[TenTec] 220 Mhz - Serious Market Opportunity

[Hamilton Hicks]

Yes, there is a marketing opportunity, and it's starting here in North Carolina. A system of repeaters is almost finished that will allow hospitals (CARES) to talk to one another during emergencies. It will span from the Myrtle Beach, SC area to  Virginia. When hurricanes threaten, cell service is effectively useless because of overload. As you get away from the metropolitan areas, downed phone lines can become a real issue. Therefore, operators in the various hospitals can be guaranteed a communications capability. For more specific info on the current system and follow-on installations, one should contact Danny Hampton, K4ITL, in Raleigh.

Alinco has a superb 220 mhz, single band FM rig that has experienced a sales spike as a result of the efforts. I forsee FM as being the introduction to SSB and/or CW work. I invite you to read the "World Above 50 Mhz" article in the March 2007 issue of QST. Very informative.

However, I'd much prefer to brag about a Ten-Tec 220 rig! 

Hamilton Hicks
KB4BR