[AK-VHF] AK VHF 2022

[Ed Cole]

More comment:

In fact the Saturday net has become a 3-band net thru default:
2m SSB or FM
223.50 FM (no SSB as there are only a couple stations capable*)
and
50.125 SSB (no FM as that is not a weak-signal mode which the club is 
promoting)

*Note: that 927.50 FM is also a band that has very few SSB stations
Both 222 and 900 have defaulted to single frequency/mode operation, for 
the most part

Not everyone has equipment/antennas for all these but we frequently get 
check-ins on these band.  I announce on 2m that I going to a either 6m 
or 1-1/4m to invite check-ins.  Sometimes I get a request to activate 
another band (Usually by KL7H).

There are more stations on 2m then the other two.

Originally the net was set up so anyone could suggest trying another 
band (usually 6m thru 23cm, as few have equipment above that).  This has 
not happened quite as I visualized but that is OK.

The Wednesday simplex net was organized to activate a lot of bands with 
check-ins but not for chatting.  The original idea was exercising VHF 
stations for contacting without assistance of repeaters for emergency 
preparedness.  It has changed a bit and added many HF bands.  They have 
a fairly rigid sequence of band activation.  6m FM and SSB are included. 
  Even a nod to digital in the sense of packet check-ins (but no other 
modes until recent addition of D-Star).

I do not want to duplicate that form of net.  I think our participants 
like the round-table chat form we are using.  Extending that to FT8 will 
be hard as its not designed for chatting, but hopefully folks will pick 
up that its great for working longer distances than CW or SSB.  A 
separate 6m net can be a platform for promoting other 6m  modes such as 
FT8 and propagation such as sporadic-E, meteor scatter, and eme ...

FT8 & MSK144 offer great opportunity for VHF contacts over longer range 
- getting a few involved is the challenge.

Ed
decided to share this discussion with the group for comments/discussion