies to your CQ call if you drop your speed to below 12 wpm. Give it a try!
- Due to the IARU Region 3 band plan, FISTS Down Under (Australia and New Zealand) use 3.528 MHz. They also use 1.808 MHz, but in Europe this frequency is outside the CW band plan area and illegal in some countries, including the UK.
- Theoretically 50.058 is available in Europe now the beacon band has moved in the IARU Region 1 band plan; in practice, however, many beacons have not moved, so use the frequency with caution.
- The 12m frequency used to be 24.918 but moved to 24.908 because the former frequency was swallowed up by the data mode sub-bands in the IARU region 1 and 2 band plans.