[VHFcontesting] Spectrum Inventory-The Band Is Open

Les Rayburn les at highnoonfilm.com
Fri Jan 1 17:58:41 PST 2010


Since it looks like a spectrum inventory will almost certainly be undertaken, then the most immediate action we can take to help protect our bands is to increase activity on all bands, especially those on 222 MHz and above. To that end, I'd like to recommend that we stop bickering about what is or is not a valid mode, QSO, etc. In fact, let's stop all the needless in-fighting and do whatever we can to encourage more activity on the bands. 

I just purchased a new 6 Meter amp just in time for the January VHF SS. I plan to be active as N1LF/R on all bands that I have including 6, 2, 222, 432, 902, and 1.2 GHz. If I can borrow a transverter, I'll be on 2.3 and 10 GHz again this contest too. 

WSJT is a great way to extend the working range of your station regardless of band conditions, and I hope that more VHF will be encouraged to use it. I'll also be scanning the AM and CW frequencies looking for contacts as well. 

And if you're not currently active in support of ARES, then I urge you to become involved. At the end of of day, congress will be more impressed with what we're doing in regards to EMCOMM than any other amateur activity. Look for ways to help your local group "move up" the bands, and make great EMCOMM use of 432 and higher bands. For instance, in Alabama, we've found 222 MHz to be the perfect band for "back door" communications between our county EMA's, State EMA, and the National Weather Service. 

222 is less congested, and isn't as prone to monitoring by the public, since fewer scanners have this range. While it's not a guarantee of privacy, it does help reduce the number users, and monitors, making it a better choice for administrative conversations during an exercise or emergency. 

We've had good success at encouraging more activity on 432 by sponsoring "Simplex Exercises" during the ARRL VHF Contest weekends. We score these events, offering certificates to the winners. Higher points are awarded for 222, 432, and 1.2 GHz FM Contacts--and it's inspired more hams locally to "beef up" their 432 stations. It can also help your score. Meet with your Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) or local EC to see about sponsoring a contest like this soon. It makes for a great marriage between ARES and weak signal DXing. 

For those of us in the weak signal community, if you have an FM contest like this in your area, then make time to support it. Come off SSB for an hour or two and hand out some distant contacts. It's really exciting for newcomers to work someone at a great distance on simplex, and your station can help make that happen. 

Lastly, instead of being negative and confrontational, try making something positive happen for your favorite part of the hobby. In the past few days, my recommendation for compromise has resulted in e-mails calling me "newb, idiot, and even coward". I'm not offended, but others might be. 

In the two years that I've been involved in VHF I've sponsored three FM simplex contests, and given three club talks on weak signal VHF, and one program at the Huntsville Hamfest on the same topic. With the help of Jimmy Long, W4ZRZ, I demonstrated 10 GHz during Field Day last year too. 
What have you done to attract hams to the high bands? 

Hope to hear you all on the bands during SS---and anytime on WSJT. 

73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
Alabama EMA Emergency Coordinator 
for Amateur Radio-KF4LQK
NCS-SHARES NCS-047
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