On 2/26/07, John Geiger <johngeig@yahoo.com> wrote:
> So here is another question brought up my your
> comment, why was 2 meter activity more in the 1980s?
> Seems like it is easier than ever (and cheaper than
> ever) to get on 2 meter SSB, with the Icom 706/746
> Yaesu FT100/897/857/847 combos out there at a great
> price.
That's one of the mysteries of the day.
I actively recruit ANYONE I hear using such a rig YEAR 'ROUND to join
us in June... or any other time I know a VHF activity/contest is going
on... or to simply QSY right then and there and give it a whirl...
especially if I know I'm within simplex FM range of them, or have
enough antenna to pull them out so they're not disappointed.
We've had probably six or seven people show up during June contest
because of this badgering over the last year or two, since I started
being utterly obnoxious about it locally.
Of course, VHF weak-signal isn't for everyone, and probably only 3 ops
have "stayed", but we're definitely experiencing a local resurgence of
interest in 2m and 70cm SSB.
One of those ops gave a local VHF+ buff who has a very nice station a
run for his money in the single-op scores last June. (Dave KC0UYK
chasing Wayne N0POH.) Wayne has another band for next year, so it's
started a mini-cold-war... fun to watch those guys work hard on their
stations.
I rarely make it to the Net, but the Rocky Mtn VHF Net on Monday
nights on 2m SSB has regularly had 20-30 check-ins on and off for the
last couple of years, depending on the week.
It's all about promotion... if you hear the words "I am running an
FT-100D/FT-857... ETC...", the very first thing you should ask is...
"Hey, have you ever tried that thing out on 2m SSB? I'll go over
there right now with you if you'd like to try it out!" Some will go,
some won't -- but don't give up on them. 144.220... here we come!
Many people simply never try it because they don't think anyone is
ever there... don't know the calling frequencies, don't know there's a
world of weak-signal ops... get 'em to try it -- it's (as we all know)
addictive to some...
The other ultimate way to get someone addicted is to get someone set
up on 6m and then make SURE they know when a real band opening
happens... call them on the local repeater, the phone, whatever...
they turn on their radio and ... WOW... they get that "magic of radio"
feeling all over again.
I've seen die-hard HF operators -- especially contesters -- get all
starry-eyed and giddy when they hear three or four states away on
their simple loop antennas on 6m. It just starts the magic all over
again for anyone who loves radio.
Nate WY0X
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