Actually I did JT65 and FSK441 on 2 meters and made a far number of
Meteor Scatter Q's on 2m FSK and a few 2m JT65 EME Q's Also I had high
power on 2 meters, running nearly 350 watts from a Tokyo HyPower amp.
When there is no one on the air all the power in the world won't help.
I made a lot of 144 CW and SSB Q's in the about 7 years I was on that
mode. But over the last couple years the trend kept going down and down.
I had to ask myself, why do I have an Icom IC-910, nice antenna and
Tokyo amp to make a couple q's a month? Just my 2 meter setup a long was
about $3000, now without the IC-910 on the market or the Tokyo amp I
would have to spend $5000 for a setup of the same or better quality.
When there is no one on the air all the money in the world won't help.
Kinda funny (really not) story about 6 meters. I did a lot of
contesting and took 1st place for my ARRL section in several contests
with a loop antenna running a kW (ACOM 1000 amp). Then I thought I was
in heaven when I got my first 6 meter 3 element yagi (thanks N9HF for
helping build it). Shortly after putting up the yagi I worked my first
JA on 6 meter CW. It was a good 6mtr DX week, worked several new
countries, worked several new countries on HF that week too. I have 205
DXCC countries worked, not bad for only being active about 7 years.
Well I had a bunch of QSL's ready to go out including the 6mtr JA. When
sending DX QSL's I always included a few dollars in the envelopes to
help with postage. I had about 10 or say envelopes waiting to go out
just sitting on my desk for a month. Well I decided, what the heck am
I doing, opened up the cards and put the cash back in my wallet.
Needless to say, never sent the JA card but that was the same time I was
starting to get fed up with lack of activity over the long haul, yeah
the short haul is good but with over $10k invested in a ham shack you
have to start to think, is it really worth it......
That's my story, you're welcome to yours,
George
www.MilAirComms.com
On 2/9/2014 16:30, Rhinosix wrote:
Before you give up on VHF/UHF have you ever given JT65a and b a try.
VHF/UHF need not be all high power, towers and big boomer antennas. I
have VUCC on six meters.
Most of it was done in recent years with JT65a running 30 watts to a
Loop or OC dipole antennas up 30 ft.
Google up the ping jockeys and see what digital has to offer. We are
on the steep down hill side of the solar cycle now. So things are
very quit now on six meters.
But the 205 group has proved that tropo on VHF can be very active.
Also TE here in latitude 41 degrees North can get you to 41 degress
South a couple of times a year.
So it is 50.276 JT65a or JT9 at 50.278 for now . But in non contest
times we should try 50.176 and 50.178. If any one has a active net on
those freqs sound off or for ever hold you pease. I suppose that is
on way to get some activity on 6 meters.
Yes, we should be able to have a VHF/UHF CW/SSB/digital 10 to 25 watt
transceiver for 2, 1 1/4 meters and 70 cm using SDR tech with a 4
meter receiver. We can do cross band. Six meters is well covered by
the HF/50 mhz rigs. As are the FM VHF/UHF rigs. I like the Idea of
the 10 to 25 watt power level PAs too and the $300 to $400 point.
Someone should wake up the ARRL HomeBrew project crew.
Hang in there George the happy times will come back to the magic band
again.
Jerry, W2JCN
-----Original Message-----
From: GeorgeF <av8tor@flash.net>
To: VHF Contesting Reflector <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Sent: Sun, Feb 9, 2014 2:25 pm
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Trends in VHF/UHF Weak Signal Operations
Why I have given up the hobby, maybe some people can learn from those
who hung-it-up before there is no one left to turn off the lights......
Many of you know or have worked me in the contests (KI4FIA EL99mc). I
was very active on all bands from 160 meter to 1296 MHz. I loved CW, I
loved contesting, I loved DXing and I loved CW & SSB on 2 meters and
above.
For the last few years of my VHF/UHF contesting I noticed a huge decline
in activity. During times of no contesting 144.200 was as silent as a
radio working a dummy load! I tried to get on email lists and promote
VHF+ SSB/CW, my emails were meet with nothing but the same silence I
heard on 144.200.
I was, am, no longer, really doesn't matter a member of a famous VHF+
club FLWSS. When I would ask questions on their group it was rare I
would get an answer. I know it wasn't just me because I've seen other
ask radio related questions and were meant with the same silence. The
funny thing is that if someone was to send a test email they'll get
several replies, if someone wants to talk about a new logo they'll get
several replies, if someone cracks a stupid joke the flood gates open
wide with tons of replies. Seems like everyone wants to talk about
non-radio related topics while the radio related questions are meant
with less responce (if any at all). And I'll never forget the joker on
that list who sent me an FU email when I happened to mention that 1 VHF
contest I was going to work the contest on CW only just for the fun of
it. I said I would work split mode for those without a cw keyer. WOW
did I get a response. 1 member sent me a FU letter about how dare you
letter since I mentioned the word CW. Oh, yeah he really did use the FU
this and FU that in his email....
Another thing that I really didn't care for in the VHF+ area of the
hobby was you sit days and days listening to 144.200, you finally hear a
faint signal, first in weeks, then before you get a chance to work him,
he'll work someone else. This isn't a bad thing, I don't mind waiting
my turn. BUT THEN they'll start running the bands (220,432,etc). Then
you never hear them again. That is really upsetting during a VHF+
contest when there is very little activity. I know of several people in
Florida who gave up the VHF+ part of the hobby because of the "run the
band" practice.
There isn't 1 think that caused me to quit, it was a combination of all
of the above and a few more.
I have sold all my equipment I used on the VHF+ bands before everybody
quits the hobby and my equipment would become worthless. I even sold off
most of my HF stuff. Here is a picture of my shack before I started
selling:
http://milaircomms.com/shack.html Today I am down to my CW Key, IC-756
Pro III and all my scanners. Actually have a few more scanners now as
I've returned to what got me into the radio hobby. That is monitoring
Military Aircraft Communications. A lot more activity on the MilAir UHF
bands than the Ham Radio VHF+ bands! My ham license is set to expire in
about a month. Seriously don't think I'll renew.
Just thought I would share the reasons why I quit the hobby and maybe
some one can learn from them....
George - KI4FIA
www.MilAirComms.com
On 2/9/2014 12:35, Les Rayburn wrote:
K5QE selling off microwave gear and focusing on limited
multi-operator
contesting? I can't help but wonder if this is another bellwether of
how weak signal operation on VHF/UHF bands are on the decline. My
personal experience is very limited, with less than six years on the
high bands. But I have studied the history of weak signal VHF/UHF
operation and believe there is genuine cause for concern.
In our local area, the morning nets that were common just a few years
ago have faded away. The calling frequencies can be monitored for
hours or even days without so much as a QSO. Contest activity,
especially during the Sprints and January ARRL Contest is in decline
too. Contacts above 432 MHz are difficult and 222 isn't much better.
It seems to be a chicken and the egg situation--where the lack of
activity makes it harder for stations to justify the expense and
effort in maintaining microwave bands. And since there are fewer
large
stations operating microwave, it's harder for rovers to justify
investment in these bands as well. The transition to digital TV as
killed off most amateur television operation, and cell phones have
cut
into the usage of repeaters. Many in my area are unoccupied entirely.
The explosion of "DC to Daylight" rigs have failed to dramatically
increase participation in weak signal operation. New classes and
categories have met with only limited success. Efforts of local
amateurs, such as the "205 Group" have had some success, but they are
difficult to sustain, especially when they are so heavily tied to the
efforts of one or two individuals.
Two areas that have shown growth are operation on the Magic Band. Six
Meter operation has grown considerably in the past few years,
especially with more EME activity on this band than ever before.
Another area that seems to have momentum is ARES and Emergency
Communications operation, including the growth of simplex nets.
But it's clear that something needs to be done to help protect our
frequency allocations, and expand the pool of weak signal operators.
I
wonder if other VHF operators share my concerns, and have suggestions
on how to reverse the situation?
Some ideas that have potential:
1.) A renewed effort by the ARRL to expand and promote the VHF-UHF
Century Club (VUCC) Award. Elevating the prestige of this award among
all amateurs, and enticing more HF operators to "move up" the bands
has the greatest potential to increase our ranks.
2.) SDR Technology. A single SDR transceiver that could cover 50 MHz
to 1296 MHz could be a real game changer. Especially if "linked" to a
series of modular PA amps that could provide useable power levels of
20 watts or more could rapidly increase operation on bands like 222
and 902 were transverters are currently required.
It would also greatly simplify station design and maintenance. It's
doubtful that so called "appliance operators" will ever be attracted
to the bands above 432, but we do need to simply entry into this part
of the hobby. I've discovered that transverters are very intimidating
to those who are new to this game.
3.) The China Syndrome. If manufacturers such as Wouxun, Baofeng,
etc.
could be contacted and encouraged to develop low cost rigs that
included weak signal modes like USB and CW, that could have a major
impact as well. I believe that many hams would love to try out 2
Meter
SSB but don't want to spend $600 to do so. They also don't want to
buy
an older single band rig that may not work well, or be impossible to
get repaired.
But I believe that they would spend $250-$300 for a dual band rig
that
offered USB/FM/CW.
If they offered rigs for the more obscure bands like 222, 902, and
1296, I think those would be very popular as well. Lots of market
factors at work here too...since most of Asia doesn't have access to
222, but manufacturing costs have gotten low enough to make the
growing US market alone viable. Anyone have an inside contact at one
of these companies?
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