More likely that we are both correct, Tom. I am not the only one experiencing very low activity on 2m, others have also commented on it . You are working plenty of stations. These are not mutually incompatible statements. I would guess that there are hundreds of hams in the local conurbation with V/UHF capability, but they no longer use that capability on a routine basis. They’ll chase, but they tend to not ragchew nowadays.
Could someone separate the hijack from the original thread,please.
73,
Rod
The discussion about 2m activity levels was instigated in @G4YSS’s original post Rod. “Hijack” is a strong - and unnecessary word.
That maybe so, Tom, but it bears no relation to the thread title.
Neither does your mention of a G5RV. But I see the relevance of that to John’s report and comments, so no problem. John’s report and comments also referred to VHF activity levels over the years, but like your G5RV antenna, was not explicitly included in the thread title.
Just did an activation of Gun G/SP-013 with handheld and rubber duck. 11 contacts in 18 minutes. Finding a QSY frequency was tricky with virtually every channel from 275 up to 575 occupied. When I did find a clear one, the other station told me it wasn’t clear their end (South Wales) and we had to look again!
I know I argue the case that reports of the demise of 2m are premature and exaggerated, but 144MHz is bursting at the seams right now, and distant stations reporting that it is the same at their end!
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Bit quieter on Hegdon Hill near Hereford. But still a straightforward qualification on 2m FM handheld with rubber duck.
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As was Burton Hill later on. Trivially easy.
I did the Mountain Formerly Known As WB-001 this morning, not on 2m as I was airing the Tall Trees Contest Groip call G5D in the RSGB DX Contest.
On the descent, I did try 2m FM handheld style from Hay Bluff for the WAB trigpoint thingy. To my surprise, just two replies. Surprise, because Hay Bluff, one would have thought, is a prime VHF location.
So maybe Brian is right after all - or maybe other awards schemes simply don’t have the “X Factor” like SOTA!
If you were on the Welsh side on this summit which I guess you were so as not to confuse the chasers, shouldn’t you have operated under either GW5D or GC5D, not G5D.
Jimmy M0HGY
Oddly enough, I found 2 metres unusually busy yesterday. Today much less so but still far from dead. Perhaps you are right and the band is waking up again!
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That’s another example proving that 2m FM has got better in recent years. When we activated this summit back in 2006, it took ages to qualify it on 2m FM especially as it getting dark as well.
http://tomread.co.uk/burton.htm
Jimmy M0HGY
I’ve just spoke to my dad Tom M1EYP. He says he was on the English side of the summit so the call sign G5D was correct.
Also my dad mentioned that he heard chaser on CW saying to other station not SOTA. Not sure why chaser were saying this to others on CW, maybe because my dad was using a contest callsign. Please note that this was valid for both SOTA and the contest taking place as well.
Jimmy M0HGY
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