eHam.net: CHU Canada to QSY on January 1

Canadian time/frequency standard station CHU -- a fixture for decades on 7335 kHz -- will change frequency to 7850 kHz at 0000 UTC on January 1, 2009. The move comes as a result of the International Telecommunication Union's decision in 2007 to expand the 40-meter ham band in Europe and Africa (Region I) to 7000-7200 kHz. It was previously 7000-7100 kHz, with -- as every 40-meter DXer knows -- international broadcasting allocated from 7100-7300 kHz.

As part of the 40-meter expansion, the international broadcast band was shifted to 7200-7350 kHz. As broadcasters began relocating, CHU on 7335 began experiencing significant interference. Thus, officials at Canada's National Research Council, which operates CHU, decided to move the time/frequency standard station's transmissions to 7850 kHz as of the beginning of 2009. The complete NRC announcement (English version) is online at http://inms-ienm.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/common_files/stories/chu/communique_e.pdf.