220mhz band?

[KI4MQJ]

i have never had a 220 radio.. aside from HF, im mostly 2 meters, and a day or so a month on 70cm.. what  is going on with 220.. i understand the way the signal travels, so i would guess its not as good as 2m simplex, but probably better than 70cm? line of sight.... is there REALLY anyone who talks on this band simplex or packet? just looking for any info....

[NO2A]

I`ve worked some 220 repeaters in my area with just my F-6 Kenwood ht. Can`t say how many use simplex since I don`t have a real antenna for it. My guess is during a vhf contest you`d see more activity. They say conditions are similar to 2m. I haven`t noticed any intermod problems that seem to plague 2m. Nobody makes an all mode 220 rig,except for transverters. I`ve seen increased interest in the band in my area,some locals have purchased radios for this band. It also depends on how much activity is in your area.

[KG4NEL]

i have never had a 220 radio.. aside from HF, im mostly 2 meters, and a day or so a month on 70cm.. what  is going on with 220.. i understand the way the signal travels, so i would guess its not as good as 2m simplex, but probably better than 70cm? line of sight.... is there REALLY anyone who talks on this band simplex or packet? just looking for any info....

220MHz is the reason I'm looking at the TH-F6A for a new HT - we have a few repeaters in the area, and from the people I've talked to about it the coverage seems good.

If you're into VHF contesting, it's more points 

I had heard that 1.2GHz had pockets of FM repeater activity in FL, maybe look into that? That's a band that's completely dead in my local area.

[K6LCS]

>> ...  I'm looking at the TH-F6A for a new HT ...

A great HT, indeed.

BEFORE you invest in an aftermarket antenna (the best are the Diamond SRH-320A ($50) and the Smiley 270A ($20)), give the stock duck a workout. I can hit scores of systems with the stock duck on all three bands here in Southern California.

Clint K6LCS

[KG4BEK]

220 MHz is a lot of fun.  Here where I live we use 220 MHz daily.  There are only about 5 of us that talk on the repeater locally.  There is very little repeater activity in this area on any band.  When there is a band opening contacts have been made from Charleston, S.C. all the way down to Daytona Florida, with only a comet fiberglass 220 base antenna (no large beams).  Exploring the 220 MHz band can be a lot of fun.  It is a shame that manufactures don't make a tri-band rig 2M/220/440.  If you are curious about 220 MHz search the internet for a cheap 220 MHz radio.  There are a few chinese models out there now for under $165.00.  I think that a chinese model was called the TYT-9000 it has 50 Watts out.  If you are interested in 220 MHz check out this Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Charleston-SC-220-MHz-Repeater-Club/133149446773560?ref=hl

On this Facebook page there are several photos and reviews of 220 MHz gear.

KG4bek

[K1CJS]

220 mhz has kind of taken off in my area--SE Massachusetts--because of the prohibition on 440 by the military and the Pave Paws radar system on Cape Cod.  There are quite a few people who use it, and the numbers are growing.  It's quite similar to 2 meters, and yet has some of the attributes of 440.  If you have people in your area who are migrating to 220, it's well worth it to you to get a rig as well.

[WB8VLC]

I use 220 daily here in Northern Oregon and have come to like it, it has similar propagation to 2 meters with a similarity to 440 where the signal gets out of vehicles and structures better than 2 meters does.

 Prior to using 220MHz I had a remote base on 2 meters, this was before a coordinator suggested that I should move up to 220 MHz, using the same style and gain antenna and same power level on 2Meters as I now use on 220 MHz and I did not note any reduced range between the 2 bands.

I have a 220 remote base linked to 10 meter and 6 meter FM using a converted DB products DB-222 folded dipole on 220MHz which is the best antenna that i have found to work on 220 MHz.

 My remote base uses a converted Motorola Maxtrac as the main 220 transceiver with a GE Orion converted to 220 MHz in my 4 X 4 and a GE MPA handheld also converted to 220 for use around town.

 As you can see I like to use all commercial radios on my end especially since they were all free along with the spare DB-222 VHF folded dipole antenna.

Prior to moving to Oregon I never really used 220 but since all the VHF and UHF remote base frequencies are taken up here it was 220 or 900 Mhz and 220 works much better with all the tall trees in this country.


 I too am looking at the TH-F6A  just so I don't need to carry so many commercial VHF and UHF handheld radios around.