I have been building up a VHF station with a W1GHZ 222 MHz transverter
driving a 500 watt solid state amplifier. The 500 watt amp is running
and I am building the transverter now. It will have a GPS locked LO. A
fantastic ham in New York state has promised that he will provide a new
FO-16 yagi to the cause. I probably have some 7/8" heliax here as well
for a feedline. What we are trying to do is give this setup to a ham in
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI and even Newfoundland. It is a cryin'
shame that there is no activity on 222 anywhere in this area of the
Great White North. I am hoping to break that evil spell by providing a
station that is just about turn key with the only string attached being
that the new owner should get on with the gear on some Tuesday nights. I
am looking for a good low noise preamp to go with the system along with
maybe a coax relay to cover all the bases. A single K1FO 16 and 500
watts is a good entry level EME station. This will be a step ahead of
the Ameco TX-62 and the Communicator IV of the old days. It will be
possible to make 500 mile contacts.
This is missionary work as the new owner should be aware that rather
than having a rig to chat with good buddies, he or she will be helping
to build up activity on a band that has been an orphan for way too
long. The Maritimes are a great place for VHF in the summer and fall.
In winter, the presence of huge storms makes a large antenna sort of a
big problem. If you look at a weather book, you will notice that just
about every storm that forms in Texas or the SE, hits the East Coast,
ges up the coast, funnels into the Gulf of Maine and strengthens as it
heads up across Nova Scotia and into Newfoundland. A single yagi makes
sense in this case. Winds can hit 100 MPH.
I was always amazed at the DX range I had to the Northeast. I could
easily ragchew with guys on 144 up in northern Nova Scotia about 530
miles away. VE1UT in Yarmouth was a local at 250 miles. This past year
I worked CY0 St Paul Island on 432 SSB when they had a DXpedition there.
The 432 station was an EME setup with a couple of AZ EL yagis on a
tripod. That is a 600 mile path and signals were 59+ at mid day. The
path skirts the shoreline and signals are always loud. N1DPM also worked
them on a digi mode from FN32! There is no regular 432 activityin the
Maritimes either. Just imagine a decent 222 MHz station up there. I
would sure try to exercise the gears in my rotator and aim the antenna
NE for a change!!
So, speak up if you are interested, or know of a suitable ham that can
be interested in a good 222 MHz station.
Dave K1WHS
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