Did some quick research, and got input from several hams off-list. Came up with the following list: 146.55 (Primary) 146.58 (Primary) 147.58 146.46 146.42 We should also mention that the the National
Some of the folks on the West Coast have expressed concerns about the suggested frequencies. There does seem to be good agreement on the first two channels: 146.55 (Primary) 146.58 (Primary) Maybe we
It seems clear that everyone agrees that contest activity on 2 Meter FM could be increased by the use of two "watering hole" frequencies that would be promoted for use during VHF/UHF Contests. 146.55
Jay, I'm not trying to make any rule change. Rule 1.9 currently lists ten or more suggested simplex channels, and was drafted well before the creation of the new "FM Only" category. I'm simply trying
As the previous Section Emergency Coordinator for Alabama, I understood that FM Simplex capability translated into a greater level of capability during an emergency. Amateurs who improved their stati
Thought I'd share an e-mail that I received from our local county Emergency Coordinator (EC) today that showcases how some ARES groups are planning to use the new "FM Only" category that ARRL recentl
Lots like our "PR Campaign" to encourage ARES Groups to participate in the new "FM Only" category are starting to pay off, at least in Alabama. Hopefully, we'll see other emergency response groups te
N1LF will be active in the contest this weekend from my home station in EM63nf. All bands 6 Meters through 1296. Work has sidetracked a lot of my station prep, so hopefully Murphy will not make an ap
I'm considering the purchase of an Icom IC-7000 rig as a "second rig" in the shack. I've read all the reviews on Eham.net, which are generally favorable, but most are from an HF or mobile operators p
I plan to make a couple of contacts over the weekend using either my modified Ramsey Laser Communicator kits, or an IR based SMS text messaging child's toy that we "beefed up" with some lenses to inc
Perhaps the slowest contest that I can remember in the six years I've been doing this event. Not sure if it's the HF contest, or what. Fortunately, we had several locals turn out for the combination
When you have a weak signal, you have to resort to some techniques to help you work new stations during a contest or band opening. One technique that has worked for me is to "piggy back" the contacts
I'm happy to report that efforts to increase contest activity using the new "FM Only Category" during the January ARRL VHF Contest was a resounding success here in Alabama. We had two ARES groups who
Chet, I made a total of 12 contacts on 2 Meter FM, 9 on 440, and 4 on 220 FM. None of them involved operators passing the microphone around. I did work the Shelby County EC both at the operations cen
I understand those who don't favor Internet assistance, but find that the attitudes are often shaped by inexperience or misinformation. For instance,there is no "robo-mode" that allows someone to com
Some encouraging news and discussion here regarding the new "FM Only" Category. Also very interested in the "Three-Band" Category which also looks like a winner. Going the next step, I've seen severa
As usual, I concur with every word that K5QE has to say on the subject of Internet Assistance. I also think it's vital to have VUAC representation that comprises members who are active on Meteor Scat
In complete agreement with Jay, Marshall, and others. If we could make only one rule change in the ARRL Rules for contests above 50 MHz it should be to allow rovers to self-spot and announce their ca
For those who didn't get a chance to participate in the webinar as a live-event, I can tell you that it's first class information for even a casual VHF contester, with plenty of meat for those with m
It looks like a serious, software defined radio transceiver will be available shortly that includes 6 Meters and 2 Meters. Output power on 6 Meter is listed at 22 Watts, and 12 Watts on 2 Meters. Eno