[VHFcontesting] 2m FM LNAs?

[Gregory Winters]

Same problem on 2m wanting to FM is kind of the same problem wanting to contest on 446. Any 432 LNA could do, but at 446, nope. Granted there aren't many FM contesters but I do search and pounce as a multiop and sometimes FM only/single-op. Its tough to get multipliers here with the geography in SW WA (not PA as the callsign might suggest).

Greg, K3RW
CN85ro

Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/ghei36>

________________________________
From: VHFcontesting <vhfcontesting-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of Mark Spencer <mark at alignedsolutions.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2019 4:51:20 PM
To: nosigma at aol.com <nosigma at aol.com>
Cc: vhfcontesting at contesting.com <vhfcontesting at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] 2m FM LNAs?

I'd be curious in hearing from others about their experiences with LNA's for 2M.  I use a 144 MHz SSB mast mounted pre amp at my home station and it makes a modest difference for weak signal work.

   I rarely bother with pre amps when roving on 144 MHz.   On the other hand over the decades I have gotten a lot of use out of preamps on 432 and 1296 MHz (for weak signal, roving, FM, AMSAT and repeater station applications.)  The few times I have roved on 432 MHz without a preamp I have missed having it.

Other than the pre amp built into one of my 222 MHz power amplifiers I have no experience with pre amps on that band.

73

Mark S
VE7AFZ

mark at alignedsolutions.com
604 762 4099

> On Dec 12, 2019, at 4:06 PM, John Young via VHFcontesting <vhfcontesting at contesting.com> wrote:
>
>
> ARR no longer sells mast mounted LNAs.  I called them last week and I was told they dropped the product line due to high cost and low sales.
>
> I had a SSB 432 mast mounted pre amp that I stupidly shorted out, destroyed and can't get fixed without sending it to Germany.  I cant find anything of similar quality to ARR or SSB to replace it with.  There is a gentleman selling a 2M ICOM (Quality) used pre amp at a ridiculously low price but it pulls power from the center conductor (bias T required) and needs a sequencer  to switch off power before transmit unless you have the right ICOM radio (910H I think) to do that automatically.
>
> I run LMR-400 with under a dB loss and 1.1 to 1.3 VSWR.  My 991A benefitted greatly from the SSB 432 pre amp but the  SSB 2M pre amp did nothing for me.  I have a 432 reciever sensitivity problem, 144 performance is awesome.  I suggest you look at 2M cable loss and connector loss before getting a $400 pre amp.  After you minimize losses if you still have problems maybe you do need a pre amp
>
>
> What radio are you using, what cable are you using, what connectors are you using and how long are your feed lines?
>
> If you want I will sell you my SSB SP 200 100W pass through RF sensing 2m pre amp at $300 to help offset my cost of buying a new SP70.  It's been used for just 3hrs last January, though I suggest you minimize all losses first, that is a lot cheaper.
>
> 73
> John
> KM4KMU
> On Thursday, December 12, 2019 Al Wells <kb3sig at gmail.com> wrote:
> A lot of the FM & repeater guys use Ar² LNA's.
>
> http://www.advancedreceiver.com/
>
> Al KB3SIG
>
>> On 12/11/2019 9:58 PM, Gregory Winters wrote:
>> I'd like to enhance 2m simplex abilities and pull in weaker SOTA activators. Often times they hear me but I do not hear them. Increasing my antenna capability would help (of course). But I can't run a beam mobile.
>>
>> I'm looking for a reasonable LNA to pull out these weaker ones on 146.52, etc. But many of the LNAs I see are for the SSB side of things.
>>
>> Is there a LNA that I could use for FM?
>>
>> Ideally I'd be able to use it mobile too. I run 65w on a 5/8s whip, seemingly everyone hears me, but I struggle to hear some of them. The Kenwood 2m mobile has an awful NF I guess, so I am hoping a LNA can help that.
>>
>> Ideas?
>>
>> Greg, K3RW
>> CN85ro
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