No Simplex anywhere?

[kf4lne]

I recently drove from Asheville, NC to Baton Rouge, LA. From the time I got out of simplex range of the locals around Asheville, NC until i got to near Birmingham, Alabama i called CQ on 146.52 about every 20 miles or so with no response. I did get two very helpful stations near Birmingham who helped me find a place to get parts to make a repair and I did not get their calls to send them a thanks. So my question/complaint is what happened to people monitoring 146.52? Back in the late 90's when I got my ticket I could go almost anywhere and get an answer to a CQ on 146.52 and now nothing. So where is there simplex activity around the US and Canada? Someone may find that useful to know someday when they get in a situation like I was in tueday trying to find out where the next place to get food and gas is. Also, thanks to the guys near birmingham who helped me find parts to make repairs to my radio gear. I got it fixed and no longer had to ely on the HT and amp http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[KC2KQH]

None here in south Jersey. None on 146.52, and none to be found while scanning the band randomly at various times day, night, week, weekend.
I would enjoy a simplex contact.
Ryan

[kg4lqz]

Hello, I monitor 146.52 simplex every time I am in the mobile and will monitor on the base when I finally get one....Chris KG4LQZ Alvord, TX 45 miles NW of Ft. Worth, TX

[ae4fa]

What is that rig in the center bottom of your pic? Looks familiar, but I can't quite pull it out of the fog.

73, Bob

[KB0IEY]

146.49 simplex is well used here in the Joplin Missouri/ Pittsburg Kansas area. As for a repeater that is monitored pretty decently in this area, there is the W0IN machine on 147.21, + offset, no CTCSS tone, and all licensed Hams are invited to use it. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

73,
KB0IEY

[KB0IEY]

Oh yeah, thanks for reminding us about 146.52 simplex. I knew that there was a freq on 2 for calling, but I couldn't remember which one it was. Now I know, and I'll add it to my rigs ASAP. Thanks! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

73,
KB0IEY

[K9STH]

Simplex operating hasn't become a "dead horse" issue, at least not so far!

I wonder what time of day and if this was weekday or weekend operation? Often during the weekdays there is little 2 meter FM operation even on repeaters. On weekends there is usually more activity on both the repeaters and simplex. Also, evenings between 7:00 and 10:00 PM local time.

In the Dallas, Texas, area, whenever I change the frequency of my 2 meter FM rig to 146.520 MHz there often is some activity in some direction in the evenings. Now, I do have a pair of stacked 11 element yagis (vertically polarized) at 67 feet above ground, fed with 1/2 inch Heliax, and my location is 1/2 block from the highest point in the city. Thus, I do hear a lot better than 99 percent of the others in the area who operate on 2 meter FM. Usually I can hear between 100 and 150 miles on a regular basis to stations with mundane fixed antennas and often mobiles unless the terrain interferes. For those with low ground-plane fixed antennas, their range is more in the 15 to 30 miles ranges when working each other (depends on terrain, sometimes better range if the terrain is good). The same thing when working mobiles from those types of antennas, sometimes significantly less range.

Glen, K9STH

[ai4ep]

in North ALABAMA, there are several folks that monitor 146.520 FM at their leisure, around Huntsville, but unknown if they MONITOR it continously or just for the local chit-chat... there is a base that monitors 146.520 near Cullman, but unsure of call sign ( that may have been one of the two that assisted (kf4lne) last tuesday... One or two folks "monitor" 146.520 off and on through the weekends when there are a lot of hikers, etc. in the Sipsey wilderness in the Bankhead National Forest, but the U.S. Forest Service wont allow any notices on their trail head message boards, endorsing that type of communication over any other ( you know how the government is ). A lot of folks in North Alabama monitor 146.520 at their leisure, but it aint organized. The only complaint I have is when BASE stations talk on it for a long period of time, not realizing there may be mobiles with just a h-t wanting information or even assistance... they just do NOT realize how far their signals are getting out, but unwilling to move to another frequency. #It could be a lot worse, so I guess we should be happy that it works as well as it does...I do monitor it from time to time ( 146.520 ) but not to a timed event...If i remember from an article correctly, we should monitor 146.520 and 52.5250 and 446.000 at the top of every hour, and for 5 - 10 minutes after ward ( some one correct me if I am wrong )...kd4amg

[K9STH]

I really don't have a problem with fixed stations or mobiles operating for long periods on 146.520 MHz. It lets other stations know that someone is definitely there. But, they do need to pause for at least 5 seconds between transmissions to allow someone to break. In fact, the same thing needs to be done on repeaters. However, some people are so "quck on the trigger" that sometimes the repeater timer doesn't get reset!

Glen, K9STH

[KD7LDH]

146.5400 FM SIMPLEX PHOENIX ARIZONA EXTREME SIMPLEX ACTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




-KD7LDH

[kf4lne]

In swannanoa, NC i have a Azden dedicated to monitoring 146.52. Its not much, a 1/4 wave GP at 30 ft fed with mini 8 but its enough to get 20 or so miles during a band opening. (FYI - local fast food joint drive thru headsets make great prop beacons for VHF, sometimes during good openings i can hear the mcdonalds 4 miles away) So why dont more people work simplex? Have repeaters become the way of the modern ham? A man would think that with the increase in tech licenses there would be more activity on the VHF bands. Oh well, next time i plan a trip I will be making a post here to find out who is working what and where along the way. As for the radio in the middle, its a Sonar 2340 40 channel CB tube rig. Very nice, was functional and just looked good as part of the station. It died a horrible death and is no longer part of the station. my station now consists of an Azden PCS 4000, Alinco DR 110, a Kenwood TH 77A and a Icom T8A connected to a modified Radio Shack 2M amp for use on 6 meters. (found the mod on a pirate radio web site and adapted the mod from 100 MHz to 50 MHz)

[KB9YKY]

lne...Evidently you have never experienced a band opening on VHF, nor understand the meaning of the term. During a band opening on VHF, the range you would be working would be more like 500 to maybe 2500 miles (typical example)...Not 20 miles. Your 20 miles is just a normal ground, line of sight path.

[kg4lqz]

here we go again with some good responses

[WB2WIK]

I've used two meter FM since 1966 and have built and installed two meter repeaters since 1974, and can confirm that regardless of what anyone says, activity is definitely "down" from the heyday of 2m FM operations, which occurred in about 1985.

No matter where you are, if your 2m FM band is packed full of activity 24/7 right now, trust me: It was more crowded 15 years ago. If you don't hear anything on 146.52 simplex right now, trust me: 15 years ago, you would have.

Activity is down, pure and simple. Undeniably. I have repeaters on both coasts and I travel constantly and monitor "everywhere." Activity is down. Not dead, just down.

Lots of reasons, they've all been posted numerous times, no reason to rehash them.

My solution: If I'm taking a long car trip and want to use ham radio, and actually talk to somebody during the trip via the radio, I use HF. I still have a 2m FM rig in the car at all times (it's rather permanently mounted, so more of a hassle to remove it than just leave it there), and I monitor there, but as for making contacts, believe me that 17m during the day, and 40m at night, are far more productive. I can chitchat on the ham bands 24/7, there's never a time when there aren't a lot of stations to chat with on HF.

WB2WIK/6

[KD5KUF]

Simplex is alive and well in northeast Oklahoma. In fact we have a Saturday night simplex net on 146.52 at 8pm.
And while monitoring .52 we have our ragchews on 146.55 every night and many are listening during the day. Northwest Arkansas hams tend to ragchew on 146.475 quite a bit. Simplex is growing strong here.

Many of the excessive amounts of repeaters in the area are inactive most of the time. Club politics and repeater cops are taking their toll on many of the larger clubs.

To paraphrase: Life's too short for squelch tails. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[KC0LOE]

Simplex here is very active in eastren South Dakota. 146.52 and 146.55 are the frequencys that we mosly use here. I know that South Dakota highway patrol has 146.52 programmed into their scanners in their cars. At least I know I might be heard if i give out a distress call some day.

[K8EEI]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Here in NE Ohio some of us use 147.41 simplex in the Sharon , PA ...Youngstown , OH ...Chardon , OH area.
#I also monitor 146.52 simplex . If you're around the PA -OH border on I-80 check us out .

#73 de Tony K8EEI

[K6UEY]

Just a passing comment ,I myself have not been on 2M FM more than a half a dozen times in the last 15 years. The 2M activity has changed, it is no longer what it was back in the early sixtey's and early seventey's. The attitudes and general knowledge of the HAMs on 2M's #has changed dramatically.Too bad it used to be a pleasant mix of experience to draw from.But as is often said "That is progress".
ENJOY!! It is much later than you think .......73, # ORV

[kc0fde]

I live in western missouri and I am about a mile from the kansas border. I frequently hear calls given on 146.520 due to the traffic on major us 71 in missouri which is 13 miles from me and the major us 69 highway in kansas which is about 8 miles from me. I have noted that for the most part the calling frequency is not used to chat on as it was designed for a calling frequency. Most hams around me in about a 60 mile radius from louisburg kansas to nevada missouri to clinton missouri tend to use 147.510. Simplex is more active in my area than are repeaters. I much rather talk simplex than through a repeater which is no challenge.

[k6tpl]

Think many have found simplex freq's that they try and hide from everyone else. Just last night heard a couple of hams here in Washington say lets move off to the secret freq. What was the secret frequency? 146.52 Hum! I can even remember when 3995 was a Mobil Frequency. Was nice could almost always find another Mobil to talk to then. Perhaps this shows my age. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[K3UD]

While there may be pockets of activity in some areas of the country, 2 meter FM repeater and simplex use seems to be down a very large amount in most areas of the country. I usually monitor 146.52 /.54 /.58 when I am in the vehicle, driving locally, regionally or on long driving trips, and rarely hear anything. Maybe everyone is monitoring, but I doubt it.

Same thing goes for repeaters. From my location I can hear a repeater, or sometimes several, on almost every allocated pair, but rarely hear activity except for some established nets. After the nets end, activity dead.

This is remarkable since the manufacturers of 2 meter FM equipment seem to be coming out with new stuff every month. Decent 2 meter base, mobile, and handheld units can be purchased for less than $150. Someone must be buying it, but who is actually using it?

Steve (WB2WIK) is correct with his assesment of FM activity.

It did peak in the early to mid 80s with another mini peak after the new technician license became available and has seriously declined from there. Maybe everyone migrated to FM repeaters on the higher UHF bands. For those who do not remember how it was, it used to be that you had to wait for a chance to use most repeaters in populated areas because of very high activity.

73
George
K3UD

[K6UEY]

George-K3UD
I think you touched on the answer, at least in some areas. As previously mentioned the 2M FM thing started in the late 50's and Early 60's with the flood of commercial gear dumped on the market by the deviation change by the FCC. As HAMs have always done they saw the possibilities and modified the old gear and set up repeaters and generated a 2M FM culture. There were a few AM repeaters in different areas of the country, but the limited range of FM was ideal for local mobile and fixed communications and the repeater merely extended that range. Then the metamorphosis began to set in and an undesirable element began to change the 2M culture, so most of the original doers and builders #moved up in frequency to the 450 band as gear was also available for modification up there, and to avoid another clash they became a little more exclusive about who they would allow to use facilities that was the labor of their hard work. In the mean time the the manufactures of appliances saw a market and began to offer plug -N-play VHF/UHF gear for the masses, and the real Technicians and experimenters were forced to move even higher to the 1200 band and the 900 band. The 220 band was used some what but it had already been put to use by the Packet craze for the Packet Network backbone.
Each time the doer's were forced to move away from the undesirables their numbers diminished, as some just walked away in disgust that fellow HAMs could be so inconsiderate, but then again that is what always happens when you open some thing to the public and reduce it to it's lowest common denominator. We who have been around for a few years have experienced d'e ja vu, a service opened to the public known as the Citizen's Radio Service.It has been said that to forget history is to set one up to relive it, it appears that is true.
Where will the newer generation of HAMs gain their experience and knowledge, as they seem to reject to learn by history, maybe they will embark on a task to re-invent the wheel. After all it was done once so they should be able to handle it. Maybe only time will tell the tale, some one will be around to talk about it, I HOPE. # #
ENJOY!!! It is much later than you think......73, # ORV
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[WB2WIK]

Based on my own survey in 1999, I found that FM/repeater activity had diminished, for the most part, for one simple reason: No challenge to it, and the frequencies were populated almost entirely by non-technical people having mindless conversations.

Hate to hark back to "the old days," but this is a clear case where the old days were better, for the simple reason that VHF-FM was pioneering work in the 1950's, and a lot of pioneering remained into the 1970's. The only way to get on 2m FM was to either build your own equipment from scratch, or modify commercial 2-way ("taxi" and "police") radios for use on 2m.

That was most of the fun of getting on 2m FM, for many (if not most) of us. The only repeater owner/operators were technically astute folks, the majority of whom came from the commercial 2-way radio industry. There were no standards to speak of, and many of the earliest 2m amateur repeaters were actually AM, not FM, simply because there was no FM equipment available to anyone outside the commercial 2-way industry. Band plans were nonexistent, and frequency splits, as well as input-output channels, varied from place to place. To place a repeater on the air required, for several years, a separate repeater station license with a "WR" prefix.

There was a mystique to it.

In the mid-1970's, most of the mystique disappeared as dozens of inexpensive "ham" rigs came to market for 2m FM (and other bands). By the 1980's, activity was at an all-time high as the original FM experimenters were guiding the new guys through. By the 1990's, most of the original FM experimenters went on to do something more interesting and pretty much abandoned this whole aspect of the hobby. I know I did!

My own history as stated above is almost exactly in synch with the results of a survey I made with hundreds of repeater owner/operators in the U.S., about three years ago. As is so often the case, when technology becomes so predominant and affordable that "everyone" can enjoy it, the people who originated it go do something else.

WB2WIK/6

[kf4lne]

Steve (WIK) you're right. There is no challenge to a repeater, and most topics on teh repeaters are medications, various age related alements and that darn pager site that just wiped out the repeaters RX for the past 10 minutes. Several years ago I frequented an area wide coverage machine late nights and had some stimulation conversations but the informal net that had the slot before us slowly became a dusk til dawn event and several of us (most) abandoned it all together. Once upon a time the simplex frequency I have used since the day I got my ticket was active during shift changes, weekends and always active at the hamfests and on the drive to and from the hamfest. Since then activity has dropped off and most of the users of the frequency have seemingly abandoned amateur radio as well.