[VHFcontesting] Trends in VHF/UHF Weak Signal Operations

[GeorgeF]

Don't get me wrong, I loved every bit of VHF+ SSB/CW (never cared for FM).

But it like eating a good potato chip, you can't stop at just 1 QSO.

When I first started (2005) and for the first several years there was a 
lot of activity in Florida. I made a lot of QSO's, worked 7 countries & 
28 states on 2 ssb/cw.  Then around 2009 activity dropped to near zero.  
Even contests dropped to near zero.  Many hams I worked in previous 
contest disappeared, it seemed for every 2 that dropped out there was 
only 1 new guy to take his place...that's not growth (ok, maybe in 
Washington DC that's considered growth). Here in the flat lands of 
Florida it WAS easy to make Q's 200 miles out on 2m SSB with a yagi only 
20' off the ground regardless of condx. Everyday there would be activity 
on 144.200. For the last few years you sit on 144.200, hear a signal 
maybe once a week if you're lucky, but if you're not the first to work 
that guy someone else works him and they disappear to "run the 
bands"....back to waiting another week for a Q.

In my last couple years on the air I was making more Q's on 2m FSK441 
via Meteor Scatter.  The only problem is I'm not a big digital mode 
guy.  However as long as I live I'll never forget the day I made 2 Q's 
via JT65 EME at moon rise with 2 different stations in Italy. Yes they 
were BIG GUNs and both Q's were easy 1 try Q's. I was a little gun, 6 
element yagi, 350 watts and no elevation control on ant....that was the 
day.  But those EME q's only come when there's an EME contest and there 
are BIG GUNS on the air.

Today I get more enjoyment out of listening to Military Comms, 12 
scanner and one is always making noise, many times 3-4 will be making 
noise at the same time. The Military UHF band (225 - 380 MHz) is 
non-stop with AWACS, Fighters, NORAD intercept missions, TACAMO E-6's, 
aircraft training and the real treat is when an aircraft carrier parks 
off our coast (about 8 times a year)...that is where I got hooked on 
radios in the very beginning and where I moved back to. Guess you could 
say we all like going back to our roots.

The VHF+ ham radio community has failed in marketing itself, yes some 
are trying in small numbers but the overall marketing campaign hasn't 
increase numbers as they continue to fall.  And forget the ARRL, they 
left us long ago for a bigger market, the ECOM cop wanna be market.

The ARRL has 'cheapened' my license since being licensed in 2004, this 
is another reason I'm considering not renewing my license. When I was 
licensed you still needed 5WPM code to get on HF, I know CW long before 
getting my license and CW was and still is my favorite mode. I got my 
Tech Plus, a few months later got my General.  Then the ARRL says oh, 
now EVERYONE can get on HF, no work required!  The very lease the ARRL 
could have done was to automatically upgrade us Code Generals to the 
next class.  I believe they did that back when the first offered the 
NoCode Tech, didn't the old techs get upgraded automatically????

There are no right or wrong answers, just my story.  If its my story I'm 
sure I'm not the only Ham (or ExHam) with the same story that just never 
took the time to tell it.  You can learn from it or ignore it, its just 
my story.

George - KI4FIA
www.MilAirComms.com



On 2/10/2014 0:38, Bruce Richardson wrote:
> The biggest point of my posting was to contrast with George KI4FIA how
> much I still like what I'm doing (and plan to do) in VHF/UHF
> weak-signal.  I'm met great people in the hobby. I know most of them in
> the region and I've made nationwide friends at CSVHFS and Microwave
> Update conferences.  (If you've never been to a  conference, you really
> should go even if only for the social mingling with like minded
> hobbiests. I mean any of the regional conferences.)
>
> Some of you reading, do you marvel at how much you still like this niche
> of ham radio even after all these years?
>
> 73
> Bruce Richardson W9FZ
>
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