220 Making a Comeback?

[K2KOH]

Definitely hoping with this new equipment coming out from Alinco and Jetstream that maybe we can get a little more activity on 220 MHz. We already lost two MHz, don't need to lose anymore. Repeater owners, think about 220!

 

[WB4CS]

Oh how I wish 220, or 222 MHz, band would become more popular. I agree if we don't use it we risk loosing it, but I just don't see it happening except for large cities.

Even though there are monoband 220 radios and a few handhelds that do 2/220/440 the issue comes down to price and space. Most people only have room for 1 mobile radio in the car so if they buy a dual band 2/440 there isn't much room to mount a second 220 radio. Or if you have a dualband handheld for 2/440 who would want to carry a second HT just for 220? Until more radios hit the market that offer 2/220/440 in one box it's doubtful we will see a huge rise in activity on 220.

 

[jhooten]

In certain areas it is making a strong come back. Those areas are around military bases that deploy Pave Paws radar sites in the 440 mhz band. Since the radars signals are very strong and the amateur users are limited in the power levels and areas in which they can operate in the area ham activity has begun migrating to the under used 222 band.

BTW, the TYT9000 is a better radio than the Jetstream JT220M, cheaper also.

 

[902]

I used to really love 220 in the mid-80s. I had a Drake UV-3 with an Icom IC-3AT (yes, thumbwheels, not LCD). All the cool people were there. I carried it until about 1988, then something happened and I went to 440 pretty much full-time from there. It was a local issue. Can't exactly remember why. Magic times.

So, what if 220 was to make a resurgence? Maggiore ("Hi-Pro Repeaters") is out of business. Jerry at Hamtronics looks like he's cutting back on pretty much everything. How will we build decent repeaters now? I'm even having trouble finding Micor stuff except for the pile I have in my garage (which the Mrs. wishes would disappear).

There is no 220 repeater anywhere near where I currently live, and I lived outside the range of anything 220 in my previous place. I'd have to go back to NJ/NYC 17 years ago to find them. I wouldn't be opposed to tinkering, but it's hard when everything is going away.

 

[AC2OY]

Made a QSO with a fantastic guy last weekend and then later on that weekend a few more folks who say he hangs on a 220 repeater almost everyday in Nutley,NJ. So I think it's fantastic now I have more ammo or repeaters to go on and the 220 band!

 

[n9mxq]

If I could afford it I'd put a 220 repeater up in a heartbeat. No good ones in the area here.


No bits were harmed in the posting of this message.

 

[N5TWB]

A couple of guys in my ham club have put two up in the Tulsa area. I have a VX-7 that could do it but it's on the fritz right now so I need to resolve that problem before I can give it a try. Those are the only two around here. Perhaps they'll eventually find a higher location for them so the coverage can improve.

 

[danesgs]

220 comeback?

We have a few repeaters in the Metro DC area but I rarely hear much on them. have done QSO's on my alnico and have the Wouxan 144/220.I am intrigued with the prop characteristics of the band.

 

[E5911]

220 repeaters

Custom Built 220 MHz Mastr II Repeaters by Repeater Builder

 

[gewecke]

+1. Only 1 220 machine in my area but it's a winner! I absolutely prefer 220 over most of the other bands, with the exception of 440mhz.

73,
n9zas

 

[gunmasternd]

220 is dead my dad sold his icom ssb radio. He still has his kilowatt amp he built. That band died in the 80's I have yet to hear someone wanting him to schedule a 220 contact.

My dad has a 220 repeater he never put up. Just not enuff users. hams here are interested in 2m fm and cb.

Only reason i seen 220 coming back is if 144,440 repeaters are maxed out. ie too crowded.

 

[Darth_vader]

In the past decade or so that I've had scanners that can tune 200 MHz, I can probably count on both hands the number of times I've heard HAM contacts being made on 220. Probably not exactly safe to say it's necessarily "dead", but it has at least acquired (or been given) a terminal illness.

Besides, isn't 200 MHz the "UPS band" now? ;o)

 

[AK9R]

Most people only have room for 1 mobile radio in the car so if they buy a dual band 2/440 there isn't much room to mount a second 220 radio.

If only Kenwood still made something along the lines of the TM-x41/TM-x42 series of tri-band mobiles. I have one and I have a 220 module for it. Works great.

Or if you have a dualband handheld for 2/440 who would want to carry a second HT just for 220?

The Kenwood TH-F6A is still in Kenwood's catalog and available from most dealers. It's a 2m/222/440 handheld with 5 watt output on all bands.

 

[AC2OY]

Here I can speak from almost nine months of experience. The Kenwood TH-F6A continues to impress me! Almost every QSO when I tell people I'm using a HT, people think its a mobile radio. A guy today joined our rag chew asking for a radio check using. Yeasu-897D on 20 watts told me my audio quality was quite good for a little handy talkie on 5 watts. Grab one and you won't disappointed. I'm thinking that maybe for a HF rig a TS-2000 or the 590 because I figure that the Kenwood tradition or quality must exist with their base rigs as well.

 

[N8OHU]

Besides, isn't 200 MHz the "UPS band" now? ;o)

Nope; Hams have had 222-224 MHz since the early 1990's (before that we had 220-224 MHz). I don't remember who got the 2 MHz section that we lost off-hand.

 

[nd5y]

Nope; Hams have had 222-224 MHz since the early 1990's (before that we had 220-224 MHz). I don't remember who got the 2 MHz section that we lost off-hand.

At least get the frequencies right. The 220 amateur band has two segments, 219-220 MHz (has restrictions and coordination requirements) and 222-225 MHz.

There are various services that can use the 220-222 MHz band.

 

[902]

Made a QSO with a fantastic guy last weekend and then later on that weekend a few more folks who say he hangs on a 220 repeater almost everyday in Nutley,NJ. So I think it's fantastic now I have more ammo or repeaters to go on and the 220 band!

That wasn't with Tommy on 223.88, was it? The other great repeater that is or used to be on is "Vakeech's" 224.06 machine.

 

[martyemtp]

Their are a couple of repeaters in the Western Mountains of Maine and the capital region that have active 220 machines. I have made a couple of contacts on the streaked Mountain one (224.620). I use the Woxun 2m/220 HT. Majority of the time I am able to have a clear conversation. Being in the mountains, the weather definitely mess with the signal propagation. I listen on 440, there is not as many people using this band in Maine as the 220. Of course, most people her in Maine are using 2m repeaters, which is everywhere.

Brian
N1VLZ

 

[AC2OY]

That wasn't with Tommy on 223.88, was it? The other great repeater that is or used to be on is "Vakeech's" 224.06 machine.

No sorry his name is Roland NK2U, I hope to catch him again!!!

 

[902]

No sorry his name is Roland NK2U, I hope to catch him again!!!

Oh, sure! Roland is an old friend of mine. We've known each other since the 80s. Last caught him from his Vermont QTH on 40 and 80 meters when I was still living in the Midwest. That's always something when you're tuning around and you hear a familiar callsign, especially someone you knew from years ago.

We used to talk about politics and various junk late into the night on 440 over the years. I think he hangs out on the (or maybe what used to be the) "11 Alive" repeater, or maybe on Bernie's repeater. I'm so disconnected from the NY Metro ham scene these days.