Making the most of whats left of the VHF/UHF bands

[K9KLC]

Bingo! This exactly. You can hear the 11m CB and Outbands hopping during band openings, while 10m is a ghost town.

"unless" there's contest...

 

[Spider255]

Here in the US, the military still uses 30 MHz to 88 MHz. Amateur radio is secondary to the military and other government agencies. Plus the analog TV stations in that section too.

The older analog military radios had a low band and a high band. Low band was from 30 MHz to 50 MHz and high band was 51 MHz to 70 MHz.

We had to be really careful when teaching basic trainees how to use the PRC-77 radios. We had to keep them on the low band as the local TV stations were in the high band. We had a trainee key up one time on the high band and interfered with a local TV station. Needless to say we received a not so nice phone call from the TV station manager.

There was a discussion about giving 46 MHz and 49 MHz to GMRS over on the MYGMRS forum. Again those frequencies are allocated to military use. I know there were old wireless consumer products that worked on those frequencies but they were secondary.

And now we have a company wanting the 70cm band for commercial use. And not too long ago there was another company wanting a portion of the 900 MHz band that covers LORA/Meshtastic. Let's see if we lose 70cm and 900 MHz like we did with a portion of the 1.25m band.

We need to start using what bands we currently have before losing them. Adding new bands is not going to happen in my opinion.

I remember the old Clansman sets. I think the military over here are on a new digital encrypted system, although the 5MHz band is still used by them.

Having GMRS would be terrible on 49 MHz due to the size of the antennas required, they'd perform poorly with small poor antennas. UHF is better suited for GMRS.

I agree we need to use what we have before its all gone forever.

 

[Spider255]

I do remember a time when the Belgium police could be heard on 4 meters.

 

[mmckenna]

Having GMRS would be terrible on 49 MHz due to the size of the antennas required, they'd perform poorly with small poor antennas. UHF is better suited for GMRS.

I'm betting I know -exactly- who that is suggesting 46/49MHz GMRS. That individual was on this site for a while with his constant efforts to fix a problem that only existed in his mind. He would not listen to any opinion that didn't fully align with his. No doubt he ended up over on mygmrs where he found a sympathetic ear.

He was pushing 38MHz for a while. You can find his posts if you search on "38MHz CB"

 

[AK9R]

I heard that the 1.25 meter band in the US never gets used.

"Never" is a word that paints with a broad brush. The 222-225 MHz band is used in the US. Not as much as 144-148 or 430-450, but it's used.

A problem I sometimes see when people talk about activity in the VHF/UHF amateur radio bands is that people assume that what they hear in their local area is reflective of the entire country. That's often a generalization based on limited data.

 

[K9KLC]

I heard that the 1.25 meter band in the US never gets used. The UK don't have that band.

Only every day, multiple times in my area.

 

[K9KLC]

A problem I sometimes see when people talk about activity in the VHF/UHF amateur radio bands is that people assume that what they hear in their local area is reflective of the entire country. That's often a generalization based on limited data.

This is exactly correct. While not nearly as much traffic as in the 90's, we actually have a pretty lively bunch around here both on repeaters (at least at times) and there's multiple groups "here and there" that use Simplex on 2 meters, 1.25 meters and 70 cm.

 

[KF0NYL]

"Never" is a word that paints with a broad brush. The 222-225 MHz band is used in the US. Not as much as 144-148 or 430-450, but it's used.

A problem I sometimes see when people talk about activity in the VHF/UHF amateur radio bands is that people assume that what they hear in their local area is reflective of the entire country. That's often a generalization based on limited data.

This is true. No one hardly uses the 1.25m band around me and there is only one single 1.25m repeater in the entire state. But that does not mean that the 1.25m band is dead everywhere. It really depends on what area you are in.

It's a double edge sword when it comes to the 1.25m band. None of the Big three want to make 1.25m capable radios for the US market since it is hardly used. The flip side is no one really uses the band since all that is available are the Chinese made radios. Another issue is all of the tribune and quad band radios are low power only on 1.25m. And your only choices for a 50 watt mono band 1.25m radio is either Alinco or TYT.

 

[K9KLC]

there is only one single 1.25m repeater in the entire state

Assuming you're in MO, I know of at least two that I can hit from the Illinois side. I can't believe repeater book is wrong about the rest off them, although I don't think 224.58 is still on the air in Eldon.

I agree however with the spirit of your post, the big three will likely not make a 1.25 meter mobile although there was some speculation that Kenwood "might" but, again that was simply speculation. Alinco has one now, some guys in my area got one and although they're not what they used to be (I've got multiple, of the older 235's) they seem to like them pretty well.

I fortunately have 2 of the old tri-band Kenwood's that have the 2 meter, 1.25 meter and 70cm band modules in them and happily run those. Coming from the 90's they're only 25 ish watts (like the Alinco DR-235's were) but they receive way better than even the newer Chinesium stuff.
It's hard to get people on the air now, let alone on a band here there's no "new" equipment for since most think that's what they need.

 

[mciupa]

When propagation is good, give 2m SSB (USB) a try.

 

[AK9R]

The flip side is no one really uses the band since all that is available are the Chinese made radios. Another issue is all of the tribune and quad band radios are low power only on 1.25m.

You quote my post about painting with a broad brush as if you agree with my points and then you go painting with one yourself.

The Kenwood TH-D75A is a currently available handheld radio with 222-225 MHz capability and it's not made in China.

The Kenwood TH-D75A outputs 5 watts on the 222-225 MHz band...same as the 2m and 70cm bands.

 

[kc2asb]

This is exactly correct. While not nearly as much traffic as in the 90's, we actually have a pretty lively bunch around here both on repeaters (at least at times) and there's multiple groups "here and there" that use Simplex on 2 meters, 1.25 meters and 70 cm.

220 was looked at as an odd ball band, even back in the 90's. Here in the NYC area in the late 90's, there were maybe 3-4 repeaters which had sporadic activity. There was not much choice in the way of equipment. I used an ancient Yaesu Memorizer mobile radio with a Cushcraft monoband Ringo on the roof

IIRC, Alinco had a nice 220 monoband mobile back then, but the amount of activity I found on the band did not justify purchasing new equipment.

The Memorizer is still my only piece of 220 gear. I think the output is a whole 10 watts.

 

[Spider255]

220 was looked at as an odd ball band, even back in the 90's. Here in the NYC area in the late 90's, there were maybe 3-4 repeaters which had sporadic activity. There was not much choice in the way of equipment. I used an ancient Yaesu Memorizer mobile radio with a Cushcraft monoband Ringo on the roof

IIRC, Alinco had a nice 220 monoband mobile back then, but the amount of activity I found on the band did not justify purchasing new equipment.

The Memorizer is still my only piece of 220 gear. I think the output is a whole 10 watts.

I have a Tait T2010 that does 220 its a shame the UK don't have it otherwise I could have put that radio to use. I could still use it out of band for 169MHz & 173MHz for Private VHF PMR but other than that its useless.

 

[KF0NYL]

Assuming you're in MO, I know of at least two that I can hit from the Illinois side. I can't believe repeater book is wrong about the rest off them, although I don't think 224.58 is still on the air in Eldon.

I just checked repeater book and it seems the list of 1.25m repeaters has been updated for Missouri. Repeater book is now showing 11 1.25m repeaters. The only one close enough for me to possibly reach is the one in St Paul, Mo which is permanently linked to the 2m repeater in Eolia Mo.

The St Paul repeater was the only one listed for some time on repeater book.

 

[KF0NYL]

You quote my post about painting with a broad brush as if you agree with my points and then you go painting with one yourself.

The Kenwood TH-D75A is a currently available handheld radio with 222-225 MHz capability and it's not made in China.

The Kenwood TH-D75A outputs 5 watts on the 222-225 MHz band...same as the 2m and 70cm bands.

You are talking about hand held radios and I was talking about mobile radios. And all of the mobile tri band or quad band radios with 1.25m will only put out 5-10 watt max on 11.25m. And if you want a 50 watt mobile mono band 1.25m radio then your only choices are Alinco or TYT.

 

[K9KLC]

St Paul repeater was the only one listed for some time on repeater book.

The book was wrong then. I've talked on 224.980 and 224.520 since the mid 90s when I was first licensed and they're both still in the air. I used to go hide out on 224.980 when my own 220 linked system was too busy to get a word in edgewise in the later 90s. Both the MO repeaters I linked to back then are off the air now. They were 224.18 and 224.88. The owner of those two went SK and I couldn't get in contact with anyone about them after Ed passed on.

Good times and a lot of fun was had back then.

 

[vagrant]

The Kenwood TM-D750 tri-band mobile radio is scheduled to be available this summer. As people begin to purchase and use this radio, they will enjoy 222-225 MHz. There are mobile/base antennas for 1.25 meters along with triplexers. There are tri-band antennas as well ready to go.

 

[Spider255]

I have a Tait T2010 that does 220 its a shame the UK don't have it otherwise I could have put that radio to use. I could still use it out of band for 169MHz & 173MHz for Private VHF PMR but other than that its useless.

Its all mostly digital on these frequencies now. I can align the transceiver down to 169 MHz. I will keep this to use on my bothers farm I've already programmed and aligned it for the VHF PMR frequencies so should work with the farm handhelds now.

I got a bunch more of those Tait T2010s set up on 4 meters, 2 meters and 70cms.

 

[K9KLC]

The Kenwood TM-D750 tri-band mobile radio is scheduled to be available this summer. As people begin to purchase and use this radio, they will enjoy 222-225 MHz. There are mobile/base antennas for 1.25 meters along with triplexers. There are tri-band antennas as well ready to go.

That radio was the one I said there was "speculation" about. I've run the Comet CX-333 since not long after I was licensed in 95 for 2 meters, 1.25 meters and 70cm. I think however at 70 years old, I'll just keep plugging along with my Kenwood 641 and 741 and see what happens. I suspect that TM-D750 is gonna be a bit pricy and not sure I'll go that at this stage of the game. Also from what I read, it will still only do 2 bands at a time, which I really like hearing all 3 at one time the old tri-banders. Just what I'm used to I guess.

 

[KF0NYL]

The book was wrong then. I've talked on 224.980 and 224.520 since the mid 90s when I was first licensed and they're both still in the air. I used to go hide out on 224.980 when my own 220 linked system was too busy to get a word in edgewise in the later 90s. Both the MO repeaters I linked to back then are off the air now. They were 224.18 and 224.88. The owner of those two went SK and I couldn't get in contact with anyone about them after Ed passed on.

Good times and a lot of fun was had back then.

I never said that repeater book was correct, just stated what it did have listed. I would love to see the 1.25m band start getting used more. The closest one I know of to me is St Paul. I am about 47 air miles away from there and unless that antenna is at least 100 feet in the air, I will never reach it as there is too much terrain in the way. I live in northern Montgomery County. I do know that repeater is pretty much linked full time to the Eolia 2m repeater now days.

I check into the weekly 2m net on the Eolia 2m repeater and a lot of people from St Charles County use the St Paul 1.25m repeater to check into the net. The Eolia 2m repeater is linked to the St Paul 1.25m repeater and also linked to the Paris Mo and Monroe City 2m repeaters.

My issue with all the tri band and quad band mobile radios is the output power on 1.25 compared to the output on 2m and 70cm. Now if Icom or Yaesu would offer a true 50 watt 1.25m mobile radio I would get one. I have read too many mixed reviews on the Alinco and TYT 50 watt 1.25m mobile radios.

Does anyone know what the output power level is suppose to be on the Kenwood TM-D750? I bet it will be like any other tri/quad band and have a low output power level.