What ever happened to 220Mhz?

[garys]

I remember that several years ago UPS petitioned the FCC for a portion of the 220 Mhz Ham band. By the time that the petition was eventually granted UPS had dropped it's plan for a nationwide system, but the spectrum was allocated for commercial and public safety use.

Has any of it actually ever been used, and if so, for what?

 

[DaveNF2G]

Urgent Communications (formerly Mobile Radio Technology) has an article on their website summarizing the history of 216-225 MHz. The FCC's bungling has rendered the band useless because nobody can do what current technology allows there and because nobody can be sure that it won't be reallocated again after they've invested in infrastructure there.

 

[fineshot1]

I remember that several years ago UPS petitioned the FCC for a portion of the 220 Mhz Ham band. By the time that the petition was eventually granted UPS had dropped it's plan for a nationwide system, but the spectrum was allocated for commercial and public safety use.

Has any of it actually ever been used, and if so, for what?

A "portion" of that band was allocated for commercial useage - some is still allocated to amateur.

216-222Mhz is allocated for commercial use and 222-225 is amateur. The amateur repeater pairs
are all used up or close to it in the NY/NJ/PA metro areas. I think the 1 Mhz of 219Mhz is secondary
for amateur links as well.

As for commercial there is still some around and some new stuff being put in service - see below.

http://forums.radioreference.com/trunking-forum/161367-220mhz-trunking.html

 

[garys]

Urgent Communications (formerly Mobile Radio Technology) has an article on their website summarizing the history of 216-225 MHz. The FCC's bungling has rendered the band useless because nobody can do what current technology allows there and because nobody can be sure that it won't be reallocated again after they've invested in infrastructure there.

Thanks Dave. I'll check the web site. It's too bad that we lost that spectrum. I forget what the allocation for the lost part of 220 was, but a lot of 440 machines in eastern MA have gone off the air and it would be nice to potentially have the option.

Of course the lack of commercial 220 gear crippled development way back, so it probably still would be underutilized.

 

[gewecke]

There are STILL plenty of 220mhz. rptrs in various parts of the country. I'm an avid user of 220 and we have a local rptr. here on 223.460.
I guess it just depends on where you are?
N9ZAS

 

[roadranger]

Still use it here...

220 isn't well known around here. We use it anyway @ 224.420 Mhz. I like to use it every day.

 

[N9NRA]

Hey there. Around here (WI), we have a lot of 220 repeaters, although there`s not a whole lot of activity, there`s a repeater here in this town on 220, and i listen to it, and use it frequently to get away from the two-meter band when i wanna just chat with one other op without tying up a repeater on 2 meters. Nice band, and i`d personally like to see more use of it. 73. N9NRA

 

[K4APR]

There is an old saying when it comes to Amateur spectrum "Use it or lose it." The truth is, 220 is not utilized much at all, especially BEFORE the UPS petition. Its a shame. If there was more 220 gear available, it would probaly see a boost in use. I know I used it a couple of times at Dayton. Hard to find a free freq there. Eventually moved to VHF P25

Edit: Cool, I hit my 300th post.

 

[GTR8000]

NYS has quite a few active QM licenses for 220 frequencies throughout the state. Can't say as if I've ever actually heard anything on them, however.

 

[SCPD]

In California there are two wide area linked repeater systems on 220. One is a closed system and is called EARN, or Edison Amateur Radio Network. The audio linking is done on the Southern California Edison Motorola SmartZone Trunking System microwave to the peaks that have a trunked commercial site in addition to a ham repeater. The audio quality all over the system is outstanding.

The second system is called "CONDOR" and covers California from Sacramento south and parts of Arizona. I've never used it as I don't have a 220 mobile yet. I have the Kenwood TH-F6A with 220 but don't use it mobile as I don't use handhelds in the car due to distraction.

There are numerous 220 repeaters in California, especially southern California, where the 2m and 70cm bands are crowded.

The only currently available 220 mobile I"m aware of is an Alinco and it doesn't have many of the features that radios on other bands have such as alphanumeric channel display. In spite of that I plan to pick one up. My current plan, delayed because of funding problems, is to drill three holes in my car's rooftop, one for the scanner, one for the 2m/70cm rig, and one for the future installation of the 220 rig.

220 has interesting propagation qualities. It has some of the reflective characteristics of the 70cm band and some of the "terrain bending" characteristics of the 2m band. By getting each of these in the same signal you often can work repeaters from locations where a 2m and a 70cm repeater cannot be keyed up. This is the most interesting part of using this band and quite useful in many locations, especially in rural areas with mountainous terrain.

 

[gewecke]

Very true! This is all the more reason for us to make good use of this band before more politicians decide they have a better use for it!:roll:
The band has very good characteristics for both long distance and local comms. I like the band too,because antennas need not be huge and obvious.
I can't help but think if the use of this band "perks" up a bit then maybe more manufacturers will step up to the plate as Alinco has done?
N9ZAS

 

[K4APR]

Very true! This is all the more reason for us to make good use of this band before more politicians decide they have a better use for it!:roll:
The band has very good characteristics for both long distance and local comms. I like the band too,because antennas need not be huge and obvious.
I can't help but think if the use of this band "perks" up a bit then maybe more manufacturers will step up to the plate as Alinco has done?
N9ZAS

I just checked the price on a DR-235 (220 MHz model) and I was reminded why I did'nt buy one the last time I looked at them (and I have). $299 is the going price everywhere I looked, although HRO has an instant $30 coupon right now. $269 is still a bit pricey for a mono band.

 

[gewecke]

I just checked the price on a DR-235 (220 MHz model) and I was reminded why I did'nt buy one the last time I looked at them (and I have). $299 is the going price everywhere I looked, although HRO has an instant $30 coupon right now. $269 is still a bit pricey for a mono band.

The only thing that turns me off about that radio,is the fact that it does not have a fan to cool the final. At 50 watts a fan is definitely needed,unless you use low power most of the time.
N9ZAS

 

[W6KRU]

The only thing that turns me off about that radio,is the fact that it does not have a fan to cool the final. At 50 watts a fan is definitely needed,unless you use low power most of the time.
N9ZAS

That would depend on the size of the heatsink for the finals. I have yaesus that I consider very durable that have no fan because they have a large heatsinks.

 

[gewecke]

While that may be true dan,if you look at the supplied heat sink on the alinco DR 235 then you would see why I suggest a fan? For a 50 watt radio to have a heat sink that small it's not going to dissipate squat!!:roll: Which is why I suggest at least a 30 cfm fan.
Alinco radios are not commercial grade and do not have commercial quality heat sinks. My kenwoods don't have fans either,but then the sinks are massive by comparison!
N9ZAS

 

[W6KRU]

While that may be true dan,if you look at the supplied heat sink on the alinco DR 235 then you would see why I suggest a fan? For a 50 watt radio to have a heat sink that small it's not going to dissipate squat!!:roll: Which is why I suggest at least a 30 cfm fan.
Alinco radios are not commercial grade and do not have commercial quality heat sinks. My kenwoods don't have fans either,but then the sinks are massive by comparison!
N9ZAS

I now understand what you meant John. I thought you were saying that all 50W radios had to have a fan.

 

[Sonar]

The second system is called "CONDOR" and covers California from Sacramento south and parts of Arizona. I've never used it as I don't have a 220 mobile yet. I have the Kenwood TH-F6A with 220 but don't use it mobile as I don't use handhelds in the car due to distraction.

The only currently available 220 mobile I"m aware of is an Alinco and it doesn't have many of the features that radios on other bands have such as alphanumeric channel display. In spite of that I plan to pick one up. My current plan, delayed because of funding problems, is to drill three holes in my car's rooftop, one for the scanner, one for the 2m/70cm rig, and one for the future installation of the 220 rig.

I thought about picking up the 220 Alinco also so I can get on CONDOR. Then comes the tough decision: I'll have to decide on whether to set the 220 rig as a base station or as a mobile rig in my vehicle. I only know a couple of ham buddies that have 220 capabilities.

 

[mjthomas59]

If anyone was interested in getting into the 220mhz band, you should check on ebay. I've seen several different auctions for new and like new Motorola HT1250's for under $200 in the 220mhz range. Not sure of the exact splits on them.

Just food for thought

 

[midnightcaller]

I had 2 Alinco 220 radios Me and my friends were going to get into 220 but it never worked out that way