1.25 meters.. is there anyone out there?
- Thread starter tray84
- Start date
- Status
As Mancow says it is because most hams are Lazy and want to be appliance operators.
The lack of equipment is no excuse to not use the 220 band and for hams to not be resourceful.
Prior to the influx of China made 220 radios I found that converting commercial VHF Hi band land mobile and HT's was an excellent and reliable source of 220 equipment not to mention fun projects for locals.
I have a 220Mhz remote base that is cross banded to 10 meter FM that has been running daily up here 50 miles South of Portland Oregon, and although the 10 meter band has been slow for the past month, from January 2011 to feb. 2017 it was running dx most days for 6 years straight on 29.6 MHz and various 10 meter repeaters.
Talking to Europe in the morning, South America in the afternoon and New Zealand, Australia, Siberian Russia, Japan and China in the evenings on 29.6MHz FM has been the highlight of locals in this area for the past 6 years mainly because everyone on my system has learned and accepted that helping to find and then convert various land mobile equipment for ham use is beneficial to everyone.
In my case since I had a box of old GE MP-A and MP-D VHF handhelds, some GE Orion and RANGR VHF HI band Mobiles lying around collecting dust, we started converting these to 220 MHz .
Even though my GE MP-A HT's and RANGR mobiles are all hamflashed, I still prefer the HT1250 200 MHz radio converted to 220 Ham for portable use and my GE Orion for mobile use mainly because they are small and very reliable radios.
In particular with reference to the Motorola Ht1250 conversion, once you replace the crappy Moto antenna with a real 222-225 Model it is an excellent performing radio that blows away every China made product that locals have used on my system.
The lack of equipment is no excuse to not use the 220 band and for hams to not be resourceful.
Prior to the influx of China made 220 radios I found that converting commercial VHF Hi band land mobile and HT's was an excellent and reliable source of 220 equipment not to mention fun projects for locals.
I have a 220Mhz remote base that is cross banded to 10 meter FM that has been running daily up here 50 miles South of Portland Oregon, and although the 10 meter band has been slow for the past month, from January 2011 to feb. 2017 it was running dx most days for 6 years straight on 29.6 MHz and various 10 meter repeaters.
Talking to Europe in the morning, South America in the afternoon and New Zealand, Australia, Siberian Russia, Japan and China in the evenings on 29.6MHz FM has been the highlight of locals in this area for the past 6 years mainly because everyone on my system has learned and accepted that helping to find and then convert various land mobile equipment for ham use is beneficial to everyone.
In my case since I had a box of old GE MP-A and MP-D VHF handhelds, some GE Orion and RANGR VHF HI band Mobiles lying around collecting dust, we started converting these to 220 MHz .
Even though my GE MP-A HT's and RANGR mobiles are all hamflashed, I still prefer the HT1250 200 MHz radio converted to 220 Ham for portable use and my GE Orion for mobile use mainly because they are small and very reliable radios.
In particular with reference to the Motorola Ht1250 conversion, once you replace the crappy Moto antenna with a real 222-225 Model it is an excellent performing radio that blows away every China made product that locals have used on my system.
TheSpaceMann
Member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2014
- Messages
- 1,333
I travel throughout the country on business. While there may be 220 activity in NYC, in most of the country the band seems as dead as a door nail.
Lazy hams? Sure. Sometimes, though, I think it's either ignorance or inertia.
The Alinco DR-235T 222 MHz mobile radio has been on the market for something like 16 years. The Kenwood TH-F6A tri-band 144/222/440 handheld (5 watts on all three bands) has been on the market for about the same length of time. Why don't people buy these radios and use the 222 MHz band?
Maybe they don't know that these radios exist. Maybe they don't know about the good repeaters on the 222 MHz band in some parts of the country. Maybe proponents of the 222 MHz band don't do a good enough job promoting it to their fellow hams. Maybe the proponents of the 222 MHz band are trying to keep it a secret so they can get away from the crowd. Maybe hams don't think they will find anyone to talk to on that band. Maybe they are just more comfortable sticking with the 144 and 440 MHz bands because that's closer to the "mainstream".
The Alinco DR-235T 222 MHz mobile radio has been on the market for something like 16 years. The Kenwood TH-F6A tri-band 144/222/440 handheld (5 watts on all three bands) has been on the market for about the same length of time. Why don't people buy these radios and use the 222 MHz band?
Maybe they don't know that these radios exist. Maybe they don't know about the good repeaters on the 222 MHz band in some parts of the country. Maybe proponents of the 222 MHz band don't do a good enough job promoting it to their fellow hams. Maybe the proponents of the 222 MHz band are trying to keep it a secret so they can get away from the crowd. Maybe hams don't think they will find anyone to talk to on that band. Maybe they are just more comfortable sticking with the 144 and 440 MHz bands because that's closer to the "mainstream".
I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area / Silicon Valley for 15 years, and I 'discovered' 222 MHz about 1982 - 2M was just a zoo then (in that area) and finding decent, interesting conversation on 2M and UHF FM was difficult. On 222 MHz, I immediately started meeting hams who were 'doers', not simply 'talkers'. The period I was in that area and using 222 MHz FM was the most enjoyable time I personally have experienced on VHF/UHF FM. I met hams who invited me to join them on projects or simply for social activities - BBQ's and backyard parties, even sports events were made available. Radio 'clubs' that were just groups of hams who liked to talk with each other sometimes put up their own 222 MHz repeaters OR simply used simplex if there were enough of them in a small area. I certainly can't say every person I spoke with on 222 MHz was a 'great' person, but the percentage was certainly high.
I later lived in the Tucson area and there was some 222 MHz activity there also. Again, I met some really nice folks who were 'doers'. Calls on 2M and 440 MHz repeaters AND simplex channels there often went unanswered.
I think 222 MHz may be a place where hams migrate when they find themselves unsatisfied with the 2M and/or 440 MHz scenes. The problem is that there are so many locales where there is virtually no activity on that band. In that case, perhaps the readers of this thread could become the 'spark plugs' to initiate that activity if their 222 MHz bands are quiet...
I later lived in the Tucson area and there was some 222 MHz activity there also. Again, I met some really nice folks who were 'doers'. Calls on 2M and 440 MHz repeaters AND simplex channels there often went unanswered.
I think 222 MHz may be a place where hams migrate when they find themselves unsatisfied with the 2M and/or 440 MHz scenes. The problem is that there are so many locales where there is virtually no activity on that band. In that case, perhaps the readers of this thread could become the 'spark plugs' to initiate that activity if their 222 MHz bands are quiet...
K2KOH
Silent Key
I found a very active 220 machine outside of Ithaca up in the Finger Lakes. Had a couple of really nice QSOs
Long Island New York here. I love 1.25 meter!!! Cool band with interesting propagation. I have a tricky area to talk simplex to only 8 miles away. There's a little hill in the way. I can be full quieting on 1.25m. Same QTHs almost no copy on 2m and 70cm. I have the TYT TH9000D. Does 60 watts I think.
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
AC2OY
Member
Like K2OOL said 220 is active in the NYC area. When it's nice outside I take my F6A outside and scan then and. I have had some great contacts on the 1.25 machines in my area.
kc4jgc
Member
I've been involved on 220 since I was first licensed as a novice in 1989. At the time there was only one repeater in the area (in Hampton); there were a good number of hams, about 15 regular users. I had a Yaesu FT-109R handheld at the time. Later, after attaining my technician ticket, I bought a Kenwood TM-621A dual band 2m/220 rig. Anyone who knew me knew I was a big 220 proponent but talking folks into diving into 220 was a lesson in futility. The prevailing attitude was "get on 10m now as a novice, then get your tech to go on 2m & 440". The only other real 220 activity then was a packet BBS backbone on 221.01. Now, there are 3 repeaters in southeast VA, one is 2m/220/440 stack in Norfolk, one in Chesapeake, one in Hampton. The latter two have little/no activity. Word is another 220 machine in Norfolk will be QRV soon. Other than that, there is some activity in Richmond; a little more activity on a linked 220 system in Charlottesville, Staunton, Harrisonburg and Lexington. There's also linked 220 repeaters fairly active in eastern WV. My current gear are Kenwood 621A & 631A mobiles; TH-F6A HT. Believe it or not, I've heard of other hams that bought the F6A, then bought a 2m/440 antenna to replace the stock antenna instead of a tri-band antenna. Incredible!!
Lots of activity on 222.1 USB in the SE US.
JasonTracy
W9TCP
Or, broke.
If you're on a limited budget, you're going to have fewer radios. For most of us that have other things we spend money on, it makes sense to get the gear that has the greatest chance of making contacts.
2m/70cm fits that bill, and you can have pretty good combo antennas.
1.25m comes at a cost of either poor performance on the other bands, or a separate antenna.
nd5y
Member
You can get a 25 W quad band mobile radio that includes 220 for about $100 now.
Robinsmark
Member
most hams are Lazy and want to be appliance operators.
MOST HAMS have equipment they did not build themselves INCLUDING those who castigate others as being "appliance operators". Look who is talking!
MOST HAMS have equipment they did not build themselves INCLUDING those who castigate others as being "appliance operators". Look who is talking!
Frankly, it truly is not a case of being lazy as much as it is an absolute dearth of parts availability along with a lack of the proper bench equipment to build even a simple radio any longer.
Both complexity and technical standards have far outstripped the ability to homebrew these days.
BridgeCom Systems has a really sweet little HT for under $100 now, as well as a high-power mobile and repeater. Lack of equipment is no longer an acceptable excuse. :lol:
2m/70cm are way flush on repeaters around here, and they sit silent most of the time
the only 222 action is during the vhf/uhf contests
there is a buddy of mine that runs a 220 machine about 75 miles from here
but thats the closest, and its just he and his xyl using it
im still stuck trying to get the locals to get on 6m!! we have a really nice machine about 40 miles from me and im the only one talking on it!
the only 222 action is during the vhf/uhf contests
there is a buddy of mine that runs a 220 machine about 75 miles from here
but thats the closest, and its just he and his xyl using it
im still stuck trying to get the locals to get on 6m!! we have a really nice machine about 40 miles from me and im the only one talking on it!
skat1k
Newbie
Some 220MHz enthusiasts in Bay Area CA???
There are some 220Mhz repeaters in the Bay Area although I haven't been on them lately. Berkeley, Fremont, Oakland and San Jose/Santa Clara are home to some of these repeaters. I believe that some are linked to 2M/70cm as well. A while back I bought a TYT 220Mhz radio and was surprise at just how many repeaters were accessible.
skat1k
Newbie
Hey, I saw repeater tables, but I'm curious more about people (Hams).
I don't think they're nearly as busy as some of the 2M/70cm repeaters in the area but it seems like I could usually find traffic on a Saturday afternoon. Some of it is probably linked traffic.
- Status
Similar threads
