Dave asked, so here's one possible explanation.
Probably at one time there were 1 or 2 VE1's(Ve9's as well) on 222 but the
reasons are likely many why there is little to none now.
Equipment is more expensive in Canada as a rule and not as plentiful on the
used market, especially out East where
there are way less of us guys (especially now). For example, I have never,
in the last 45yrs, ever seen a used 222MHz rig or transverter at a swap shop
or on our local Internet (or Telnet/Packet back in the day), swapshops.
Never, as in not even once!
(If I had, I would've bought one by now.even if only to give Dave, Bill/DY
and Paul/BUG a Tuesday night Q, hi hi)
There used to be a healthy (for our area) amount of guys on 144MHz CW and
SSB and a few also on 6m and 70cm, but the truth of the matter is most of
them are now SK. When I came on the VHF CW/SSB scene around 1988 I was one
of the youngest VHF allmode guys around(I had already been on HF CW for
10yrs prior to that-since 14yrs old). Fast forward 35yrs, and I am now 59
and all those guys who were active or mentors are long since SK. Back in the
late 80's/early 90's I could count on around 12-13VE QSO's on 2m in a VHF
contest and I could always get WA1T and sometimes K1WHS to hear us "off the
back" so now, for me to be QRV in a VHF contest on legacy modes means
working several Maine and NH stations for an entire weekends worth of
work..and virtually nobody in VE1/VE9/VY2...so I simply don't bother most of
the time.
Even the VHF repeaters, their sysops and packet networks have mostly all
gone silent so many don't even have FM equipment (or antennas), let alone
all-mode gear.
So it's a bit of a convoluted answer but a lot of it is the fact there just
weren't/aren't a lot of hams here to begin with and what there were are
largely no more, sadly. (or if they are still alive, have moved QTH..for
example, VE9CB once very active on HF and VHF is now VE3KG, who I think is
QRV on 222MHz from his place in Eastern Ontario.)
Sorry for the long winded reply Dave !
-Mike
(formerly VE1MQ in FN65 late 80's/early 90's)
Now VE9AA(since 1994 first FN65, then FN66 since 2004
Hi Dave
I was just mentioning Q65 or JT65 with W8RU, as a way to improve our range.
Lets try something next Tuesday. Dave, you could be in a fantastic position
to develop fantastic scores if you can tap into a few more NE contacts. (
Bigger tower?) I know that you can work a few in Connecticut, so you are
awfully close. You can work so many grids from your spot if there were only
activity there. K1RZ and K1RA have done some fantastic scores in sprints
from the DC area. I am on the NE edge of the activity and my antenna only
moves from South out to the West typically. There is nothing much to work in
the other direction. Many years ago there was a little activity in New
Brunswick and Nova Scotia, but now it is empty on 144 and the higher bands.
VE1SKY is on 144 digi modes. There is ZERO 222 activity. KV1J gets on from
FN44 and K1DY is active in FN54. That is about it for routine contacts up
NE. So the answer is to build up activity. We all need to become 222
preachers! Thanks for being on 222 MHz. Why are no VE1s on 222? The VE2s
and VE3s are there.
73
Dave K1WHS
Mike, Coreen & Corey
Keswick Ridge, NB
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