If you need to contact someone, anyone, right away, then 911 on your cell phone is a vastly better idea if you have cell coverage. If you don't, then any repeater in range is a better idea than any simplex frequency. Only if a) no cell service, and b) no repeater in range, would I try calling on an FM simplex frequency in an emergency or urgent situation.
I've had luck driving West coast to East coast using 146.52. I've even had luck using my vertical antenna on 144.200 SSB. People are out there!!! But, when there isn't, that's when I use the HF and a screwdriver.
This past Friday I drove 4hrs north to Stewartsville, NJ. from outside Dulles, VA and I got nothing on 146.52, switched back to SiriusXM after listening to white noise and nothing for so long
That's a very nice license plate frame but I wouldn't consider that since I recall cases of people in Iowa getting pulled over for frames like that since it covers too much of the plate. I considered getting a vanity plate with "446 MHZ", "FM 446", or something similar and keeping a radio in my truck tuned to that frequency. I decided against that once I found out how much a vanity plate costs, and how little actual conversation that would likely bring. On long trips I'll bring my CB and a dual band HT or mobile, the CB gets more use. I had a dual VFO HT that I would tune to the 2 meter and 70 cm calling frequencies but I sold it since it seemed to only pick up broken bits of public safety chatter. It worked well enough on one VFO but then that defeated the point of having two. A few people mentioned the possible use of SDR to monitor the bands for transmissions. That sounds like a good idea. I've heard of people using APRS to announce that they were listening on 146.52, I don't recall how well that worked for them. I'm guessing that in the near future there's going to be someone that figures out a way to more easily find other licensed Amateurs in range on VHF and UHF bands. This will likely come with some APRS style position reporting and some kind of digital voice mode.
[QUOTE="AC0GT, post: 5533235, member: 220080" A few people mentioned the possible use of SDR to monitor the bands for transmissions. That sounds like a good idea. I've heard of people using APRS to announce that they were listening on 146.52, I don't recall how well that worked for them. I'm guessing that in the near future there's going to be someone that figures out a way to more easily find other licensed Amateurs in range on VHF and UHF bands. This will likely come with some APRS style position reporting and some kind of digital voice mode.[/QUOTE] More likely a cell phone app
The same ARRL that supported 146.520 as a calling frequency used to make initial contact and move on to another frequency is the same ARRL that supported the use of 146.520 in contests??? Part of the decreased use of 146.520 could be attributed to the fragmentation of the band the result of modes like DMR, D-Star, and Fusion.
Don't laugh. It's quite possible that there's someone working out a cell phone app that allows some kind of SDR dongle to operate 2-way communications under Part 97. Take it one step further and it can allow unlicensed people to listen in on this "beacon" of sorts and respond with a phone call. Or any of a number of ways to respond by Part 15, cellular, sound, light, or whatever. I'll look at some of the things that have come to other radio services like GMRS, maritime, airband, and Part 90 and think how nice it would be to see things like that happening in Part 97. Or at least see licensed Amateurs taking this same technology and adopting it on Part 97 frequencies with perhaps a "tweak" to add something that the other services can't do. With all the computing power available in the pocket computers we call cell phones I'm a bit amazed that there aren't more cell phone apps for Amateur radio. Then I remember that there's a group of licensed Amateurs calling for the restoration of the Morse code testing requirement. If we are going to expect the next generation of people to see Amateur radio as anything other than a living history museum then current licensed Amateurs need to stop acting like Amateur radio is supposed to be a living history museum.
First contact I ever made was on 52. I monitor it off And on during day. I have 2 hits so sometimes just leave one on 52.nwhile talk on other
While at my QTH I scan 146.520 every day. The interesting thing is that as I write this I just spoke with two different mobiles passing through the Black Hills of South Dakota. It was a good day monitoring 146.520.
I made a contact just yesterday with a guy out in Dayton, Nevada. Over 30 miles plus a couple of mountains ranges in between-- I was ecstatic. 52 is alive and well here. I wish more people would listen though.
Several of us monitor 5-2 out here in the sticks....If you drive thru the Texas Panhandle, make a few calls on five two.
Just about every time I come through the Amarillo area I do talk to a couple of guys on 52 Keep your receiver on and we will work someday. 73
Considering how seldom there are contests that include 2M FM activity, and how range limited that typically is simplex anyway barring mountain topping or similar, I don't see the conflict there. 2M FM and VHF/UHF FM in general is not just dead but resting in peace in many places, and simplex even more so than repeaters. ANYTHING that drums up some activity is probably good. I just don't see this ever being a problem. How many VHF contests are there each year where this would even apply? (I really don't know, don't do contesting.) Two? Maybe plus a state QSO party which is only sort of a contest, and in any case will be very geographically limited anyway?
And it would be equally pointless for the ARRL to advise making initial contact on 146.52 and moving to another simplex frequency, for the reasons you mention.
