ok so i just upgraded from tech to general last month and im still trying to figure out where i can actually transmit. i know generals get more privileges but the charts i keep finding online all look different from each other and some seem outdated. specifically on 40 meters im not sure if i should be staying away from the very bottom of the band or what. like is 7.125 fine or is that too close to something i shouldnt be near. also someone on the air told me to watch out for the 'band edges' but didnt really explain what that meant or why it matters. i dont want to accidentally transmit somewhere i shouldnt be.

the band edge thing is basically this — your signal isnt just the frequency you tune to, it actually has some width to it depending on the mode. so if youre doing SSB on 40m and you tune right to 7.125 your actual signal is spreading a few khz around that. the concern is if you get too close to the bottom of the general portion (which starts at 7.175 for phone i think, double check that) part of your signal might bleed into territory youre not licensed for or into the CW segment below. most guys just give themselves a comfortable buffer, like dont tune closer than 3-5 khz from any edge just to be safe. 7.125 should be totally fine for general phone, thats well inside your allocation. the very bottom of 40m down around 7.000-7.025 is CW only and you dont want to be doing voice down there regardless of license class.

yeah what he said, and also worth mentioning the ARRL band plan vs the actual FCC allocations are two different things which trips a lot of people up. the FCC part 97 rules are what you're legally required to follow, the ARRL band plan is more like a gentlemens agreement about where different modes tend to hang out. so like there might be a 'calling frequency' or a digital segment that isnt in the regulations but everyone just kind of respects it anyway. for a new general on 40m phone just hang around 7.200-7.300 and youll be fine, thats where most of the activity is and youre nowhere near any edges that would cause problems