In reply to G7LAS:
What exactly about 4m makes it “excellent”!???
Well, in days gone by, it was a “Class B Free Zone”.
73 de G3NYY
In reply to G3NYY:
Class B Free Zone
More importantly, no repeaters so no repeater type operating standards 
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to G3NYY:
Stunned in the face of total brilliance! 
All the best,
Rob
In reply to G7LAS:
What exactly about 4m makes it “excellent”!???
-PMR rigs cheap - varying between 30-70 pounds for a 25 watt rig
-Simple antennas easy to build and not as big as 6m
-Sporadic E in the summer, working Croatia on FM was a highlight, Portugal and Denmark on SSB with 10 watts!
-Unlike 6m you don’t have people running 400 watts into a huge beam, instead modest setups and limited top 160 watts.
-An ever expanding band across the continent.
-Effective over reasonable distances.
-JT6M Mode allowing for effective QRPP work.
-No Repeaters and none of the numptys you get on 2m FM
-70.4375 allows experimentation like parrot boxes, Internet links!
Why do yo think so many PMR companies use low band 66-88 MHz!
Honestly Rob I have been licensed 10 years and have used this band for 9 of those!! After 2m SSB it is my favourite band!
Give it a try, 45 quid will get you a 25 watt PMR rig and yo can make a dipole for about 10 pounds!! A bargain if you ask me.
73
Matt G8XYJ
In reply to G7LAS:
Hi Rob,
Of course, 4 metres does have more going for it than the above might suggest 
(Edit: posted before I saw Matt’s post immediately above)
It is less crowded than 2 metres, & with the influx of “cheap” hand helds that cover the band, & the ease with which you can make an antenna for the band out of 300 Ohm ribbon feeder, it does have some genuine reasons for use.
It does have its own propagation characteristics, as all bands do if you study them. It benefits from eS when 2 metres doesn’t get a look in, & while it is not permitted in as many countries as 50MHz, it is quite an eye opener to be stood on a hill with an FM handheld & J-Pole & hearing Europe at 59+.
Under those conditions 4 metre inter EU S2S’s would be easy, but mostly, at least in the UK it appears to be a connoisseurs band, with those that use it, actually putting some effort in to what they enjoy.
While I can understand the comments about “repeater operating standards”, this is not the case everywhere, & should certainly not be attributed to former class “B” operators, which many of us here once were. I was a G7 for about 12 months but I wanted access to HF so I did the 12WPM Morse test in order to gain that. Many class B operators were never interested in HF so didn’t bother with the test. With the scrapping of CW competence as an official requirement for HF access, at least in the UK, all class “B” license holders were granted full HF privileges.
Are the HF bands better or worse now? That would purely be a matter of opinion, but I am quite happy to work anyone with a callsign, & if it keeps the amateur bands active & used, then it must be a good thing.
Returning to the subject, 4 metres offers more “bendyness around the terrain” than 2 metres,with an antenna only twice the size, & the possibilty of eS much more often. 50MHz offers more of this, & despite most people having radios that cover 6 metres, it remains even more rarely used for SOTA than 4 metres, at least in England.
For the cost involved, & the reward to be gained, 70MHz has got to be worth a punt.
Best 73,
Mark G0VOF
In reply to G0VOF:
Returning to the subject, 4 metres offers more “bendyness around
the terrain” than 2 metres,with an antenna only twice the size,
& the possibilty of eS much more often.
It is certainly true that lower frequencies diffract over obstructions better. It is also true that Es is more useful at 4m than at 2m (and Ms) however, a glance at the VHFAC results for a comparison of 2m with lower frequency bands shows an interesting difference. Basically the tropospheric modes of propagation are more effective on 2m than on the lower bands. These modes are actually relatively reliable (cf Es at least). The ODX comparisons under flat conditions show why 4m and 6m are disappointing bands under flat conditions that prevail. In most cases I would say that 2m offers the best “bang for your buck” on VHF.
73
Richard
G3CWI
Well, in days gone by, it was a “Class B Free Zone”.
Not even CW is class B free now…
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
Not even CW is class B free now…
ROTFL!
And more power to your elbow, Tom … quite literally!
The HF bands have been buzzing this weekend. 15 and 20 were open to North and South America all night, and lots of VKs on 20m this morning.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
Bah 15 and 20 were end to end with CW stations all calling some station called TEST. Everyone was calling, nobody was answering 
No ability to self spot or get spotted meant calling CQ SOTA on 18.086 was a lonely and fruitless pastime. Took a while to get found “in the near of” 7.032 even! Thanks Roy.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
LOL! You could have worked just 4 of the contest stations in a couple of minutes, Andy, and that would have been your summit qualified.
QED.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
There has been a lot of Sporadic E on 4m in the past couple of days. On SSB and CW I have worked EA, CT, OY, ON, S5, 9A and YO. Also heard some Italians and a new Greek beacon, SV8FOUR/B on 70.0732 MHz.
To bring it back on topic (well, almost) I also had the pleasure of working old SOTA friend Jozsef, HA5CW, on 4 metres CW yesterday. Unfortunately, he was located in Essex operating as M0HAA/P (non-SOTA)!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
Well done Walt
It looks like it is time to get my 3 ele 4m beam back up in the Garden!!
Delta loop bye bye, DX on 4 Hello!!!
73
Matt G8XYJ