[2m] how to make the most of 2 meters?

Fri Jun 3 21:28:56 EDT 2011

Hi Jim,

You can have lots of good contacts over great distances on 2 meters using
SSB and CW. 

Since you indicated you wanted to build an antenna, check the following site
http://www.wa5vjb.com/yagi-pdf/cheapyagi.pdf Kent has some pretty simple
designs and a 6 element will certainly get you started. With a yagi you will
need a rotor though for a start it need be nothing more elaborate than a
Radio Shack variety, very light weight. You can also find commercially built
antennas such as the Cushcraft 13B2 used for about $100 which will give you
significantly more performance. There are plenty of other choices as well.

For a multi-mode rig, the ICOM 706 MKIIG is a good choice putting out 50
watts on 2 meters and 35 on 70 cm if I recall correctly. It can also be used
for FM work making your IC28H surplus and one you could sell to partially
cover the cost. Of course the 706 is a good HF radio too. Yaesu makes the
857 which I think is comparable.

With a horizontal antenna you should be able to hear beacons out to a
hundred miles or longer. 50 watts will get you going but to work aurora on
CW you will need over 100 watts minimum. 

There really is not much CW these days except during contests. Most of the
activity here in the east is centered around 144.200 USB with EME activity
from 144.100 to 144.155 MHz so that is a good place to avoid. There are many
stations on EME using WSJT which requires a good amount of power, antennas,
and low noise receiver, however EME contacts can be made with much less with
the very large stations. My first contact was made with a single 9 element
yagi!

Propagation on 2 meters can really liven things up. Sporadic E which can
become interesting in the summer often occurs when a large storm is between
two locations, meteor scatter using WSJT FSK 441 mode is apparently going
great guns though I have not done that though I did conventional meteor
scatter some 45 years ago on CW and it was great fun.

I hope this generates some ideas and direction not to mention excitement for
doing more on 2 meters. Often you will be hearing lots of noise but when it
opens, when contests are on, and even local rag chewing, 2 meters can be
very rewarding.

73, Roger, NJ2R

-----Original Message-----
From: 2m-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:2m-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of Jim Cameron
Sent: Friday, June 03, 2011 9:13 AM
To: 2 meter e list
Subject: [2m] how to make the most of 2 meters?

Hi  2 meter group,

 I have  been   thinking  I have a Dimound 510 at 50 feet works good for FM.
there is not allot of  simplex in my area on FM  but there most are on SSB.
I  am  looking  for   2 meter all mode. I have made one contact a few hunred
miles away simplex last summer on FM ,  that was cool.
Right now Im using a IC28H. My shack is pretty humble conpair to most. Ive
been trying to make the most of 2 meters with what I have. So I thought I
would try and get some traffic on this list by posting a few 2 meter goals I
have and hopefully get some feeedback.

I posted this a while ago but in case you missed it or don't remember.
In the shack better said the living room desk, I have  a  Icom IC28H 2 meter
FM rig Powered by a Aston RS 20A.  Antenna sysytem is as I said above a dual
band Diemind 510 with RG8 feed lineto the rig. abiut 85 or 90 foot run.
Works  great on repeters and when I can get some simplex it does good. I
also listen for the 2 meter beacons. Have not heard one yet. 

So hear is the 2 meter goals

I am looking for a 2 meter all mode rig. 

I would like to get set up for packet. all I need is a TNC

I am wondering whats out there for SSTV, RTTY, PSK31. So Im looking into a
interface. Simpler is beetter an Im on disablity and like homebrewing. As I
unstand just a TNC wont work, but I heard there was Multi mode TNCs. There
is a couple  of guys that work 2 thats have I heard about SSTV and the like
I am just not set up tp get in there.

I made a paddle im working on a keyer, I dont know what on 2 for CW but I am
told its there, I just can never seems to hear it. 

I was thinking to to build a rigid 2 meter dipole and put it on a rotor on
the tower. I am  getting a few junk tv antennas to build a 2 meter yagi for
SSB on the all mode 2 meter rig. 

As I said Im on disablity In in a wheelchair so I need help from time to
time with the tower.  So I was trhinking a pre amp maybe place were i could
work with it and a amp  I cant go higher with the tower. Well thats all for
now, hopefully I can drum up some traffic. I would enjoy hearing what other
members think about and have done to make the most of 2 meters and how it
worked as well as thinks that did'nt work so well.

73
KC9PXZ
JImmy C
Norwalk, Wi.
EN43qt

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