2 meter FM Band Opening!

Hi,
This is Andrew, KI4DWG in Cedartown GA. Last night, Tuesday June 01, 2004, I had the privilege of talking on a band opening for the first time since I have had my license.

From Cedartown GA, I was talking to people all the way into Jonesboro Arkansas, Franklin Kentucky, Nashville Tennessee, Anderson South Carolina to name a few.

I started talking on the band opening around 11:15PM, and it was real open and everyone was in there real loud and clear, full scale and good audio. It started going in and out around 10AM, and then started opening back up around 1:30AM, and was going strong until 2:30AM, and started going out pretty fast around 30AM when I finally called it a night. And again today, earlier this morning, I was making long distance contacts, so maybe the band is going to continue to stay open for a few days, hopefully anyway.

This was my first chance of seeing what a band opening will do since I got my license in February of this year. I really enjoyed it, and hopefully I will be upgrading and getting my General license soon to talk on HF.

This is getting long, I apologize for that, so 73's everyone.

Andrew Benefield
KI4DWG
Cedartown GA

 

Which band are you speaking of? I mean, what's the frequency you were talking on?

 

The DX bug bit you,and now you got the fever! Welcome aboard!! Plenty of DX to you in the future

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (w4gns @ June 03 2004,12:37)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The DX bug bit you,and now you got the fever! Welcome aboard!! Plenty of DX to you in the future [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Ageed,it's really great to hear something like that happen to you.Hope you have continued success in the future with band openings.

 

kd5mnb...what does the words of the TITLE of the thread say ?

answer: 2 meter ( duh )

 

Boy does that bring back memories. I remember my first ever 2 meter opening from Jersey City to Atlantic City. I was using 25 watts AM into a "Big Wheel" antenna. I was just jumping around like crazy that I worked such a distance. I immediately got out a map and measured the air distance probably about a zillion times and traced it with my finger lots of times.

The DX bug has a big bite.

TS820

 

hello,
i was on a 2 mtr. opening on ssb 144.200 a couple of years ago on a sunday morning and it was wild.
i'm in ks. and all the dx was from ga.,and florida and one contact in cuba, oscar co2oj he was 59 for 10 min.
the rig i was using was the ic 746 100 watts to a 13b2 horz. @ 55 ft.
there were several people in wichita that made the contact with him.
73 to all, kc0fcl conrad in eureka ks.

 

I don't know about two meter Deeee-X, but I sure like your clock. It's 04 PM !

73, Jim KH2D

 

Good luck Andrew! I was able to reach NJ on 2 meter SSB the day I received my ticket (call sign) from Ft. Lauderdale, Fl with a vert. ant. up 20'. The bug bite is a good thing. Try six meters until you can upgrade to Gen.
73,
Al Richter
W4ALR

 

I remember one night about two years ago- The Holland, MI repeater (147.06) was receiving stations in Muskegon, Milwaukee, Sheboygan (WI) Chicago, and Lansing. One Sheboygan station was using an HT with 1/2 watt!

I will remember that day for a long time.

 

Thanks everyone! I am sorry its took me so long to get back on here. But thanks! I am looking forward to the next opening, it sure was fun. And sorry about not posting frequency, it was 146.640, and I was using a PLT of 114.8, and some wasn't even using one, so it was just a little helpful interference really I have been meaning to send out some little "eyeball" cards that I made to the people that i talked to, so if you are reading this, sorry I am running behind, I will get them out though. And I am definately looking forward to upgrading and getting my HF privileges, I went tonight and took my code test, and found out that even if you know the whole alphabet, and everything you need, copying is a whole lot harder than sending lol But maybe I will get it, and I may see some of you on HF.

73's
Andrew

 

Andrew! There are lots of people reading your post right now that are remembering their first band opening. They are all smiling .I'm smiling too! You have been bitten by "the bug". The only cure for it is a lifetime of having fun on the radio, in all its' many modes and variations. Welcome aboard. 73 ............mike

 

Have fun Andrew! there will be a few folks who will give you a hard time online no matter what, just keep doing your thing and enjoying yourself.

To the guy who had to start it up about Andrew using 2 meters, back off the man! who cares what mode or frequency you enjoy...go tell the EME guys they are not as intelligent as you are because of the frequency they use....the frequency!! I can see how it would be easy to become ashamed of our hobby because of negativity....but i wont, because its not representitive of the majority. so far, all but one of the guys responding to Andrew have been supportive and sound like they still enjoy ham radio....or life for that matter.

Andrew, keep on DXing...whatever frequency its on, hihi!! one of these days i will try my hand on 2 meter skip, satellite, 6 meters, etc....im sure theres a world out there beyond HF CW DXing.

 

Great job on the 2 meter dx! Just remember...as so many do not, that the 144.200 is the *calling* freq. Please don't get on and start long QSO's when the opening can last long enoughto pass grid and callsign. Ragchewing is great on 6 meter/hf, but for QRP vhf stations it can be an impediment.


Alpharetta GA
Listening to on .200 whilst 2 stations argue when the last best opening was.

 

I remember when I lived In Memphis, Tn. we would have
2 Meter openings. would talk from a mobile 50 watts
through repeaters in Nashville,Tn. and states of
MS, KY, LA

all using there repeaters....

Andrew try changing the PL codes around also when there is an opening. you would be surprized.

Jeff
W0NWA