1.25 meters.. is there anyone out there?

Status
Not open for further replies.

tray84

Newbie
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Messages
4
Newbie question!


Recently got me a lovely JINGTONG tri band radio and have noticed absolutely nothing going on at 1.25 meters sans one guy in my county who has a repeater on 220.. is there a reason why it's not quite as popular as 2m/70cm ? Just seems strange for such a big chunk of spectrum to be a ghost town.
 

jwt873

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
Messages
1,620
Location
Woodlands, Manitoba
Yea, 220 seems to be the forgotten band... I guess it's because there aren't a lot of 220 capable radios out there.

Locally I know two people that have fully functioning 220 repeaters, but they're just collecting dust in their basements. On the other hand, I know some others who are active doing weak signal DX on 220 Mhz using SSB and CW.

It is a band that we should use more...
 

mancow

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Messages
6,879
Location
N.E. Kansas
It's the best non hf band. Acts both like vhf and uhf, small antennas roughly a foot in length at 1/4 wave and able to be used with a ton of ex mil gear.
 

ButchGone

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2004
Messages
834
Location
Ringgold, Georgia
Actually, 2-meter and 70 cm analog ham repeaters in general have become pretty quiet. Activity continues to grow on digital voice repeaters; DStar, Fusion/C4FM and DMR.
I agree, 220 is a great band that propagates well, relatively free of noise and interference. But it's only designated for use by hams in the US, and very few hams actually use it. But... that's up to people who do have the equipment to actually use the band.
BG..
 

SCPD

QRT
Joined
Feb 24, 2001
Messages
0
Location
Virginia
220

220mhz is alive and well in the NYC/NJ area.
224.360,224.060,224.100 is a few to name,theres 25 I can hit :D
 

W2GLD

Active Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 20, 2003
Messages
595
Location
Michigan
220 MHz is alive and well in areas where hams aren't afraid to experiment and think outside the normal 2-Meter/70-CM realm. While there isn't a ton of commercially available amateur equipment available these days for 220 MHz, those that are up to the challenge can and have converted commercial equipment for the band. Motorola CDM1550LS+ and HT1250LS+ 200 MHz radios make excellent units for the 220 MHz band. In addition, which Bridgecom's offerings, 220 MHz is coming alive one again. As others have stated, 220 MHz is alive and well throughout NY-NJ-PA areas, California, Michigan, and numerous other locations throughout the US. Don't give up, if there isn't a repeater on 220 MHz, consider putting one on the air running AllStar Link which will give you internet linking to many other 220 MHz repeaters out here. If you're ever in the Hell, Michigan area, try our repeater on 224.500 MHz (CTCSS 100.0 Hz) with a full internet linking ability on IRLP, EchoLink, AllStar Link as well as remote bases to HF through 23-CM. 220 MHz is the best of the VHF/UHF bands, sharing the characteristics of both bands and providing excellent propagation. With a quality radio, you can drive around almost anywhere in CSQ mode and the noise floor is next to nothing; except on 224.000 MHz, thanks to the big rig truckers collision avoidance sensors on modern vehicles.
 

KD8DVR

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2004
Messages
1,303
Location
Columbus, Ohio
I use 220... not very active; but I try to drum up activity. It is a very good band. Very good characteristics. All the benefits of VHF, and some benefits of UHF.
 

AK9R

Lead Wiki Manager and almost an Awesome Moderator
Super Moderator
Joined
Jul 18, 2004
Messages
9,291
Location
Central Indiana
There's a weekly net on a 222 MHz repeater in the Indianapolis area. There's also a linked system of 222 MHz repeaters in central Indiana--get on one repeater and you can talk across a fairly wide area.
 

robertmac

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,290
There were a few people using 220 in the Calgary area a year or 2 ago. I think this was largely due to the introduction of cheaper HT and mobile 220 radios. With only a few people buying these radios, it has kind of died off. But I think with all the repeaters available, and most radios offering 2 m and 70 cms., it is hard to get a lot of people on 220 if the other repeaters meet peoples needs. Add in simplex, and hams that tell people to use simplex and not repeaters, I can see why repeaters and 220 are quiet. The digital modes I don't think have taken people away from 220 or other repeaters in the Calgary area. The old time hams are still wanting to be on HF, the newer hams are too busy working and playing with other toys to really get on the radio, no matter what frequency. Add in those that got their amateur license for emergency use, and only get on their radios for a net once a week. I've said this before but locally, the repeaters are fairly busy on the drive to and drive from work. I did note that on recent trips to BC there was plenty of activity on 2 m and 70 cm repeaters. Very little on simplex [although limited to being close] and no activity on 220. Fusion was busy followed by D Star a little activity on DMR. So a lot depends on ones area.
 

wrath

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2005
Messages
465
We lost a big part of 220 spectrum many years ago and the band has never recovered from that, there are s few radios that do 220 ( I currently have the latest Kenwood 74a that replaced the f6a) I only know of Yaesus doing 1/2 watt on 220 for the most part , there is a couple of companies that are selling low cost repeaters and radios, I know in my area we have a machine listed on 220 but the owner has been SK for 10 years , and the guy that built the machine doesn't know where it ended up. it's a good band , we just need to breathe life back into it, periodically you will see a big deal made over "We're going to lose the spectrum " because in many areas it's unused, I know guys that still own 220 radios that will do all of the stuff we use to have , but don't even turn them on , because there is no action , it's sad ,but a lot of guys gave up on it and we need the new blood hams to turn it back around and get the bad taste out many old guys have from the spectrum we lost . It's been only in I would say the last ten years that anybody has made a 220 capable radio factory , so access has been a problem also ,but the move back to 220 use is going to spread as people end up with tri band radios leading the charge . This is just my opinion

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk
 

N4GIX

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 27, 2015
Messages
2,124
Location
Hot Springs, AR
BridgeCom is avidly promoting 220 with a new repeater, mobile and handheld. I bought the 220 HT at Dayton last year for $85. It works very well with the W9CTO 220 repeater in Gary, Indiana.
 

TheSpaceMann

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
1,333
Newbie question!


Recently got me a lovely JINGTONG tri band radio and have noticed absolutely nothing going on at 1.25 meters sans one guy in my county who has a repeater on 220.. is there a reason why it's not quite as popular as 2m/70cm ? Just seems strange for such a big chunk of spectrum to be a ghost town.
It's mainly because it is not included on most radios. It is the same thing with 2m/440 SSB, which is not found on mobile FM radios. However. 2m/440 SSB has gained popularity in recent years since it was included on many HF thru vhf/uhf rigs!
 

mancow

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Messages
6,879
Location
N.E. Kansas
It's mainly because it is not included on most radios. It is the same thing with 2m/440 SSB, which is not found on mobile FM radios. However. 2m/440 SSB has gained popularity in recent years since it was included on many HF thru vhf/uhf rigs!

There isn't as much commercial equipment available to retrofit for its use either. Whereas you can often use Vhf and Uhf commercial antennas since the corresponding ham bands are just below both ranges. Uhf duplexers can be utilized in the ham band as well.
 

Art112

Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2003
Messages
48
Location
NJ
It's alive and well in the NYC metro area. Plenty of repeaters and activity on simplex.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk
 

Art112

Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2003
Messages
48
Location
NJ
NYC metro area has plenty of activity on 220 repeaters and simplex.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top