where are all the 2 meter operators?

[chrismol1]

I hear a lot of them on DMR doing the hotspot thing or on regional DMR networks, I'll hear them talk about setting up DMR on 2M, I suppose more people to talk to and more interesting stuff than medical issues. A lot of 2M stuff is local cliques, certain times of the day and they won't always carry on long if it isn't their buddies. Also GMRS I often hear the same voices on there, I guess they got bored of 2M and it's something new they can play with

 

[W8UU]

Commuters now stay distracted by their "electronic fentanyl" (quoting our new FCC chair), and many hams even active ones don't bother installing mobile radios in modern cars.

This triggered a thought: Most new vehicles are very unfriendly to hams (or anyone else) wanting to install mobile radio equipment. You enter your vehicle and slide your feet into the safety cylinder under the steering wheel. The dashboard is a molded plastic and vinyl command center of digital displays, buttons, knobs, and other instrumentation. Most cars have center consoles that require the driver to reach around and/or over to change frequency or adjust the volume.

I purchased a remote mount Kenwood TK-790 mobile for my 2014 Ford Taurus and had to install the control head under the steering wheel and the speaker in the passenger side floor area below the A-post. It was the only available under-dash space that allowed me to push any button or read the display while driving. My replacement vehicle (a 2023 Dodge Challenger) is even worse. I may have to buy a new radio, mount it on a plywood square or a 2 x 6 piece of lumber, and lay it on the passenger seat when I'm driving alone. Not very many options. Meanwhile, the whole world casually tosses their iPhone or Android in the cup holder and jets down the road.

The whole ham mobile experience may have been upended in part by the interior design of today's vehicles.

 

[robertwbob]

I scan numerous local VHF and UHF repeaters and unless it's an organized net, the majority sit quiet in southeast Florida. I hear more activity on 146.52 than anywhere else in VHF and on UHF, the closest GMRS repeater to me is the clear winner.

As has been said before, location matters. Since VHF/UHF is usually used for short-range communications, you'll find the most activity where you find the most people. The northeast part of Jasper County MO is about 125 miles from Kansas City and 130 miles from Tulsa. You are just too far away from any concentration of hams. One way to solve this dilemma is to upgrade your license to General and get on HF.


That was true 10 years ago, but my opinion is that the rush to DMR has diminished. With DMR repeater operators imposing restrictions on talkgroups and hot spots becoming affordable and commonplace, people can use DMR without depending on their local repeater and the repeater operators have noticed. In my area, I've seen DMR repeater go off the air, converted to GMRS, or converted back to analog amateur radio.

can talk to tulsa at my house. but im top of a ridge thats higher part of north end of county. antenna is 65 ft to base of it ,wide open clear view. most oklahoma activity is either grove or pryor, okla. i talked there before but lately growing dead. warrensburg, mo can be busy but at net time only. im satisfied with range ability but needs to be others on the other end to talk.
sad part is some REAL STRONG repeaters settig idle most of the time.
id go up on test but too old to change now and disability to work new antenna up is out of question,via the house
controllers rules n she aint kiddin.
i think to everybody use em or loose em

 

[robertwbob]

This triggered a thought: Most new vehicles are very unfriendly to hams (or anyone else) wanting to install mobile radio equipment. You enter your vehicle and slide your feet into the safety cylinder under the steering wheel. The dashboard is a molded plastic and vinyl command center of digital displays, buttons, knobs, and other instrumentation. Most cars have center consoles that require the driver to reach around and/or over to change frequency or adjust the volume.

I purchased a remote mount Kenwood TK-790 mobile for my 2014 Ford Taurus and had to install the control head under the steering wheel and the speaker in the passenger side floor area below the A-post. It was the only available under-dash space that allowed me to push any button or read the display while driving. My replacement vehicle (a 2023 Dodge Challenger) is even worse. I may have to buy a new radio, mount it on a plywood square or a 2 x 6 piece of lumber, and lay it on the passenger seat when I'm driving alone. Not very many options. Meanwhile, the whole world casually tosses their iPhone or Android in the cup holder and jets down the road.

The whole ham mobile experience may have been upended in part by the interior design of today's vehicles.

guy comes down from springfield to work on cell towrs. he used to talk 2 meter simplex. he was at local cafe last week. i looked in his new truck.his g 707 was in it hooked to same antenna he used long time.
i wanted to ask him if cat got his tongue? he used to call upon most of my neighbors but they quit.
his tower storys always were funny and he was the guy who could tell them n keep you on edge.
1 guy quit but i know why. his 1 and only baby boy had a rare disease and died. that changed him and i understand that fully

 

[CcSkyEye]

Still somewhat regular around me. The morning drive chatter, evening nets and as I type this a group on their way to meet for coffee talking on a local repeater.

 

[K6GBW]

W8UU said: "This triggered a thought: Most new vehicles are very unfriendly to hams (or anyone else) wanting to install mobile radio equipment. You enter your vehicle and slide your feet into the safety cylinder under the steering wheel. The dashboard is a molded plastic and vinyl command center of digital displays, buttons, knobs, and other instrumentation. Most cars have center consoles that require the driver to reach around and/or over to change frequency or adjust the volume."

I've been saying this for years! At Pacificon last year I spoke to reps from both Yaesu and Icom about the need for remote mount mobile radios. I explained the problem with sticking a radio the size of a text book under a "dash" that really doesn't have an "under" anymore. I told him we needed a box under the seat with a control head microphone. Both of these old guys told me there was no market for a radio like that! Seriously? They must both be driving Plymouth Dusters from the 60's!

 

[OkieBoyKJ5JFG]

I've been saying this for years! At Pacificon last year I spoke to reps from both Yaesu and Icom about the need for remote mount mobile radios. I explained the problem with sticking a radio the size of a text book under a "dash" that really doesn't have an "under" anymore. I told him we needed a box under the seat with a control head microphone. Both of these old guys told me there was no market for a radio like that! Seriously? They must both be driving Plymouth Dusters from the 60's!

Interesting you should mention this. While I was looking for a place to mount my TYT TH-9800, I discovered that my Chevrolet Trax has a drawer under the passenger seat. I drilled a 1.5" hole in the back and one more on each side for ventilation and mounted the radio in it, holding it in place with heavy-duty adhesive hook-and-loop tape. The antenna, power cable, and remote head cable go out through the hole in the back and I can disconnect or connect all of them in less than a minute if I want to remove the radio for some reason. The drawer pulls out about 4" and I open it when using the radio. So far, it hasn't gotten too hot, but I plan to install a pair of fans in the side holes if that becomes an issue. I mounted the control head on the dash using a Lido suction cup mount. (Aside, the cable connecting the radio to the control head is a standard RJ12 6-conductor telephone cable. I bought one the right length and got rid of the 17' cable that came with the radio.)

In my truck (which I use less and don't need anything fancy), I installed an Anysecu WP9900 under the driver seat. The controls are all in the speaker/mic. It isn't a great radio, but it doesn't suck either, so it works just fine for my purposes. I also put an Anytone Graces CB radio under the passenger seat (because truck) which also has all the controls in the mic. I really do believe that if one of the higher-end manufacturers made a radio with a form factor similar to the Anysecu, it would sell like crazy.

 

[K6GBW]

OkieBoy, that little radio looks like a good start to what I've talking about. Now the YeaKenComs of the ham world need to make one that puts out about 20-25 watts and that is a nice solid performer. I'm currently using a Motorola XTL5000 with a hand-held control head. It's a great radio, but anyone that's dealt with Motorola gear knows it comes with its own set of problems. I'd love a ham radio that's dual band with a VFO for traveling. Maybe someday! As the older hams that are stuck in their ways leave the industry maybe the younger people will have newer ideas.

 

[GlobalNorth]

I'd love a ham radio that's dual band with a VFO for traveling. Maybe someday! As the older hams that are stuck in their ways leave the industry maybe the younger people will have newer ideas.

You likely recall the multi-mode VHF/UHF radio that had 'modules' for bands that you could buy and customize to your wants. Want 6 meter? Buy the module and install. Same with 1.25 meters.

They might be able to do it with buying software keys and activating that radio function in your radio, instead of physical modules. Especially if you want AM, SSB, etc.

I can't recall who made it. Kenwood TM-742?

 

[nd5y]

I can't recall who made it. Kenwood TM-742?

That was one. I think they had one before that. Drake had the UV-3 40 or 50 years ago.

 

[OkieBoyKJ5JFG]

Now the YeaKenComs of the ham world need to make one that puts out about 20-25 watts and that is a nice solid performer.

The Anysecu supposedly is a 20 watt radio, but that's on the right frequency when all the stars align. It's really more like 16-17. Not that it matters, because I typically run it on 12 watts, which is plenty for where I am. I'd definitely pay for a Yaesu with that size and layout. I don't know what those guys are thinking. In the shooting world, we'd call them "Fudds" as in Elmer Fudd -- stuck in their ways and scornful of anything "new fangled". I'm 99% certain that the first of the YaeKenComs to make one will pull in a fortune. The only thing that might limit its appeal is that it doesn't have the "cool look" of a control head or full radio and it's not easy to make any significant adjustments "on the fly". Still, I think there would be enough interest to make it worthwhile.

 

[AC9KH]

yesterday i hauled a truck load wheat to the carthage,mo flour mill. long line so i get my hand held out.
over 10 good strong repeaters the hand held can hold on to. i gave my callsign asking cq. dead quiet . used t be operators on the repeaters lots. sad nobody uses them anymore.
i tried 70 cm and 2 meters n so quiet you could hear paint drying.
local clubs passed several new members with tech license. and not all work days.

I think in the more populated areas they might be used more. But out here in the rural areas they sit silent for months except for the repeater's controller keying it up and announcing the time every hour. The local club put them in under the guise of "emergency communications". Then the club died out and I haven't heard a human on a 2m or 440 repeater around here for at least 3 years. I think the repeater's call sign is the club callsign, and that doesn't even exist anymore.

GMRS, however, is active all the time. Farmers use it and they got their own repeaters.

 

[nd5y]

Around 1980s-1990s there was another company called Standard that made dual band mobile radios with a hand held control head. The idea never caught on.

 

[robertwbob]

sad to say it but i kinda got back into ham radio becaue i made it to 70 and am planning on slowing down,thinkin id get on my radios n talk to others when im not working. looks like im going to be talking to myself at this rate

 

[W4AXW]

sad to say it but i kinda got back into ham radio becaue i made it to 70 and am planning on slowing down,thinkin id get on my radios n talk to others when im not working. looks like im going to be talking to myself at this rate

Maybe UHF isn't the way to go for you Robert. HF/VHF still rocks despite what the walkie-talkie crowd says. Taking the General exam certainly opens up many more possibilities if you haven't already. A beam on that new tower would certainly open up some windows.

7 3

 

[alcahuete]

sad to say it but i kinda got back into ham radio becaue i made it to 70 and am planning on slowing down,thinkin id get on my radios n talk to others when im not working. looks like im going to be talking to myself at this rate

If you're just looking to shoot the breeze, HF or hotspots are the way to go. Then you don't have to worry about what activity does or doesn't exist locally.

 

[MikeinDestin]

My question is who are buying all the new ht's constantly advertised online? They wouldn't be advertising them if they weren't selling, right?

 

[KF6DGN]

My question is who are buying all the new ht's constantly advertised online? They wouldn't be advertising them if they weren't selling, right?

New hams, but they should just get an android tablet and download DroidStar and Peanut and Repeater Radio (on Apple). 😉🧐

 

[rf_patriot200]

New hams, but they should just get an android tablet and download DroidStar and Peanut and Repeater Radio (on Apple). 😉🧐

Absolutely NOT !! Hopefully that was sarcasm?

 

[OkieBoyKJ5JFG]

New hams, but they should just get an android tablet and download DroidStar and Peanut and Repeater Radio (on Apple). 😉🧐

A lot of them are being bought by preppers with idea that they'll be useful when normal means of communication fail. That's not entirely fantasy, because it did turn out to be true in the wake of Hurricane Helene. However, I think a lot of preppers fail to appreciate that this is not just a "better, more powerful" version of the FRS radios you buy at WalMart. The most critical question is this: Who are you going to talk to in an emergency? If it's just people in your immediate area, probably an FRS or at most GMRS radio will do the job with very little learning curve, but if you hope to talk to someone outside the immediate area, you need to have that figured out ahead of time. There is no "emergency channel" being monitored 24/7. You need to make a plan and practice it ahead of time. When you're surrounded by what used to be houses is not the time to figure out how to program your radio. Some do and some don't.

A Baofeng UV-5r or similar is actually a pretty decent, useful radio. It won't stand up to abuse or long use at a high duty cycle like some top-tier radios, but if you don't use it much, it can suit your needs just fine. A 5 watt HT can hit quite a few repeaters from my house, but I have them all programmed in already. I'm banking on people monitoring them when they know a tornado just demolished my hometown.

So...a long rant to say, right now it's preppers buying most of them. In the event of a Hurricane Helene-like event, some preppers may get very good use out of them, but I'll bet a lot of them might as well be carrying a pound of scrap metal.