All,
Planning my first Activaton soon. Untill I get My IC7000 set for portable ops, I’ll be using a KW TH-D7A, so I’ll be limited to 2m FM. What are the usual frequencies used for 2m FM ops?
Thanks in advance
73
Rick
K7TEJ
Rick, you’re better off asking this question on the NASOTA group at Yahoo.com, since VHF is so localized. I think you will find that 95% of the activators in your area use 146.52, even though that is supposed to be the national calling frequency, followed by a QSY. The QSY part is mostly ignored. A beam would be nice, as well.
Elliott, K6ILM
Chaser Clown
In reply to K6ILM:
In my experience I find that 146.52 works well. If you are up very high, the other simplex frequencies will be occupied by someone in range. The occupants are on that frequency because they wanted to do their own thing amoungst themselves. They will generally talk about you to each other, but will not talk to you or respond to a CQ. So I generally just stay on 146.52 and this works out fine as long as I am not occupying the frequency for a long time and doing so day after day.
Doug, N7NGO
In reply to K7TEJ:
Rick -
Yes, this would be a good question for the NASOTA Group as they can address local issues in AZ or wherever you intend to activate. I second the idea of using 146.52 - here in the Northwest it can work Ok. However, as many folks scan through frequencies, it seems that generating an interesting conversation may be needed to get some attention and have people stop and return a call for a signal report.
I understand that this has been honed to a fine art by Doug-W1DMH as he would talk on a local repeater on the hike up and then folks would move to simplex to help him activate the peak.
Etienne, K7ATN
In reply to K7TEJ:
I am going to suggest 146.55 which is a popular two-meter simplex channel.
When I do Mount Scott next month, I am going to crossband repeat it to a UHF channel, ex. 446.00
73
Lloyd
In reply to K7TEJ:
All,
Planning my first Activaton soon. Untill I get My IC7000 set for
portable ops, I’ll be using a KW TH-D7A, so I’ll be limited to 2m FM.
What are the usual frequencies used for 2m FM ops?Thanks in advance
73
Rick
K7TEJ
In reply to K7TEJ:
Generally, 146.52 (at least out here) is the best frequency to call CQ on. As was mentioned, calling on a repeater in the area and asking people to move to simplex helps a bit too.
In reply to K7TEJ:
If you are using a TH-D7 don’t forget to make use of APRS to get your presence known, if you beacon your location and frequency then hopefully you will be heard by surrounding Digipeaters and I-Gates and we will know you are there.
73,
Colin
M0XSD.
In reply to K7ATN:
If you are operating in a fairly fixed area, you can build up your own email list of local 2 meter hams, and email them when you go out. Sort of like a personal Sotawatch, which you can use in addition to Sotawatch Giving a talk at the local club will also help. In the early days I was VHF only, with an arrow beam, there were few chasers in North America, so the alerts on Sotawatch, did not bring many chasers. On a recent activation in Virginia there was no cell phone coverage, and if not for a local on 2m it might have been a bust activation. A local was familiar with SOTA and got on the repeater and I had quite a few locals looking for me.
I am not that repeater savvy, but they can make the difference of a successful activation or not.
In reply to W1DMH:
.
I’m not repeater savvy either, Doug, but I use a very neat, and legal, trick. I get the attention of guys monitoring a repeater, such as commuters, and hit the reverse switch. Now I’m transmitting on the output and listening on the input, effectively taking the repeater out of the picture. Voila…a pile-up, and I’m not too proud to beg, either. “Who else wants to help a poor guy standing on a freezing summit.” “Just one more for the log, so I can go home and feed my poor dog.”
.
Elliott, K6ILM
Trickster #1