Who here is a "serious" user of 1.25M?

[KD6WAG]

I absoluely love 1.25m FM. #Yes, not very many people use it because 40% of the band was taken away a few years ago.

But.... #I find that it's quiet and never ever crowded. I never experience "jammers" either. #I have a friend and together we use a linked repeater system that allows us to talk from Southern CA to Central CA with full quieting (Not CONDOR either).

Who else here uses 1.25? #Do you ever use it in SSB mode? #I'd like to try SSB if I knew that it was a mode that's used semi-regularly.

Lastly, why are some manufacturers making triband handhelds, but not triband mobiles? #I wish those would come back! Heck, I'd even settle for a new Kenwood/Icom/Yaesu mobile dual band with 2m/1.25. For now I have to settle on my monoband Alinco mobile.

[aa3re]

I use 1.25 cm's everyday. I run a 222 mhz repeater linked with a 50 mhz repeater. I also use 222 ssb when the band is enhanced. #Alinco FM rig. Yaesu FT736r for ssb. 4 element vertical beam FM, 13 element beam on ssb. Both antennas homebrew from old TV antenna parts. I LOVE 222. Very much like 2 meters with less noise floor.

[n8yx]

I had a couple of 223 MHz ports for the area's various packet nodes in operation at one time. Still use the band quite a bit for FM simplex and repeater work. Am looking to add SSB/CW capability and will probably accomplish that via K3 and XV222 transverter...perhaps a Microwave Modules or similar transverter tied to one of my existing HF rigs.

[N5USR]

I like it too! I even have a 222 repeater at home. It's a bit overkill for my intended use, but I was crossbanding from the 2M simplex freq I usually hang out on so much I decided to just put up the repeater with a remote base instead. There's no shortage of pairs here, with all of seven coordinated repeaters (including mine) and only one other actually on the air! (Or, with sufficient coverage to be heard.)

I also have the Alinco mobile, and Kenwood TH-F6A HT. I got lucky on the repeater - another ham recently decoordinated his repeater, and gave me his receiver. It is a converted Micor, and it is wonderfully sensitive and selective.

No SSB capability, although that would be nifty. It would be nice to have 220 in the "DC-to-daylight" all-mode rigs. (Yeah, I've read all the reasons that doesn't happen, and I understand them - still doesn't change the fact that "it would be nice"...)

[WB2WIK]

I was active on 135cm SSB-CW for many years, although not lately. When I had a pretty competitive VHF contest station in NJ, 1977-1986, I had a kilowatt (output) on 220 SSB-CW (about 500W FM) using stacked Yagis at 65 feet for the weak signal modes.

During a typical VHF contest, would make about 200-250 QSOs on 220 SSB-CW, so there's obviously people to work. Between contests, there was always "220
Activity Night" and the Pack Rats net and other stuff to keep people working each other on the band.

From my QTH in NJ, almost all activity was not "local." It was in Boston, NH, ME, upstate NY, Ontario, Philadelphia, Baltimore/DC, central VA, western PA, Ohio, NC, WV, a bit in eastern TN, etc. If I couldn't make contacts 300 miles away, I would not have been making many contacts.

WB2WIK/6

[WA6MHZ]

I have the ultimate 222 mhz station, all thanks to Yaesu. It is the Yaesu FT-736R with the 222 Mhz module in it. Also has the 6, 2 and 432 module though I plan someday to take out the 6 and put in a 1296 module and then use the 6M band on my Icom IC-736. The Yaesu FT-736R allows SSB ,CW and FM on 222 and it is quite useful during the VHF Contests, but almost nil otherwise. There are alot of 222 Mhz FM repeaters here in SOCAL, and probably more activity on 222 than the rest of the country combined. There is the famous Condor link where dozens of linked repeaters allow almost continuous coverage all over California, Vegas, etc. Excellent system!! I have the worlds most outrageous 222 beam, a M2 222-7WL 23 Element beam on a 32 foot boom. This sure puts out the signal and I have worked up past Santa Barbara with it simplex. But other than the vhf contests, it sits mostly unused. I chose my QTH to be the best VHF location money could buy and do quite well from here. At 1650 feet, Crest is the best Ham Radio site in Socal mostly because of NO antenna restrictions. Down in the rest of San Diego, hams are most fortunate to put up a 2M ground plane without fighting the cities over CC&Rs, HOAs and darned building permits. In Crest, however, Hams are most welcome as it is so isolated and fire prone (already burnt over twice) that the residents acknowledge Amateur Radio as the best Emcomm resource. Our Fire Safe council is very Pro-Ham and welcomes all the hams we can get.

[kc4umo]

Wa6mhz,
I am jealous.
Over your radio and altitude.:)
One day I plan to own a FT-736. But only found 2 of them. And got outbid. I get all my radios non working and repair them. It is more affordable that way. I do own two of the 726 Yaesu’s. But no module for 1.2 was made. And with the new phase satellites going up, I will need this.

[WA6MHZ]

They are available frequently on Ebay, but plan on spending some serious dollars. A local ham here just got one all outfitted, including the 222 and 1296 modules. Think he dropped about $700 for the basic 2 and 432 rig, then another $300 for the 222 module and $600 for the 1296 module. Still needs to buy the $100 PL module so he can access repeaters. Unfortunately, this is a very old radio now, made in the late 80s or early 90s, and no company anywhere has come close to duplicating what this rig will do since!!! Icom and Kenwood have rigs that do 2, 432 and 1296 but all ignore the 222 band. There once was a monoband allmode Icom rig that was excellent but exceedingly rare now, the Icom IC-375. I would actually prefer to have seperate rigs for each band in the VHF contest as many times I follow folks to other bands quickly and it would be nice to have a rig on each band at once. Watch Ebay and you can score the 736R and associated components, but you will pay very very dearly for it. 73!

[kc4umo]

I can not remember where I saw it but there was an add I read last week about an all mode Icom 222 mhz radio. #Had in the add that this was a rare find. The going price was $1650.00

I did pick up a ADI 220 ht 2 weeks ago. For thirty bucks. Had a bad volume switch. Cleaned and got it working.

You are right about the 736. They are old but still valuble. I am bidding on a non working unit as we speak And has the 1.2ghz module in it.

Maybe I should just build two transverters for the 726. To operate 222 and 1.2.....

[KM5FL]

I too, have an FT-736R.. Bought it about 10 years ago and immediately "outfitted" it with the 220 module.. I have a homebrew 11 elem. 222 beam for SSB operation.. When repairs to the tower are finished, the beam will be mounted at 80 foot mark on the tower.


KM5FL

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (wa6mhz @ Dec. 05 2007,09:25)]
>They are available frequently on Ebay, but plan on spending some serious dollars. A local ham here just got one all outfitted, including the 222 and 1296 modules. Think he dropped about $700 for the basic 2 and 432 rig, then another $300 for the 222 module and $600 for the 1296 module. Still needs to buy the $100 PL module so he can access repeaters.<

::Sounds like he doesn't know what he's doing, since every FT-736R ever made has CTCSS (PL) encoding built in as a standard feature. It wasn't an option. The PL *decoder* (for "tone squelch") was an option, not needed by anybody unless you're just dying to have it. I'm an original FT-736R owner from 1987...the first ones shipped all included the narrow CW filter, standard, which was a great deal. They took that out and made it an option about a year later...

>Unfortunately, this is a very old radio now, made in the late 80s or early 90s, and no company anywhere has come close to duplicating what this rig will do since!!! Icom and Kenwood have rigs that do 2, 432 and 1296 but all ignore the 222 band. There once was a monoband allmode Icom rig that was excellent but exceedingly rare now, the Icom IC-375. I would actually prefer to have seperate rigs for each band in the VHF contest as many times I follow folks to other bands quickly and it would be nice to have a rig on each band at once. Watch Ebay and you can score the 736R and associated components, but you will pay very very dearly for it.<

::They're actually going for what they're worth, which is quite a lot because it's a good rig that was quite expensive when it was new and as you say, very unique. They really don't wear out or go bad, either...mine from 1987 is still perfect, and it's been to "Field Day" and many other outdoor exercises several times over the years. It is very conservatively rated for its TX. Mine was accidentally "lock keyed" on 2m FM simplex for many hours (due to my mother-in-law "dusting" in the ham shack, and pressing down the PTT lock switch on the desk mike...when I used to leave all the rigs "on" 24/7 -- I stopped doing that!) and when I came home to shut it off, the heatsink was barely warm, after running full power for probably six hours.

WB2WIK/6

[kc4umo]

Quote[/b] (WB2WIK @ Dec. 04 2007,12:57)]#It is very conservatively rated for its TX. #Mine was accidentally "lock keyed" on 2m FM simplex for many hours (due to my mother-in-law "dusting" in the ham shack, and pressing down the PTT lock switch on the desk mike...when I used to leave all the rigs "on" 24/7 -- I stopped doing that!) and when I came home to shut it off, the heatsink was barely warm, after running full power for probably six hours.

WB2WIK/6
I would have to say the 726 is the same on that part.
I was working V0-52 one night (CW). After I finished I turned the lights off and locked the door to go in the house. I set my paddles close. Maybe too close. Sometime during the night the contacts closed.

When I got up in the morning and went out in the shack, I could hear a faint continuous beep. Found that the 726 was sending away on 435.250. I think I could had cooked my breakfast on it. I shut it down and never had any problems.

[KB7GL]

Another vote for the -736R. I got mine new, primarily for Mode-B satellite operation and later added the L-band & 220 modules. It's one of the most versatile rigs I've ever owned. I haven't been on the Sats for some time, but I still use it on 220. The newer rigs can't touch it.

vic
kb7gl

[w3dub]

A fellow board member of mine in MARC has recently stared a 220 net on our very inactive repeater. We are shocked actually at the amount of checkins that have started to trickle in.. maybe its not so dead after all.

[WA6MHZ]

Theres a FT-736R on right now, currently bid at $510 with 3 days to go, or buyitnow for $675. #Recent ones went for $611, $675, $685 and $690. #A broke 222 module went for $152, with blown finals.

[kc4umo]

Quote[/b] (wa6mhz @ Dec. 04 2007,18:40)]Theres a FT-736R on right now, currently bid at $510 with 3 days to go, or buyitnow for $675. #Recent ones went for $611, $675, $685 and $690. #A broke 222 module went for $152, with blown finals.
saw that one earlier and watching it. That is about all I can do at the moment http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif But the 220 module for 152 rally is not a bad deal. Concidering that most or going for over 350.

[ka5piu]

Hello.

I was a novice for ages, almost 30 years, so 220 was a logical choice.
So, needless to say, if it did 220, I got it.
I have the FT-101 transverter that was made for 220, super rare.