programing in 70cm simplex freq

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kd2goe

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I am programing my Kenwood TK-840 and would like to know what bracket of freq from what to what would be right for simplex only operation. I don't want to interfere with other operations like satellite and or repeaters..
And don't want to make it to over complicated and input more freq then I need to.
I am on "http://www.arrl.org/band-plan" and there is no defined simplex bracket of freq like there is on 2 meters


432.10 to 432.30 / 432.40 to 433.00 in 25 kHz steps? I also see 446.000mhz using 446.000 as the center calling freq what would be the lowest freq to highest freq? some thing like 445.125 to (446.000) to 446.875
 

zz0468

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In most areas, there is very little simplex FM activity on the 70 cm band, and what's there is confined to just a couple of channels. 446.000 and 446.500 are common. Any other simplex activity might be very local, not on "formal" simplex frequencies, and would likely be interspersed throughout the repeater sub-band, 440-450 MHz.

Other activity lower in the band is going to be SSB/CW around 432 MHz. Television, high speed packet data, and point to point links will fill up the remainder of the band between 420 and 440 MHz.
 

kd2goe

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ok I am asking because me and my friend just got our technician ticket and I am programing the radios so we can talk simplex...

I programed my radio from 445.125 to 446.875 in 25kHz steps
 
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zz0468

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OK, first, congratulations on getting your ticket.

Just be careful what frequencies you transmit on. The 440 band is chock full of repeaters and aside from the two freqs I gave you, everything else is repeater inputs or outputs. You can't just fire up willy-nilly anywhere without a strong possibility of causing problems. And just because YOU don't hear anything doesn't mean some repeater somewhere doesn't hear you.
 

nd5y

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Find the frequency coordinator in your area at NFCC.US - NFCC Coordinators
Go to the frequency coordinator's web site and see if they have a 70cm band plan for your area.

The ARRL doesn't list other 70cm simplex frequencies because band usage varies too much. For example 446.500 may be a good simplex frequency in CA but in TX it is a repeater input.
 

W3DMV

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Think the link above is doa. Try this one

Council Info - Repeaters List - W.N.Y.S.O.R.C.

We always use 446.0 here incase someone is passing thru the area. Try to
avoid 432.0- 432.3. That part of the band is active with weak signal guys operating
on ssb/cw. Moon bouncers also on occasion.
The link shows no coordinated repeaters 442.0 - 447.0 so you should have plenty
of space if your looking for an odd ball.

Good luck
 

kd2goe

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Yeah this is a good reason to get a VHF rig. The 2 meter band is more laid out on what is what...
 

mass-man

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We use 446.000 around DFW and pretty much that is it! If you and a buddy want to talk simplex and since you can program a TK 840, get a couple of TK 981's and do it on 902! You may have to experiment a bit with antennas and possibly bouncing the signal off a bldg or whatever, but it is a blast. Then you go onto put up a 902 repeater in your area, etc....
 

VE6BRW

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OMG, if you have an Amateur Radio Licence then that info on frequencies was covered in even the Basic licence exam. Really I can't believe that people are that lazy to not even look it up or try for sake. most of the asking in the receivers sections is the same way.....Just try looking up some information first.
 

kd2goe

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OMG, if you have an Amateur Radio Licence then that info on frequencies was covered in even the Basic licence exam. Really I can't believe that people are that lazy to not even look it up or try for sake. most of the asking in the receivers sections is the same way.....Just try looking up some information first.

Wow I can see your a total *** hole right off the bat... and I can see you have no idea how to read the first post or any of my following posts... I listed what freq i was planing to use and I was asking for clarification... lucky not every one is like you and helped me out I did fined the info my self but seeing there is no clear cut defined boundaries in 70cm I needed some help..
 
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KB0VWG

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We are here for you. Good going mkube396

VE6BRW
OMG, if you have an Amateur Radio Licence then that info on frequencies was covered in even the Basic licence exam. Really I can't believe that people are that lazy to not even look it up or try for sake. most of the asking in the receivers sections is the same way.....Just try looking up some information first.

People like that guy what ruin it for a lot of new hams,

mkube396 if you have any more questions just let us know. Try to ignore the groumpy f@arts.
kb0vwg
wqoi992
 

zz0468

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OMG, if you have an Amateur Radio Licence then that info on frequencies was covered in even the Basic licence exam.

License exams do not cover specific 70cm simplex frequencies, and here in the U.S., the issue is pretty convoluted. Specific areas have different band plans, and few actually follow the ARRL band plan. So, it's a valid question.

Really I can't believe that people are that lazy to not even look it up or try for sake. most of the asking in the receivers sections is the same way.....Just try looking up some information first.

I've been a ham for nearly 40 years, and active on 70cm for most of it. But just for the sake of curiosity, I attempted to find out what frequencies are available for simplex in the OP's area. 446.000 is the national simplex frequency, and is pretty universal, so that's a given. But trying to drill down to area detail isn't easy. First, you have to figure out who among the half dozen or so frequency coordinators in New York state are the correct one for the Buffalo area. Then you have to check out their website to see if they have a band plan. Nothing local listed that I could find.

So, a general Google search on the subject pulls 42,000 hits, some of which are forum subjects by confused hams wondering why they hear public safety traffic on parts of the band.

So, there's no clear ready answer. 70 cm in the U.S. is fragmented. In Northern California, 70cm repeaters are severely ERP restricted because of the PAVEPAWS radar. In Southern California, ALL 70 cm operators are limited to 50 watt transmitter power output unless they get a waiver from the military. Many hams don't know that. It's not on any test, but it IS buried in the rules.

In some parts of the country don't even have access to the full band. Some areas have repeater inputs high, and outputs low. Other areas are reversed.

So, it's confusing at best, and impossible to search for a specific answer at worst.

So, next time a beginner asks a question like that, chill out. Asking questions here is a valid resource for beginners.
 

WB4CS

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To mkube396: Congrats to you and your friend!

My best advice would be, listen, listen, listen! Once you've chosen a simplex frequency to use, be sure to listen several hours/days on that frequency before using it. (This is specifically on the 70cm band.)

The reason for this is repeater backbone links. In my area, there are several 2 Meter repeaters that are linked together by a RF backbone link on 70cm. There are also 2 Meter repeaters with remote receivers that transmit back to the main repeater site on 70cm. All of these links use 70cm simplex frequencies. Chose the wrong frequency and you and your friend could end up being on several repeaters at the same time and not know it.

446.000 is recognized as the National FM Calling frequency. When I use my dual band radio to crossband repeat, I use 446.025. That's one 25 kHz "channel" above the national calling frequency. Your experience may vary depending on what's active in your area.
 
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I am programing my Kenwood TK-840 and would like to know what bracket of freq from what to what would be right for simplex only operation. I don't want to interfere with other operations like satellite and or repeaters..
And don't want to make it to over complicated and input more freq then I need to.
I am on "http://www.arrl.org/band-plan" and there is no defined simplex bracket of freq like there is on 2 meters


432.10 to 432.30 / 432.40 to 433.00 in 25 kHz steps? I also see 446.000mhz using 446.000 as the center calling freq what would be the lowest freq to highest freq? some thing like 445.125 to (446.000) to 446.875

kind of off the question a but, but where and how did you find that software if you don't mind telling me?? please I have several TK 840 is and I'm having a lot of trouble finding software
 

K7DDQ

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Maybe just programming by hand without software? I say "programming" whether manually or with software. I don't think the OP mentioned software at all. But if so, yes, please do tell... Oh and calling people an a-hole may not be the best tactic to get help, even if it was deserved :)

I'd do like WB4CS said, just go 25kHz off of 446. Of course I've never needed to, I'm in Montana and just use 446.0 at the lowest power needed for QSOs and of course yield to anyone else wanting the freq. Having a conversation on a calling freq is up for debate but around here, you could listen for weeks and hear NOTHING! In fact, the few people with 70cm rigs seem to enjoy hearing it in use. I just double checked my HT, I have 446.0,.1,.2 and .3 programmed in.

Enjoy the new ticket!
 

zz0468

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I'd do like WB4CS said, just go 25kHz off of 446.

That's great last thing that I would do. In many parts of the country, that's a repeater input. In my area, it's an output.

The point of all this is, you've got to KNOW what the frequency is supposed to be used for before you light up your transmitter. Your local frequency coordinator is the place to ask.
 

NWI_Scanner_Guy

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VE6BRW
OMG, if you have an Amateur Radio Licence then that info on frequencies was covered in even the Basic licence exam. Really I can't believe that people are that lazy to not even look it up or try for sake. most of the asking in the receivers sections is the same way.....Just try looking up some information first.

People like that guy is what ruins it for a lot of new hams.

mkube396 if you have any more questions just let us know. Try to ignore the groumpy f@arts.
kb0vwg
wqoi992

Ain't that the truth. Sometimes I think these self appointed "know-it-alls" forget that at one time they too were a newbie and probably made a blunder or two on air or asked the "wrong" question. Wonder how they would have felt if someone chewed them out? But then again, maybe someone did, and they think that that's how the hobby is supposed to work.
 

rapidcharger

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I am programing my Kenwood TK-840 and would like to know what bracket of freq from what to what would be right for simplex only operation. I don't want to interfere with other operations like satellite and or repeaters..

That is a simple enough question.
The answer to the question is 446.0 -to- 446.975
446 in general is not used for repeater pairs because if you go 5mhz down, you're in satellites and if you go 5 up you're out of the band.

Have fun. Simplex is the way to go.
 

zz0468

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That is a simple enough question.

Not so simple... 70 cm usage is more complex than any other ham band, primarily because it's organized by local convention. We can sit here in our respective areas and say what it is, but two states over, we would be wrong.

The answer to the question is 446.0 -to- 446.975

For simplex? That's mostly repeater inputs and outputs. And it's not the complete band. Typo maybe? If the OP wants to scan for all FM activity, then 440-450 would be the range. Otherwise, he needs to find out what the LOCAL bandplan has to say.
 
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