Spain allows radio amateurs access to the 40 MHz band for another 18-months

Good news! The licencing authorities in Spain have decided to allow radio amateurs there access to the 40 MHz (8m) band for another 18-months!

Here is the story so far...

The national association for radio amateurs in Spain is the URE and back in 2023, they approached the licensing authorities in Spain about permission to use the 40 MHz (8m) band. As a result of their detailed submission, Spanish radio amateurs were allocated the use of 40.650 to 40.750 MHz for a period of 18-months with a maximum power output of 25-watts PEP. See previous post HERE 

As the initial 18-months were coming to an end, the URE compiled a detailed report outlining what the results of the activity on 40 MHz for Spanish radio amateurs and this was published in September 2025.

Some of the key points of the study were...

A) The study went from June of 2024 to July of 2025

B) Contacts with and reports from 60 countries across 6 continents

C) Successful contacts via Sporadic-E with all countries in Europe that allow operation on the 40 MHz (8m) band. Distances recorded were from 500 to 3000 kms

D) Openings via F2 layer propagation to the following countries... Australia,  Canada,  Cuba, the United States, Cayman Islands,  Mexico,  New Zealand,  Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Of particular note were the communications with Australia over 14,000km, with the best day being the 20th. October.

E) Impressive openings with New Zealand (19,467 km) with the reception of The ZL28M beacon, which operates in FT8, is operated by ZL2WHO and works with 10 Watts and a 3-element Yagi antenna pointing towards Europe.

F) Practically daily reception of the ZS6WAB/B beacon in South Africa between March & April 2024 via F2 propagation on the trans-equatorial path.

G) At the time of writing of the report, there was no evidence of any harmful interference to other services on the 40 MHz band.

H) 99.9% of the contacts were made thanks to the use of the FT8 digital mode.

In response to the detailed submission, the Spanish licencing authorities have extended the permission for another 18-months as of from the 18th of October 2025.

They have also increased the power limit from 25-watts to 100-watts PEP.

URE Statement... In welcoming the extension of the 40 MHz permission, the URE said...

“With this new resolution, Spain joins a growing number of European countries —members of CEPT— that allow experimentation in the 40 MHz range, a segment of the spectrum that arouses great interest due to its usefulness in the investigation of ionospheric propagation and solar activity.

The Spanish amateur radio community, coordinated by the URE, has demonstrated a high level of technical skill, scientific rigor, and operational responsibility, contributing to the generation of data of international value and consolidating the role of amateur radio as a useful tool for science and technology.”

URE President Víctor (EA7FUN) said... “This extension is a recognition of the rigorous work of the URE and the value that amateur radio can bring to science. We will continue collaborating with the Administration so that Spain remains at the forefront of technical experimentation in radio and communications.”

In Conclusion... This is an important development for the 40 MHz band in that a major European country has not only extended the permission period for another 18-months but also allowed a higher power level.

It sets an important precedent for other countries where radio amateurs might like to get access to the 8m band. Amateur radio societies for other countries can submit proposals to their own licencing authorities and give Spain as an example of where limited permission was granted without any interference issues.

Links...

1) URE post from the 16th of Oct 2025

2) URE post from the 30th of Sept 2025

3) For more information on the 8m band, see my 40 MHz page.

Spanish IARU 95 Award - April 2020

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) marks its 95th anniversary in 2020 and the national society for Spain (URE) have a special award scheme to celebrate the event.

Contacts can be made using any mode or band from 160 meters to 6 meters with the 10 different AMxWARD special stations. The special station callsigns are: AM95WARD - AM1WARD - AM2WARD - AM3WARD - AM4WARD AM5WARD - AM6WARD - AM7WARD - AM8WARD - AM9WARD

The award scheme runs from the 15th April 2020 at 0000z to 30th April 2020 (2359z). There are diplomas in PDF format awarded as follows (For European stations)...

SILVER DIPLOMA - Work 5 AM*WARD stations

GOLD DIPLOMA - Work 7 AM*WARD stations on at least 3 different bands (i.e. work 7 stations on 3 bands)

PLATINUM DIPLOMA - Work 10 AM*WARD stations on at least 3 different bands (i.e. work all 10 stations on 3 bands. This was later reduced to 9 as it was felt 10 was too hard.)

The award website is... https://iaru95.ure.es/

The Spanish National Society (URE) run award schemes like this every year or so and their award websites are excellent. As award schemes go, they really set the Gold standard.

Update 2nd May 2020... The award activation came to an end on the 30th of April and I managed 75 contacts on CW.

I worked 9 of the 10 stations on the 8 bands from 10m to 80m and I worked all 10 stations on 3 bands for the Platinum award (shown below).

The problem one of course was AM9WARD in Ceuta and Melilla on the north coast of Africa. They were always in demand with big pile ups and with the activity spread out over SSB and FT8 as well, they were always going to be a problem.

I missed the first 3 days of the award activation but I doubt if I would have worked much more from the start.

Awards below...