Freebanding. Is there any activity between 25.615 & 26.955?

Hello all.

When looking at the frequency charts for 11m's, 25.615 to 26.955 is listed as used for freebanding.
My questions are.
1) Does anybody in the UK use these frequencies for freebanding?
2) Will there be a time when these do become used or busy and are they used elsewhere in the world?

Cheers

Ray
26 CT\CI 2290

Hello Ray,

These frequencies are still used today, with 26.285 USB being the most popular. It is a calling frequency, just like 27.555. So you put a call out and change frequency once contact is made. If memory serves me right, on an old school radio it is ch19 on super low. 26.420 usb is used by the Charlie Oscars ( Canadian Outlaws).

These frequencies become more popular at the top of the solar cycle when there is too much traffic on high band. I have worked station from all over the world around these frequencies.

You will also hear a lot of German stations on low band fm when there is Euro skip, as it is part of their domestic cb frequencies.

FINLAND, we use these during the summer nights, good contacts made.

[url=http://members.home.nl/radiomorningstar/Waar zijn die piraten nu te horen.htm]link to dutch article and worldwide "pirate" frequenties[/url]

John123 wrote:

Hello Ray,

These frequencies are still used today, with 26.285 USB being the most popular. It is a calling frequency, just like 27.555. So you put a call out and change frequency once contact is made. If memory serves me right, on an old school radio it is ch19 on super low. 26.420 usb is used by the Charlie Oscars ( Canadian Outlaws).

These frequencies become more popular at the top of the solar cycle when there is too much traffic on high band. I have worked station from all over the world around these frequencies.

You will also hear a lot of German stations on low band fm when there is Euro skip, as it is part of their domestic cb frequencies.

Hi John

I have tried 26.285 when T5 is busy and all I have heard, so far, is static, so lets hope when things do pick up it will change.
I will have to give the German FM band a go next time there is some Euro skip

glenn dog wrote:

FINLAND, we use these during the summer nights, good contacts made.

Hi Glenn

What calling frequency\channel do you use?
It would be good to "break in" and say hello in the future.

peetassen wrote:

[url=http://members.home.nl/radiomorningstar/Waar zijn die piraten nu te horen.htm]link to dutch article and worldwide "pirate" frequenties[/url]

Hi Peetassen

Thank you for the reply.

No worries, Ray. Good luck.

73s John.

It used to be used commonly back in the day but seems quiet now. I haven't heard anyone on it during the recent propagation, I've kept having a listen in between sitting on T5. This week the static QRM has been worse on the lower frequencies to the extent that there could have been someone but I'd never have heard them through the noise. I'm working from home so next week will stick the receiver on 26.285 USB the frequency used for calling and keep a listen out.
I don't remember the term "freebanding" being used back then it was just somewhere quieter with fewer  operators as most couldn't go to those frequencies, mostly stations operating HF radios rather than standard CB. 
The other popular frequencies where the ones that are missing between channels on  standard CB radios because they were quieter.
You've got to remember back in the day all SSB was illegal so worrying about the frequency seemed a bit pointless with one big exception, nowhere in the HAM bands. There was an unwritten code that you didn't do that. This was for not just ethical reasons but also you wouldn't want to draw attention from what back then was known as The Radio Investigation Department which you would have done. The local investigator close to me at the time was a zealot! We all new him and if you went in to the local shop you didn't mention SSB if there was another customer unless given the nod from the owner that they were someone he new even picking up your received QSL cards was done with the same caution.
I remember the well known station GC01 who owened shop sitting at his station so he could be seen from the window. He was half way through a DX QSO using the zetagi 1kw linear through a 4 element yagi when there's a knock on the window. He looks up and is then recorded for evidence as he says" I'll have to go know the Radio Investigation Service are at the door"!!

I now feel both nostalgic and old at the same time Happy days Pirates 

The good old days, Steve.

As we get closer to the peak ofthe next cycle, you will find more ops using it when the triple gets hectic.

Are you thinking of  hosting a freeband net Ray?

morris wrote:

Are you thinking of  hosting a freeband net Ray?

Hi John

Not at this moment in time.

You mentioned all SSB was illegal yes in the UK but other parts of the world it wasn't ,plus also you said that you have never heard of freebanding back in the day that terminology has been used for a very long actually and basically was started by the Alpha Tango Groupe italia back in the late 80s by using the T5 ( 27:555 usb) as a International calling channel  and giving each country a division number, I know this sounds strange but the original freebanding frequencys went from 27:415 to 27:855 the ones on the 26mhz ie 26:285 USB are Canadian and U.S. freebanding frequencies so as long as no one does a network on the T5 or 26:285 calling channels alls OK ,I'd be up for doing one