220MHz getting even scarcer

Golay

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I've got flamed before for suggesting this, but, hams should think about moving the main brunt of digital to 1.25 meters. I'm not saying abandon 2 meter or 70 centimeter, just start at least experimenting with digital and other modes on 1.25.

Well, maybe this question got answered further in the thread, and I missed it.
Is there any 220 equipment available that is not analog? I've yet to see DMR or P25 or even C4FM or D-Star radios for 1.25.
 

PrivatelyJeff

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Well, maybe this question got answered further in the thread, and I missed it.
Is there any 220 equipment available that is not analog? I've yet to see DMR or P25 or even C4FM or D-Star radios for 1.25.

anytone 578 but only at 5 watts
 

AK9R

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Is there any 220 equipment available that is not analog?
The Kenwood TH-D74, when it was still available, covered the 144, 222, and 440 MHz bands. It could operate in D-STAR mode on all three bands. And, I know people who used their TH-D74s to talk using D-STAR on 222 MHz simplex frequencies.
 

jwt873

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mrkelso

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220 is a great band. I was involved in a club years ago that had a repeater on the top of a high rise building in Fort Lee NJ. With this repeater you could communicate anywhere in the state and neighboring states. The good old days.
 

AM909

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At the risk of sounding really old, I think some people have become spoiled with the variety of equipment available now, even for 220. When I bought my FT-127RA circa 1983, it was relatively expensive and the only mobile available (I think – maybe one of two). :)
 

KA0XR

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220 is a great band. I was involved in a club years ago that had a repeater on the top of a high rise building in Fort Lee NJ. With this repeater you could communicate anywhere in the state and neighboring states. The good old days.


Was that a 220-only site? Or were there other similar repeaters located there (2m/440) that had comparable range to the 220 machine?

The three working 220 repeaters in my area leaves some to be desired range-wise despite being in decent sites or co-located with 2m repeaters.
 

AM909

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The three working 220 repeaters in my area leaves some to be desired range-wise despite being in decent sites or co-located with 2m repeaters.
In the 80s, in addition to the lack of mobile equipment, there was really a lack of repeater and antenna equipment, so you'd often see relatively low-power repeaters with PVC homebrew antennas (if you could get away with it at a commercial site :)). Repeaters were commonly a "barefoot" (just a few watts) duplexed Midland 13-509 (I knew its designer, Miguel Santana, RIP). 2m and 440 machines generally had more power and higher-gain antennas or access to common receiver multicouplers with a high-performance pre-amp and good antenna at the top of the tower. Could be a similar situation.
 

PrivatelyJeff

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The Kenwood TH-D74, when it was still available, covered the 144, 222, and 440 MHz bands. It could operate in D-STAR mode on all three bands. And, I know people who used their TH-D74s to talk using D-STAR on 222 MHz simplex frequencies.

Wow, D-Star on 222. That will give you some privacy if you’re looking for it.
 

captainmax1

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My only 220 is the Yaesu VX-8DR which is a quad handheld transceiver. I use to hear occasional traffic on 220 but not in several years. I'm going to set it up to scan 220 and see it I hear anything. My Yaesu FT-8900 is quad band but 220 is not one of the bands. I'm in a new place with strict rules and still figuring out the best way to hide an outdoor antenna or two.
 

mass-man

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A club in FL bought a couple of dozen 220 MOTO radios from Israel that only required new frequencies be inputted! This was quite awhile ago...wondering if someone from Tait hangs out here and could aid us in doing the same thing!
 

mharris

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I don't understand this comment. The FCC is not stopping manufacturers from producing radios for the 222 MHz band and the cellular telephone carriers have no interest in this band.

It's a chicken vs. egg problem. There's not much activity because there aren't many radios. There aren't many radios because there's not much activity. But, the real issue is that the 222 MHz band is only available to amateur radio in ITU Region 2 (roughly North and South America). The market isn't big enough for the Japanese radio manufacturers to spend a lot of effort developing radios for the 222 MHz band.
Has 220Mhz always been limited to Region 2? I ask because back in the 80's and 90's there were quite a few more Japanese rigs for 220Mhz.
 

nd5y

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Has 220Mhz always been limited to Region 2? I ask because back in the 80's and 90's there were quite a few more Japanese rigs for 220Mhz.
As far as I know none of the other ITU regions have had 220 since the early 1980s when I first got into ham radio. I don't know how it was before then. I think it was more popular here back then. The manufacturers probably just followed market demand.
 

KA0XR

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As far as I know none of the other ITU regions have had 220 since the early 1980s when I first got into ham radio. I don't know how it was before then. I think it was more popular here back then. The manufacturers probably just followed market demand.


Somalia has the 220-225 allocation, only country in ITU Region 1 with 1.25 meters for amateur radio. Surely not enough of a dedicated customer base to justify producing 220 radios. Who knows if it's even used there???
 

ShawnInPaso

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Some of the best and most popular 220 equipment was produced by Hamtronics, resulting in a huge uptick of 220 repeaters in the U.S. Sadly, the owner/operator of Hamtronics passed away years back and a consequence of his untimely passing was a sudden void in the availability of replacement transmitters and receivers. I for one have regretted not stocking up on replacement parts and it's really rare to see Hamtronics 220 stuff on eBay.
 

KD2FIQ

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I had a TYT TH-9000D for quite a few years. It died on me and I never replaced it. It was a great radio and appears to still be available EDIT: for future availability in January 2022). Programming it is a little cumbersome. I really like the characteristics of 1.25M.
 
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