I think this weekend was an excellent demonstration that the IARU Regions need to do better coordination on band plans for digital operation in the HF bands.

I was very frustrated in trying to maintain a QSO with WB2MLY on 7.072 MHz, because we were getting QRM from voice stations in Europe working the CW SSB contest.  Out of curiosity, I looked up the IARU Region 1 band plan for 40 meters (see https://www.iaru-r1.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/hf_r1_bandplan.pdf)  .  It reads:

7.040 - 7.047  Preferred mode:  Narrow band modes , Usage:  Digimodes
7.047 - 7.050  Preferred mode:  Narrow band modes, Usage:  Digimodes, automatically controlled data stations (unattended)
7.060 - 7.100  Preferred mode:  All modes,  Usage :  SSB contest preferred  (7.070 "Digital voice Centre of Activity")
7.130 - 7.175  Preferred mode:  All modes,  Usage:  SSB contest preferred  (7.165 "Image Centre of Activity")
7.175 - 7.200  Preferred mode:  All modes,  Usage:  SSB contest preferred, Priority for intercontinental activity.

So while those of us in IARU Region 2 observe 7.000 to 7.125 as an RTTY/data band, and 7.072 as a PSK-31 domain, that is not the case for our European/African neighbors.  Fortunately, I haven't experienced a lot of SSB QRM on 7.072 except on international contest weekends, but it's a discrepancy I was not aware of until tonight.  I mention it because others may be as unaware as I was.

Mike W4BZM