[Wswss] [PNWVHFS] Re: [VHF] Thoughts on 222 MHz

[VE3AX/7]

Hi all:

I've been pretty quiet on this reflector though eagerly read all of your 
posts, but when it comes to a discussion about 222 (or 220 Mhz) I find it a 
lot more difficult to keep my mouth shut!

Tim said it pretty well - 222 Mhz is a band that is not for the feint of 
heart.  There are few stations on, relative to 144 and 432 Mhz, and the 
equipment is not quite as readily available, though a LOT more is available 
than it was back in the '70's.  The rewards can be great - some of my best 
moments in my 42 years as a licensed ham have been due to 220 (or 222 Mhz) 
activity - most notably, snagging 220 Mhz WAS #7.  There are some great 
stories surrounding that achievement - check out my obit for W5FF on eham, 
or an accounting of the phenomenal mid-winter travelling EME roadshow during 
the '80's of WB0TEM, W0SD and WB0PJB  (cannot find anything on the net about 
this but there was a good account in QST in 1983-84).  You can read a good 
account of 220 Mhz DX history by Wayne Overbeck, N6NB here:

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view.action?id=1113490001

Scroll half way down to page 12 and enjoy!

Tropo, and aurora seem as good on 222 Mhz as 2 meters with antennas 2/3 the 
size.  It gets a lot more difficult at 432 Mhz in my opinion!  In fact, back 
in the early '80's (OK, I am an old fart now) Terry, W0VB (EN 34), and I (in 
EN86 at the time) regularly noticed aurora lasting longer on 220 Mhz than it 
did on 144 Mhz!  That doesn't make a lot of sense to either of us, but we 
observed that on several occasions.  (600 mile path roughly at 43-45 deg N 
latitude).

Meteors on 222 Mhz is a challenge for sure, but if you're into the digital 
(WSJT) scene it gets a whole lot more do-able, there are plenty of 
opportunities out there to work out to 2000 Km+ - just don't break my record 
please!

It's too bad that the Japanese manufacturers don't take a look at the 
potential for the North and South American 220 Mhz markets and offer a rig 
with a 222 Mhz option.  The Yaesu FT-736r, at best a mediocre rig (sorry 
Gabor!), was the only one that really opened up the door for 222 Mhz 
activity and remains one of the best rover rigs over 20 years after it was 
introduced for that very reason.   Imagine an Elecraft K3 combined in a box 
the size of a Yaesu FT-2000 with a big tuning knob and 4 "transverter" slots 
for 6m through 432 Mhz!  It's time for a rig of that calibre!!!!!  Frankly, 
with Elecraft's transverters and the K3, you could homebrew one pretty 
quickly - but so many more would be in use if it was available "off the 
shelf".

Frankly I am amazed we haven't lost the band completely - with the pressure 
for more commercial RF bandwidth and the little use 222 Mhz gets, it's hard 
for me to believe it's still a ham band.  That said, I am as guilty as 
anyone for not getting on this (or any other VHF band) since moving here to 
the west.  The 222 gear is here, 8877 amp and all, but isn't even wired up. 
Valley living and a reluctance to commit to staying here are keeping me 
away.  Aurora and EME are my only options from home, but even a few au 
contacts per year would be enough to warrant getting back on 222 Mhz.  As 
the solar cycle picks up that may indeed happen, though there is a still a 
strong pull to go back east, even after nearly 4 years here in DN09sa! 
Sadly my wife Heather (now VE3EMS) doesn't share that opinion.

You all should know that some of the 222 Mhz (or should I say 220 Mhz?) EME 
stalwarts are here in this group - Jim, K7ND, Al, KL7NO, Mike WB6FFC, and 
perhaps some others - my apologies if I have missed you.  Several are no 
longer with us, W6PO and W5FF for instance.

If you're thinking 222 Mhz, be prepared for a rather lonely existence, 
interspersed with some huge highs.  But take heart - one of the best 222 Mhz 
Es in the US/Canada openings was out this way a few years ago!  That's one 
nobody would want to miss!  There ARE opportunities for sure, but it takes a 
lot of patience to snag them on this band.  Is it worth it - you bet your 
sweet bippy it is!

73

Peter Shilton
VE3AX/7
(ex-VE3EMS, VE3VD)
DN09sa
Grand Forks, BC  (for now)




-----Original Message----- 
From: Tim Marek
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 7:02 PM
To: PNWVHFS at googlegroups.com ; vhf at w6yx.stanford.edu ; Jim Lowman
Cc: wswss at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [PNWVHFS] Re: [VHF] Thoughts on 222 MHz

In a single sentence... 222 CW/SSB KICKS ASS!

No other band performs as well on tropo and overall
band quiteness than 222. Antennas are a tad smaller than 2M
yet provide amazing results.

While Rover on 223.50 FM, I have worked the entire length of the
San Juanquin Valley with simple antennas and 25W. Mind you the
station worked was the WB2ODH/6 gang atop a tall mountain with
a 4 x vert yagi array and 100w.

>From home the 222 station always plays as well as 144 (both 30+ Ft
long yagis) but the real key is 144 had 400W while 222 only 150W!

If you use the analogy, "OMG theres no one on 222 SSB within 100
miles" to make your decision then your missing the point. From here in
DM09 the next active station in any direction is over 200 Miles away
and in most directions 350+ or more!

Yet in 3 years I managed to work 51 Grids from DM09 (Including
most of the grids within NV)... Something NO ONE in NV has done
before or since.

HOW? By being there every day I could be, beating the 222 band
wagon, promoting its benifits, being active, making dozens of contacts
with people to get them excited, going off on several "GriDXepidtions"
and activating dozens of grids on 222 for those who needed them,
Equiping my rover with a permanent 222 station and loaning it to a
friend who went out and worked me from dozens of grids in CA, NV,
UT, ID, and OR.

Is 222 for the faint of heart? Hell NO! is it a opportunity to do something
few have done to date on one of the best bands we have available?
YOU BET!

Worry not if there are enought locals to make it worth the effort... As the
man said... "Build it... and they will come..." Have faith and keep at it
and
in time you two can be a self made success story on 222. Along the way
you will energize those around you to become more active, give it a try for
the first time, etc.... All good things...

I regret selling most of my 222 Mhz gear but sadly I am in a possition
where I really have no choice... No work in over 2 1/2 years and a
possible forclosure around the bend.... Ill be selling more of my station
soon
as well... It is whaty it is... we adapt and move forrward as best we can.

222 Mhz CW/SSB... Is it worth it?   HELL YESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

73s de Tim - K7XC - DM09nm... sk


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Lowman" <jmlowman at sbcglobal.net>
To: <vhf at w6yx.stanford.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 6:03 PM
Subject: [VHF] Thoughts on 222 MHz


> To tag along with Greg's submission - same question, just a different 
> band:
>
> In looking at the claimed scores for 222 MHz in the VHF contest, it looks
> like most operators were struggling to get to double digits in contacts.
>
> Lately I've been thinking about getting on this band, but not sure that 
> the
> expense of a transverter and a good Yagi antenna from M^2 is justified
> if these results are typical.
>
> Further, I understand that this band is all but dead as far as SSB, except
> in contests, even in the highly-populated greater LA/OC area.
>
> For those who posted scores, how many of your contacts
> were on FM?  This is another thing that I've heard.
>
> If most of the action is on FM, I'm already set with 25w.  Maybe I'll buy
> the Yagi if it will do any good.
>
> Any advice or observations?
>
> Jim - AD6CW
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