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New 2-Meter Simplex Club

Discussion in 'Contests, DXpeditions, QSO Parties, Special Events' started by WF5TX, Oct 28, 2007.

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  1. WF5TX

    WF5TX Ham Member QRZ Page

    Announcing The Simplex Experience - An Amateur Radio 2-Meter FM Direct Communications Association. Our goal is the creation and/or expansion of LOCAL 2-Meter FM simplex nets and ragchew sessions, and the preservation of simplex frequencies. We do not neglect other forms of Amateur Radio communications. We're not here to replace repeaters. We have no EMCOMM mission. Please check out the program at www.73SE.com.

    Thanks & 73,

    Maynard
    WF5TX
     
    KE6DUY likes this.
  2. W2BBQ

    W2BBQ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Good idea! I can suggest adding SSB to the mix too. SSB travels many times further than FM does with no cut-off noise floor and forced used of squelch to kill the noise.

    Good luck
     
  3. WF5TX

    WF5TX Ham Member QRZ Page

    Thank you, W2BBQ, for the suggestion. To further explain (the details are at the website), I chose 2-Meter FM because I believe it will “enable” more Hams at less expense. I have to believe that FM rigs are more plentiful than all-mode rigs. Also, our goal is not DX communications but rather the saturation of local areas with informal nets and casual ragchew sessions. Once (or if) saturation occurs, priority traffic could more easily be passed from one county to the next by bordering stations. But again, we have no EMCOMM mission, and, as explained at the site, “priority” traffic is whatever YOUR local area decides it is.

    Thanks again,

    Maynard
    WF5TX
     
  4. N4DOG

    N4DOG Ham Member QRZ Page

    I sent you some info Maynard. I was brought up on Simplex and always enjoy talking on it.
     
  5. K0HWY

    K0HWY Ham Member QRZ Page

    Excellent Maynard.

    I'm hoping to promote some local 6 and 10 meter FM simplex operation as well. Simplex has long been one of my main interests, especially on the lower FM bands (6 and 10).
     
  6. N3GHX

    N3GHX Ham Member QRZ Page

    I love simplex myself and know why you are saying FM simplex as city areas are encroaching on the simplex frequencies for repeaters, but there should be SSB included as that is simplex also. I use FM simplex 95% of the time with FM repeaters and SSB sharing the remaining 5%. I do not want to see more encroachment toward the SSB frequencies either just because you may only feel the FM simplex frequencies are important. For that matter it should not be just for 2 meters and you should include all bands from 6 meters on up.
     
  7. WF5TX

    WF5TX Ham Member QRZ Page

    Hello… and thank you for checking out my program. I will try to respond to your comments. The reason I chose 2 meters is because I believe it is the "Lowest Common Denominator" of Amateur radio as far as equipment goes. (I hope that makes sense). Employing 2 meters will "enable" more hams than would 6 meters or even 2 meter SSB. Since my goal is to have everyone in the program "on the same channel", it just wouldn't make sense to have more than one band or mode as an option. Have you been to the website and read the "About" page?

    The other reason, and please don't take this the wrong way, is that I personally am not interested in 6 meter or 2 meter SSB operation. I don't even have any equipment to operate those modes. To me, at least, it doesn't make sense to start a website and program on topics that I have no interest in. All bands and modes need protection, preservation and interest groups, but I'll leave that to other interested hams. I'm not trying to downplay the importance or popularity of any band or mode, but I want to focus only on 2 meter FM simplex. I hope that explains things a little better.

    73,

    WF5TX
     
  8. KC4YLV

    KC4YLV Ham Member QRZ Page

    This sounds like fun.

    I'm just now finishing construction on a new beam for satellite work; however, it'll spend most of its time at 0 degrees elevation, working FM simplex.

    Back when I was a young teen, I had a sweet setup - 50w Alinco rig into an 11 element beam about 40 feet of the ground, rotator and all. I 'split the difference' with the beam between all my friends and we used to chat the evening away. Fun times, and I hope I can find more simplex friends around here!
     
  9. WF5TX

    WF5TX Ham Member QRZ Page

    You know... having thought about this for a day, I'm warming to the idea of including other FM simplex bands and even SSB. I'd still like to maintain my "base" of 2 meter FM simplex ops, but maybe broadening the scope of this operation and website a little may not be a bad idea. Will I have to call it the n3ghx expansion?

    73 and still in deep thought,

    WF5TX
     
  10. KC4YLV

    KC4YLV Ham Member QRZ Page

    We need to at least mention 446.0, in my opinion.

    To branch out to sideband would be fun, but it's a double-edged sword. In its favor, 80's 2meter allmodes are dropping below $200-300 these days, and the standard 'new ham' radio is an Icom 706 or a Yaesu 857. So, honestly, from a "percentage of hams having 2m SSB" perspective, we have more potential SSB ops than ever before.

    However, horizontal antennas are the bee's knees for SSB, and unless you start a halo campaign (I"d be willing to build/sell halos for no profit for area hams), the antenna angle will be the sticking point.

    I vote focus on FM for now, branch out later. [​IMG]
     
  11. N3GHX

    N3GHX Ham Member QRZ Page

    WF5TX,
    Nice of you to consider the extra bands and modes and good luck with that as simplex is lots of fun and you get to know the capabilities of radios, antennas, bands, modes, etc. much better when simplex and best of all, I don't have some repeater club sitting there with their hand out. Don't get me wrong as they have their place, but why should I pay them to talk to people I can talk to without a repeater?
    As to this "the n3ghx expansion". That's is too long as the name doesn't need to be expanded. Nor does my call need to be on it, but thanks anyway. [​IMG]
     
  12. WF5TX

    WF5TX Ham Member QRZ Page

    I was just kidding about actually using your call, n3ghx. It was just my way of recognizing your input here in the forum.

    WF5TX
     
  13. KC2ESD

    KC2ESD Ham Member QRZ Page

    I am very responsible for getting hams in my area using 2 Meter simplex instead of repeaters. I started a simplex net on 146.580Mhz on the first Fridays of every month about 3 years ago and since last year it’s every Friday except the 3rd Friday of the month due to a Ham Radio club meetings. I am the Net Control Officer for almost every simplex net and others fill in if I can’t do it such as having to work on a Friday night. The net starts at 7:30pm EST (00:30UTC) and is in the Atlantic City Area. Since my simplex nets started simplex activity has increased in the South Jersey area near Atlantic City. wf5tx Good luck on your simplex project. A hope you get hams using 2 Meter simplex like I did.

    73 de Rick KC2ESD
     
  14. W8GTF

    W8GTF Ham Member QRZ Page

    I'd love to get involved, but it seems that Ohio was completely passed over.
     
  15. WF5TX

    WF5TX Ham Member QRZ Page

    Hello Tim!

    I'm a little confused. How was Ohio passed over?

    Maynard
    WF5TX
     
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