Ya honestly to me sometimes the signal is clearer on a good SSB signal then some muffled FM stuff I hear coming across.
2 meters
- Thread starter billdean
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mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Manageable antenna size.
Much easier to put a VHF whip on a vehicle than an 80 meter whip and get good performance. Same at home, a basic 1/4 wave VHF base antenna is small and can be easily installed without much room.
Sometimes local communications is much more useful than worldwide. If I want to talk to my wife 5 miles away, I use 2 meters, not 80, 40, 20 or 10.
Can get into the hobby with less than $100 bucks and no antenna installation, good choice for those renting or living in urban areas.
Some people only want local communications.
2 meter FM sounds pretty good, less interference, more reliable, not dependent on atmospheric conditions.
Much easier to put a VHF whip on a vehicle than an 80 meter whip and get good performance. Same at home, a basic 1/4 wave VHF base antenna is small and can be easily installed without much room.
Sometimes local communications is much more useful than worldwide. If I want to talk to my wife 5 miles away, I use 2 meters, not 80, 40, 20 or 10.
Can get into the hobby with less than $100 bucks and no antenna installation, good choice for those renting or living in urban areas.
Some people only want local communications.
2 meter FM sounds pretty good, less interference, more reliable, not dependent on atmospheric conditions.
Hi @billdean. As for a radio to get your feet wet in the 2 Meter band, I would actually say (reluctantly) get yourself a Cheap Chinese Radio (CCR) in the form of an HT for FM analog only. That will get you started. There are some caveats though:
1. You would be better off with a Yaesu FT-70DR for $170 which will be more rugged, more reliable, and get you on 146 MHz and 440 MHz in both analog and digital (C4FM) modes. Then you will be able to talk local as well as worldwide if you have access to a Fusion (Yaesu proprietary) repeater that is also connected to the Internet and has access to worldwide talkgroup(s). It would be good to talk to some local club members to see if Fusion is used in your area or if local folks prefer DMR or the Icom/Kenwood proprietary digital mode known as D-STAR. I have three different HTs to access DMR, D-STAR, and Fusion/WIRES-X.
2. Depending on local hams, VHF/UHF activity via simplex and repeaters varies widely. Here in Baltimore, repeaters are somewhat active during the morning and evening commutes but relatively quiet at other times. Again, local club members can tell you what to expect.
3. Another popular VHF/UHF mode is SSB especially when there is a contest going on.
That being said, take your time and grow into the hobby with whatever interests you. The field is broad. Some hams prefer satellite communications or even by bouncing signals off the moon or meteor dust trails. I have accessed the International Space Station using a 5 watt dual band (VHF/UHF) FM HT and a handheld directional antenna. The possibilities are plentiful.
I could go on and on but I would prefer to see what other questions you might have about the 2 Meter and 70 centimeter bands. Oh, and don’t forget, some HTs are tri-band which includes 220 MHz (1.25 Meters) but that’s a whole other discussion.
73, Dave K4EET
1. You would be better off with a Yaesu FT-70DR for $170 which will be more rugged, more reliable, and get you on 146 MHz and 440 MHz in both analog and digital (C4FM) modes. Then you will be able to talk local as well as worldwide if you have access to a Fusion (Yaesu proprietary) repeater that is also connected to the Internet and has access to worldwide talkgroup(s). It would be good to talk to some local club members to see if Fusion is used in your area or if local folks prefer DMR or the Icom/Kenwood proprietary digital mode known as D-STAR. I have three different HTs to access DMR, D-STAR, and Fusion/WIRES-X.
2. Depending on local hams, VHF/UHF activity via simplex and repeaters varies widely. Here in Baltimore, repeaters are somewhat active during the morning and evening commutes but relatively quiet at other times. Again, local club members can tell you what to expect.
3. Another popular VHF/UHF mode is SSB especially when there is a contest going on.
That being said, take your time and grow into the hobby with whatever interests you. The field is broad. Some hams prefer satellite communications or even by bouncing signals off the moon or meteor dust trails. I have accessed the International Space Station using a 5 watt dual band (VHF/UHF) FM HT and a handheld directional antenna. The possibilities are plentiful.
I could go on and on but I would prefer to see what other questions you might have about the 2 Meter and 70 centimeter bands. Oh, and don’t forget, some HTs are tri-band which includes 220 MHz (1.25 Meters) but that’s a whole other discussion.
73, Dave K4EET
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I'll add #3-STRUCTURE:
The 2M (and higher) bands have an (mostly) organized structure for frequencies. Except for the miniscule SSB portions, there's no "fine tuning" required. Additionally, (except for the afore mentioned SSB sub bands) everything is either FM or maybe digital. There's none of the confusion as to is 2M USB or LSB or is that frequency 146520.00 Khz or 146520.035 Khz?
And, the entire band is open to all hams, technician and above. There aren't the little higher class license only segments like there are on HF.
This morning, while my old 895XLT was searching 144-148, I was reminded of why 2M can wear on one's nerves. It stopped on a repeater - one guy tied up the machine going on endlessly about gas prices, coffee prices, politics, the cost of rentals at the Jersey Shore, etc etc. - 15 minutes with a few belated breaks to let others chime in. 
Seems there's always that "one guy" (ok maybe two) that have to bring politics into every discussion. We actually had one guy leave our round table group on weekends due to that. I know my appearances aren't as frequent as they used to be there due to that. A couple of us within range (usually 10-15 miles) have shifted to a 33cm frequency for a lot of the more "hammy" type stuff or other maybe more interesting type stuff I guess maybe.This morning, while my old 895XLT was searching 144-148, I was reminded of why 2M can wear on one's nerves. It stopped on a repeater - one guy tied up the machine going on endlessly about gas prices, coffee prices, politics, the cost of rentals at the Jersey Shore, etc etc. - 15 minutes with a few belated breaks to let others chime in.
@billdean 2 meters is exactly what you decide to make of it or how much you want to spend to get on it. Frankly unless you have something like a weather net or wish to chat with the more local guys constantly, not necessarily a lot to be had there as opposed to other bands. I've somewhat followed your journey thru your posting and I cannot say if you're missing anything in your area or not. I just wouldn't necessarily expect much from only an HT on a rubber duck, depending on your location of course. You might be in range of a great coverage repeater or two that can provide a lot of QSO's and information. In my case while I have HT's that cover 2 meters, usually every time I think I'm going to need one I have to charge the battery to use the thing they sit so much unused. My mobile at home however on a power supply does see usage and I even have chats with my son on there on occasion. He's about 15 miles away or so.
I had my fun on 2 meters in the mid 90's when I first got licensed but that was on SSB, not FM and I still do a little of that even on a more compromised system. I do check into the weather net when it's up, I'm the only one that far east in my county that does so, so they appreciate the reports I provide. I think the rest of the situation with 2 meters has been covered pretty well here. Frankly only some experience and your location will tell you, if 2 is a good move for you to get involved in or not to any degree.
Depends on where you live. E.g., here in Western NJ the band's dead except for commuting hours and 7 - 8pm when there are nets. When I was a new ham in the mid-70's and living in the NYC-metro area, 2 meters was a great band for chatting, meeting new friends. A call on .52 simplex usually got a response. As for what to buy there's lots of used and new 2m gear out there but stick with time-test brands like Yaesu, Kenwood, Icom that are FCC approved for ham use.
The local club in Cadillac, Mi is a 2 meter club that's about 35 miles away. I am leaving here for Arizona Thursday but when I return in the spring I will look into it more. I somewhat know the guy that has the repeater in Leota (Harrison), Mi. I have been in his shack and he showed me his operation the other day. I am about 30 mile away from that one. A lot of local traffic uses 10 meters here around me. I have also found some locals on 75 meters so there is a lot going on. Not sure what I will run into in Arizona but will ask around once down there. For now I am all set up with HF equipment. I will explore UHF/VHF part of the bands when I get down to Arizona and see what the situation is down there. Thanks for everyone's reply's!
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Personal observation but I've noticed a lot more noise on 2m over the past few years as more and more EV and hybrid cars roam the streets. A lot of their control systems spew out all kinds RFI/EMI but automakers don't care or regulatory bodies don't force their hand.
Heck, Tesla doesn't want to have the AM band in their audio systems because of the noise their cars generate.
But Part 15 blah blah blah amirite?
Heck, Tesla doesn't want to have the AM band in their audio systems because of the noise their cars generate.
But Part 15 blah blah blah amirite?
Have a safe trip down to Arizona for the Winter months. Be sure to check in from there once you seek out VHF/UHF activities and let us know if you have any questions. 73, Dave K4EET
Depending on where you are in AZ, there's some 900 MHz activity out there. A close friend goes there often and we sent a couple of 900 MHz Motorola radios with him to use with the group out there.
73 Bill, maybe I can catch you on 10 meters out that way. Been working some 10 lately and made a couple AZ contacts. Travel safe!!
73 Bill, maybe I can catch you on 10 meters out that way. Been working some 10 lately and made a couple AZ contacts. Travel safe!!
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
When you are out in the west, you'll sometimes hear "peak on the air" or "summits on the air" people working simplex on 146.52. If I'm on the road, I'll sometimes put the radio on there and just listen. I've responded a few times to these guys, and they'll appreciate the contact.
Not a long QSO, but it's something to listen for when driving. Often on weekends, but sometimes on weekdays.
Thanks...I usually hang out through out the day on 28.305. A lot of good local people there. I will be trying to make contact with them all the way down to Arizona. It's mostly a early morning group but some good guys!
You can use SSB anywhere in the voice band, what you call a small segment for SSB is just by gentlmans agreement.
I have a couple ratchetjaws on a local repeater, I somtimes lock it out and scan the rest of the band.This morning, while my old 895XLT was searching 144-148, I was reminded of why 2M can wear on one's nerves. It stopped on a repeater - one guy tied up the machine going on endlessly about gas prices, coffee prices, politics, the cost of rentals at the Jersey Shore, etc etc. - 15 minutes with a few belated breaks to let others chime in.
When I lived in NW Maricopa County, there was a net that was okay to listen to, but it had a couple of characters - one was a dementia patient who they allowed to 'run' the net. Nice person, but if you can't recall what you are doing or take notes on who is next on the net, try to find someone else. It got tedious quickly.
The other was a guy from Puerto Rico. He loved to talk about everything island. The weather, the food, the people, the seasons, etc. He reminded me of a guy from the island I worked with - he could talk up a storm and was a friendly sort, but did as little as possible work wise.
The other was a guy from Puerto Rico. He loved to talk about everything island. The weather, the food, the people, the seasons, etc. He reminded me of a guy from the island I worked with - he could talk up a storm and was a friendly sort, but did as little as possible work wise.
k6cpo
Member
Have you thought that your difficulty might be due to the type of construction of your house? I live in an uninsulated wood frame house in California and I can hit a lot of repeaters with an HT and stock antenna from inside. However, there are others here that can't because they live in stucco-construction dwellings. Stucco construction has a wire mesh that supports the stucco, thereby creating what amounts to a large Faraday cage. In locales that have more pronounced seasons, a lot of the insulation has a foil barrier on it which causes the same issue.
k6cpo
Member
There seems to be an increasing trend around here to connect more and more repeaters to networks like All Star or Echo Link. This now means we have to listen to more and more mundane chatter than before. I can understand the attraction of wider area networks to the new hams, but it's getting out of hand. I'm placing more and more of my radio channels on SKIP so I don't have to listen to it.This morning, while my old 895XLT was searching 144-148, I was reminded of why 2M can wear on one's nerves. It stopped on a repeater - one guy tied up the machine going on endlessly about gas prices, coffee prices, politics, the cost of rentals at the Jersey Shore, etc etc. - 15 minutes with a few belated breaks to let others chime in.
Nope I think it's due to distances from me to the repeaters and the coverages of the repeaters themselves. Everyone in this town pretty much experiences the same thing. This is why I've loaned out radios, power supplies and antenna's to people that were ready to leave the hobby after starting with an HT and virtually making zero contacts. Everyone pretty much has the same experiences. I've been at this long enough to understand the "Faraday cage" effect, thanks though. I have never recommended "just an HT" in my area to start their ham journey. Frankly I wouldn't in any area. If you want to limit them to repeaters then sure, but there's a whole world out there beyond repeaters.
When DMR started rolling out in amateur radio, one of the "selling points" was that one time slot would be used for linked talkgroups while the other slot would be reserved for local traffic. That seemed like an ideal concept. But, repeater operators didn't stick with that concept and started putting linked talkgroups on both time slots.
Of course, the issue seems moot now that "everybody" is using hot spots to get what they want without using the repeater.
Of course, the issue seems moot now that "everybody" is using hot spots to get what they want without using the repeater.
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