8m 40 MHz and 4m 70 MHz ham bands in the USA
Several countries have created an 8 meter ham band near 40 MHz. The USA FCC has a proposed rulemaking RM-11843 to create an 8 meter ham band in the USA. A key conflicting user SNOTEL, which used meteorburst communications to connect very remote sites, has ceased use of the 40 MHz band. As commenters indicate, a rich surplus equipment market exists of military surplus radios and commercial equipment that can be used on the 8 meter ham band. Proposed bandplans allocate FM, CW, and digital modes.
This 8 meter band proposal stands in contrast to the 2014 proposal to make a 4m 70 MHz allocation as exists in numerous other countries around the world. The FCC summarily dismissed the 4m proposal due to incumbent TV channel 4 users. Use this link to query the FCC TV database for channel 4 users. For example, in 2025 there were about 10 full-power DTV licensees (including newly coming on air) across the USA on TV channel 4, an increase from 2014 licensees. Since other countries have allocations close to 70 MHz, the best option for USA ham in the 4m band may be to co-exist in the 72-76 MHz band, perhaps in-between the existing 20 kHz spaced channels. Since typical 4m radios cover 66 MHz - 88 MHz, for international DX, USA hams could receive on 70 MHz and transmit on 72-76 MHz channels. This would be akin to operations for international DX for USA hams in the 60 meter channelized band.