The Yaesu VX-6R is still available and works great on 220. The Anytone 578 UV III is also a good mobile tribander but there definitely is a shortage. Keep making the great and informative videos.
Ria.. I love you but you missed a very significant part of the history of 220. Novice enhancement. In the late 80s when the FCC enhanced the Novice class and gave Novices access to SSB on 28.3~28.5 and portions of 1.2 GHz, they also gave Novices access to the repeater input and simplex portions of the 220 MHz band. This created in some areas, an explosion of use on 220 MHz, especially in Los Angeles where I lived at the time. From my house at the time with an outdoor nondirectional antenna, I could bring up 220 repeaters on virtually every frequency that were coordinated for repeater use (except the closed/private repeaters of course). In the late 80s and into the 90s, there were a lot of radios from the big-3. I still have my Kenwood TM-321A (Actually, I have the whole set, from 2m/220/440/1.2). This was truly the golden era of 220. So what killed 220?.. in my opinion, the FCC restructuring to the three-class system and the elimination of the Novice license class. Back in the old days, all you needed was two General class hams to administer a novice test and sign the back of the application. You did not have to go through the VEC system and a Novice ticket with 10m, 220 and 1.2 voice was yours. The incentive was to take the Element 3 exam and get the Tech ticket. Take the 13WPM, and get your General. We have come a long way since then to the point where today, the ARRL wants to take more of the incentive out of upgrading (through proposing to give Tech licenses a large chunk of HF as compared to the small morsel that was offered to Novices). Will 220 ever have another golden era? Probably not. On my last trip to Los Angeles a couple of years ago, I was hardly able to find much activity on the band, but I can say that some of the repeaters I used to use when I was out there are still up.. just sitting, waiting for someone to give them the love that they deserve. 220 has some very interesting propagation characteristics that you will not find on 2m or 440. I remember the one time I was able to operate from XE from Rosarito Beach and I was able to easily bring up many of the Los Angeles repeaters that I used at the time. As long as there's no incentive to use 220, there will be no demand for the radios. Perhaps if the FCC/ARRL left the Novice license alone, this would have been a whole different video. On the loss of 220~222, this was at a time when ARRL advocacy for any activity other than satellite on 2 meters and above was nonexistent (it still sort of is these days, but not as bad as it was then). The FCC actually did rely on the ARRL Repeater Directory as justification to reallocate 220~222 citing the lack of repeaters. There were a lot of unpublished control links and packet backbone connections at the time. The FCC partially recognized this with the restricted 219~220 allocation given to the ARS. I let my ARRL membership lapse for many years over the whole 220 debacle. I did not trust that the ARRL would stand back if/when other spectrum (such as 420~450) would ever be threatened. So yes, the ARRL of that time (staying quiet during the 220~222 reallocation and sort of, where it came to the elimination of the Novice) was very responsible for the 220 band (and its activity) we have today. de KU3N.
We have a very active 220 machine that has been on the air since 1985. Unfortunately Alinco stopped producing their famous DR235. TYT's monoband 220 mobile is still in production. Anytone's 578 tribander does have 220, but is limited to 5 W. Yaesu makes the VX6R portable. Unfortunately it is only 1.5w but is a great radio. We found all the bridgecom stuff horrible. Our group uses a combination of Motorola, Alinco, Anytone and TYT's. 220 repeaters are almost impossible acquire. The only real 220 repeater out there is Tait. 220 is the best kept secret. I am going to keep my 220 machine going for as long as I can. I do wish more hams would enjoy the band.
I recently read somewhere that Alinco radios are now made by Anytone, though I have no idea if that is true or not. Its strange that the DR-235 is still listed on their web page.
Where are you and your 220 repeater located? Frequency & PL? And your call sign so if I get that way I can give you a shout. My wife and I are now retired and thinking about relocating and one of the considerations is having a vibrant and friendly ham radio club nearby.
Ria, thanks for another fine video. This subject is near and dear to my heart. I've been an active user of the 222MHz band since early 1972. I had to build my (tube) transmitter and mate it with a down converter to HF receiver as my first 222 station. I then built a 222 AM repeater. There were no FM rigs yet available and the small number of hams on the band were all weak signal guys mostly on CW, SSB and AM. I've had a collection of various mobiles, handheld's and yes, base stations since then. I currently have a Yaesu VX-6R handy and an Alinco DR-235 mobile rig. I also have a 222 transverter mated to my IC-705 for weak signal work on the band. BTW, we just replaced the old "split Midland" FM repeater built in 1973 with a new Bridgecom Systems BCR-220 machine and continue to provide repeater service here in southern California. 220, use it or lose it! 73 de Chris W6NOB DM14ei Wrightwood CA USA
The Icom IC375A was a great 220MHz multimode back in the 1980s, here in the UK we had similar issues with 70MHz equipment until fairly recently. Either using converted PMR equipment/total homebrew or transverters.
I modified the band limits on the Baofeng AR-152. It is advertised as a 2 meter and 70 centimeter transceiver. But, with a configuration change, it does operate on 1.25 meters, as well, albeit with slightly less receiving performance. Change the antenna to the Nagoya NA-320A, antenna and now you have a tri-band, triple power, handheld transceiver! It also receives 4 meter band, but only receive. I would love to share the knowledge.
@@n2rj I'm not sure. It's made in Korea if that means anything. I've wondered if any ham radio manufacturer would entertain a group buy for a 220 version of an existing radio they already make. Maybe there would be enough interest in the RUclips ham community for something like that to happen.
I treated myself to the BC-220 Handy-talkie. I am impressed with the range I get on 220 FM. I regularly work a repeater 30 miles away with 5w into a home-brew J-pole. I also check into the Nation-wide 220 net on Fridays at 7:00.
Thank you for this! I bought a TH-D74 because of its tri-band ability, but it's rare to hear anything in my part of Illinois on 1.25. I have to get closer to Chicago or St. Louis before the band shows any repeater life. Like you said, it's a use-or-lose situation. This may be a good time to tout the ARRL's Bandwidth Defense Fund. Let's keep our lobbyists in the ears of our Senators and Representatives to prevent more radio shenanigans.
I have been on 220 for many years. In face we had our weekly net just this evening. I agree that it is the most unused of all our allocations and wish it would pink up more. Thanks for video. 73 Bob Smith WB6ODR
Get a 222 transverter if you can find one and use it with your HF rig. It will give you all available modes, SSB and CW in addition to FM. That is really the best way to go.
The Salt Lake City area has almost every 2M and 70cm frequency allocated for repeaters and even simplex frequencies see a lot of use. The 220 band doesn’t get a lot of use, but there’s a small group of us that use it regularly. There are a handful of 220 repeaters that do a good job of covering the valley. From my elevated location I can talk to almost anyone in the area with 5 watts and a copper JPole. Propagation is comparable to 2M. As far as radios, I use an Alinco DR-235, Anytone 5888, Yaesu VX-6, and UV-5x3. The Comet CX-333 is an outstanding triband base antenna. Hard to believe anyone would want such a small band these days. Many newer digital radio modes are bandwidth hogs. 73s WB5NOE
Thanks for the video! I bought the Alinco DJ-V27 single band as it was going out of production, and have enjoyed using from summits for SOTA. There seemed to be a battery issue with the first one, and replacement has worked well... 73. It's always fun to hear... "this is my first 220MHz simplex contact"! 73 James
Just my $0.02, but I consider 220 to combine the best of 2M and 440 - lower noise than 2M and better coverage than 440. We had a very active group here on the band but attrition (leaving for college, etc.) took its toll and we eventually ended up losing the site, to boot. I still have an IC-38A and a few other radios as well, including some HTs, but there's almost no one left to talk with.
The Lake Erie Amateur Radio Association headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio has a repeater on 224.900/R- PL 141.3. It is an Icom ham radio repeater. Most of our techy people maintain that a radio is not worth anything if it doesn't have a Motorola bat wing on it. However, the Icom repeater has been in service for more than 25 years. In that time it needed one repair when a 79 cent capacitor in the audio path failed. As I recall, the repeater cost us about $3,500 back then. But I think we got our money's worth. The repeater isn't used a great deal, but there are few folks who listen from time to time. If you are in or passing through Cleveland, give it a try.
Good morning Ria, found the channel about a year ago but didnt know youre a Trini until I came upon the video of Trinidad and Tobago Independence....Im a Trini too and have been a CBer since 1978 and never made the transition to Ham Radio, I tried but never followed up on it...btw Im in Central Florida
Seems to me the demise of 220 radios is because of the unavailability of 220 repeaters. When one goes offline, there's nothing to replace it. Hamronics, for example, was a huge contributor to the population of 220 equipment used in repeaters. Sadly, the owners untimely passing put a stop to their equipment. Others only momentarily provided 220 repeaters. Lastly, converting older commercial radios for 220 repeater use is not something most would do. It's like having cars but no highways or roadways to drive on, so why have cars? Glad I discovered your channel and subscribed.
This got me curious, Radioddity says "limited 220" for the QR20 on its website. I emailed them for clarification on what they mean. That radio deserves more interest. I also checked my unlocked Icom IC-7100. It will not allow the VFO to tune to frequencies from 199.999.99 to 400.000.00 - so not even Rx in that range. However, tested into a dummy load, it allows transmitting outside that range on any frequency I tried. Now that is really strange. It tunes 470.000.00 to .030.00 except no 200.000.00 or 300.000.00
Great video!! I use 220 all the time here in Richmond Indiana, I have been using the Baofeng radios for 220 they seem to work ok,my vx-7r covers 220 but only 150 mw. Keep up the good work!! the video was an excellent description an history of 220. Thank You! WA2TWF
Kenwood built the TM-742A as a tri-band mobile. It generally came with 2M and 440 installed and room for a 3rd module. Modules were available for 10M, 6M, 2M, 220, 440, and 1.2 GHz. The radio has been out of production for 25 years and still has quite following. When good condition working examples pop up on eBay, they typically sell for more than the radios sold for new and comparable to a new Kenwood mobile. Of course, this only an analog FM radio. I have one and it is great radio.
Wow! Great to see good old Steve Mendelsohn. He had the 147.195 repeater and allowed me to be one of its monitors, not to mention being under his wing during the NYC Marathon. This was all in the early 1990s.
I think you are on target . My Baofeng UV-5R does144- 222-440 mhz . One just needs to re-program it to do so, and some will some won't work . You won't know until you try . Many thanks for posting Ria I look forward to your video's ! 73s
Now putting together a transverter-based station for weak signal work. I have a 220 beam and Ringo out in the shed. My goal is 222 in 2022. Sited in Hampton Roads, I am hoping for tropo ducting to take my signals up and down the coast, and sporadic E to get into the midlands and beyond.
Even more so 900MHz would be great but no options at all outside of high cost commercial radios that most of can not easily work the ham portion... but agreed 220 would be great to gain easier access to again. I also would love to see more 1.2GHz activity with more options!
Actually, some of the newest Baofeng radios are supporting 1.25 meters now! You have to look for one labeled UV-5R III and make sure the listing mentions 1.25 meters, but I found one on Amazon last night for $40 with the programming cable. And yes, it still supports 2m and 70cm, so now we have a tri-band HT at a price that’ll be an impulse buy for just about anyone. In a certain sense, this makes 1.25 meters more accessible than ever, let’s see if that leads to more activity on the band. Hopefully if FM 1.25m activity increases, there will be more interest in radios for other modes on the band. Or maybe there’s something in the SDR space that can fill the need. The LimeSDR is an SDR transceiver that, while not designed specifically for ham use, covers 30MHz to 3.8GHz. You’d want to put a band pass filter on its output to prevent harmonics (not sure how well to trust it in that regard, so better to be safe than sorry) and would need an amplifier with a very low input power (since the LimeSDR’s output power is basically Part 15 levels) and 1.25m antenna. That’s just what I can think of off the top of my head, maybe someone better versed with SDRs is aware of a better option.
I would like to see spurious emissions on the 1.25m band. What about power output? There have been so called Tri band radios for years but only with less than 1 watt output because they are stretching the specs of the radio.
From the little info I can find online that have actually tested it, it seems likely that the spec is a full 4 W on 220, though I couldn’t tell you anything about how clean the signal is. But, in my research, I learned that not all Baofeng radios operate to spec (it’s apparently particularly an issue with ones bought from Wish, I’m guessing that the ones for sale on Wish were factory rejects). So it seems like the spec is for 220 to have the same power output as the other bands, but how well any radio actually conforms to spec is questionable (but I’d totally settle for 3W on 220 over 1W or milliwatts, which I hadn’t realized was an issue with a lot of tri-banders).
Yes, I was disappointed as they could have given it back to us and used more suitable spectrum, lol. But here it is. railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/17788/PTC%20Desense%20Test%20and%20Evaluation_Appendix%20A_final.pdf
220 to 222 is heavily used for narrow FM in NY state. Indian Point nuke plant uses 220 to 222 for emergency alerting....PTC is not all 220...several Class A carriers tried to get it nationwide but were denied by the FCC.
This is exactly the question I want answered! No reason that my IC-7100 shouldn't include 222! I would really like a 7100 or 705 type rig for 144 through 1.2! 144/222/440/902/1296 all mode. It could be a lot of fun! I don't know why the 9700 doesn't have the other bands. I don't want to drop $2k for a 9700 or $2k+ for a five band transverter! I've thought of getting a VX-6R, but I don't really want 1.5w FM. I'd like FT8 and other digimodes without a transverter, even if it's 10 or 20w. 73 de VE3GKT!
I "Mars Modded my 7100 and should be legally able to broadcast on it. Now if there were only someone else listening so I could see if it is transmitting. SSB would be fun.
@@Siskiyous6 you might be able to tx, but the transistors might not be able to handle it properly, and the low pass filters might not be tuned in the right spot. Just a thought
Motorola did produce some products (Waris) for the AMTS spectrum blocks at 217-219 MHz. This was popular as Passport trunking (LTR) back in the mid 2000's. There were other companies producing MPT trunking kit as well for these bands. Most of this can be repurposed to ham use very easily via a filter change and some simple reprogramming. There is also the secondary 219-220 MHz allocation of data use. I'm the only user of that I've ever met. There are commercial data radios which will do 128-400kbit/s in a 100 KHz channel at QPSK to 64 QAM.
Thank goodness for the excellent and inexpensive Ukrainian transverter for 1.25m! I added one a few years to my rover and it adds multipliers! 73 DE WA5RR
My cousin and I are both HAM's and we enjoy 220. It seems as we're the only people in our area on it so we pretty much have our own walkie talkie frequency. No need tying up a repeater lol.
We have the same issue in the UK - we don't get 222Mhz as we have digital broadcasting there but we do have 70Mhz (4m) from 70.000 to 70.500Mhz all modes, 100watts but very few radios made for the allocation.
BTECH UV-5XR has 1.25 meter, which is nice since you can use it on simplex without worrying about interference on another frequency. The problem is that you have to buy two, and since both operators have to be licensed, it makes more sense just to buy GMRS radios in a blister pack.
Ria's Shack ham radio I got an AZDEN PCS-7200 in the car. A Kenwood TM-642A in the Shack. Various HT''s. You can build a transverter with a 10M input to get on SSB.
We have a few 1.25m repeaters in the area I live, but it is difficult for people to use them as there are so few decent radios and the prices are high on most of what is available, which discourages experimenting on the band by new users. It is the realm of experienced, operators with funds available. I think the band will be lost to history soon due to lack of interest. Some clubs are putting up GMRS repeaters as a better investment because it can draw more people into the hobby
We don't have this band in the UK. Those frequencies were used for Band 3 TV and military airband. We have a 4m band on 70 MHz. We got that in place of pour old 5m band (56 MHz) which we lost to TV after WW2. Then int he late 80s we got 6m as well!
220 is a great band. I have a couple 220 radios. I bought a 220 transverter, maybe will build it soon LOL. The biggest reason for lack of use is, "The Big Three" dont want to put money into a market with few hams (Region 2). I really dont this changing.
The TYT UV8000D can be programmed via CHIRP to work on the 220 MHz band. The receiver sensitivity is good but unlike the 440 band on that radio, it gets easily overloaded on 220. I've been told it can transmit over 1 watt on that band; mine only does ~0.75 watts, & the current draw is rather high so I think the RFPA is putting out a lot more power but it's being blocked by the low pass filter in the transmitter output. The 220 transmit output is clean: 2nd harmonic is 60 dB down, so no worries about causing interference with it unlike some other Chinese radios hacked to do 220. The Yaesu VX-7 also does 220. Receive is good, but mine only puts out 0.23 watts on that band. Regarding commercial NBFM equipment for 220: there is a small LMR band in the 216-217 MHz range & Motorola made some radios for it, including the CDM1550LS mobile. They are made for 12.5 kHz channel spacing (2.5 kHz deviation) but can be modified for our traditional 5 kHz deviation. I have 2 such radios that I converted for repeater operation that I'm about to put into service. Their performance is comparable to other commercial gear made for VHF & UHF bands, & I regularly use another 220 repeater made from a pair of these mobiles & it works great. So these are a viable option for repeater use. As far as lack of digital radios on 220, I consider that a plus given the irresponsible attitude of digital 440 system owners dumping their repeaters on top of existing analog operations. IMO digital & analog need to be separated in the same way CW/digital & SSB have separate band segments on HF.
Same can be done to the old Baofeng UV-B5 or UV-B6, Chirp with an added PY file can do it. as well as Motorolas, Kenwood TK715 are on 216 trunking and can be reprogramed for 222 Theres a one use eprom in a socket behind the LCD display which holds the channel hex codes
I was a novice when the FCC gave 220 privileges to novice and I bought a radio for the band. I mountain topped for repeater coverage and made some distant contacts. It's chaps me that Yaesu makes a tri-band ht that only has watt or so on 220.
It seems the paintballers, air soft, and survivalist preppers love 222Mhz transceivers. I am constantly adapting all manner of radios for 1.25 meters. Of course, not all can be modified to work on 222 to 225 Mhz with ease. Some, I tell they have to get something else.
Ria setting up a 220 echolink node but having problems with the rigblaster nomic and the connections any help using the QYT 9000D 220 radio in mic rj45 ? Thank You
DMR is a commercial offering. In the USA, icom has standardized on NXDN for its commercial radios. They have no plans to manufacture DMR equipment. See here: www.icomamerica.com/en/media_events/news/NewsArticle.aspx?id=201101
Also what about 70 MHz, 4 Meters, in Europe? I understand that's near a TV channel in our system, not given up by HDTV, though low VHF is not great for HDTV, as seen here with WGBH-TV, PBS, now on Channel 2. Except for Cable, you need an outside TV antenna to receive out of the immediate broadcast area, even being a bit over 30 miles from the transmitter. Ray W2CH Nashua, NH
It's sad, but other than FM, there hasn't been a large number of choices for 1.25m radios. In years past, it could be found as an option, for some multiband radios. These days, used Amateur Radios, Transverters, & a handful of used Commercial Radios are about the only means to get on the 220 MHz band. With the Railroad Industry using the lower end of the band for PTC, I worry we'll lose the rest, if the band doesn't get more activity on it, to justify our use of it.
@@christopherboone9802 If we don't use 222-225 MHz, the FCC could just as easily take away the remainder of the band, especially if they thought it was a revenue opportunaty.
W8WIN here, Hi Ria Good video! I have been using 220 MHz for years with a group of locals in the NE Ohio area. My only comment is about your video is, that I think you are placing too much value on using other modes on 220 like SSB and digital modes. 220 has always been primarily an FM band for people who like to talk locally with a few friends. Much equipment is currently available for DMR and SSB on 54, 144, and 440 With that being the case, I don't really see a need or a want for multi mode 220 equipment,
Well there is actually a desire for it. Ham radio is about experimentation and not utility communications so it stands to reason that there should be options for everything. That said transverters fill the need nicely but I’m surprised that some mainstream radios don’t have the band.
@@n2rj Yes, I do agree 100% that more 220 options would be nice. It seems like 220 is being offered in radios from China much more than the major market radios form the big 3 manufacturers. However having owned several China radios that are 220 capable, I would personally say the quality is surprisingly good for a low a cost. I would say 220 is on the upswing at the moment, (however just FM) ... but still a good thing. PS I really enjoy your videos! .. keep up the good work!
Ok...about 30 or so years ago the FCC made a rule change to encourage Novices to operate. They gave them voice privileges on the 220 band with 25 watts of FM and 200 watts of SSB from 28.3 to 28.5 MHz. Technician class licenses also got the 10 meter voice band. This resulted in a flood of operations on 10 and the appearance of 220 MHz FM gear from the Big Three. Many clubs added 220 systems, but since hams like to play exclusivity games, the 220 band was stigmatized as "the Novice band" and those who used it were ridiculed and told to "get a real ham license". Nothing like encouraging newcomers. Today, no one actually talks on their radios. The old curmudgeons are long dead along with the clubs they belonged to and the repeater systems they built. The Novice class went away along with the Advanced class when the FCC restructured the license classes some years ago. Modern amateur radio consists of connecting a laptop to a 7300, going to work, and seeing how many other laptops your station "worked" while you were out. Meanwhile... Local clubs die out although there are more licensed amateurs today than at any time in history. Why is it like this? Because instead of actually talking to another human, I'm typing on the keypad on my phone while the radios are turned off. At this rate, I predict that the only available commercially made ham gear will only be used by 2030. There will be no new equipment.
Novices and Advanced Class are still around..I'm one of them, Advanced since 1974. I know of Novices who keep renewing.. true no NEW tickets for those two classes but we are still in existence
@@christopherboone9802 , during a recent public comments section I advocated upgrading all Novices to Technician and all Advanced to Extra but couldn't get any traction. I've been an Extra since 1989.
If any band can be handed off to the FCC to then sell at a profit to a cell, broadband, or gps related use, it is 220 band. There are many well supported bands with plenty of space and active repeaters that are half dormant. I knew a few that liked it for it's rarety, exclusive to deep experiment nature, and the privacy of it nearly never a band at the grasp of a programable scanner. They could do worse and trim off of all bands, so it seems like something to consider. 60, 30, 17, and 12 meter bands were nice gifts, and there is a rumor of a 4 meter band, but it is getting bonkers for manufacturers to keep up with, and keep it priced sanely.
I got the Baofeng UV-S9X3 which comes with the 1.25 meter band. - Guess what, I live in one of the two countries in the world where the 1.25 meter is illegal, Guatemala! I have no idea whatsoever who uses the 1.25 meter in Guatemala as the frequency is dead silent whenever I scan it.
My Anytone 578UVIIPlus has 222MHz but at only 5 watts. But there are not a lot of 144MHz, 222MHz , 444MHz antennas. So it isn't easy to use the 222MHz band. There may be others that make antennas for the 3 bands but Ed Fong is the only one I know of. Any antennas that cover the 3 bands for under $100 let me know.
@@jeffkardosjr.3825 I really didn't want to have another coax and antenna on my tower. I can make an antenna easy. My scanner antenna is almost long enough. I can get some more stainless steel welding rods and make one. There is a good video on how to make a VHF-UHF vertical Dipole antenna with the stainless steel welding rods. They are 36 inches bent over with each part longer than needed for the bands then cut to tune. Two of them one pointing up and the other pointing down. Mounted on some PVC pipe. Or on clear plastic to make it hard to see.
If you want 220 all mode radios most likely used is the best bet plenty were made in the 80's and 90's 900 and 1.2 gig is even worse less radios for those bands.
The good thing about 1.25 m is it's a very quiet band there's not a lot of noise on there
The Yaesu VX-6R is still available and works great on 220. The Anytone 578 UV III is also a good mobile tribander but there definitely is a shortage. Keep making the great and informative videos.
The UV-5X3 is a good handheld, but it would be nice if there were more mobiles over 5 watts.
I like 222. It has the advantages of both 2 meters and 440. I hear there are pockets in the US where 222 is very popular.
Great video, I was literally having this conversation with a ham on a 220 repeater about 7 hours before I watched this video. Great job as usual.
Ria.. I love you but you missed a very significant part of the history of 220. Novice enhancement. In the late 80s when the FCC enhanced the Novice class and gave Novices access to SSB on 28.3~28.5 and portions of 1.2 GHz, they also gave Novices access to the repeater input and simplex portions of the 220 MHz band. This created in some areas, an explosion of use on 220 MHz, especially in Los Angeles where I lived at the time. From my house at the time with an outdoor nondirectional antenna, I could bring up 220 repeaters on virtually every frequency that were coordinated for repeater use (except the closed/private repeaters of course). In the late 80s and into the 90s, there were a lot of radios from the big-3. I still have my Kenwood TM-321A (Actually, I have the whole set, from 2m/220/440/1.2). This was truly the golden era of 220.
So what killed 220?.. in my opinion, the FCC restructuring to the three-class system and the elimination of the Novice license class. Back in the old days, all you needed was two General class hams to administer a novice test and sign the back of the application. You did not have to go through the VEC system and a Novice ticket with 10m, 220 and 1.2 voice was yours. The incentive was to take the Element 3 exam and get the Tech ticket. Take the 13WPM, and get your General. We have come a long way since then to the point where today, the ARRL wants to take more of the incentive out of upgrading (through proposing to give Tech licenses a large chunk of HF as compared to the small morsel that was offered to Novices).
Will 220 ever have another golden era? Probably not. On my last trip to Los Angeles a couple of years ago, I was hardly able to find much activity on the band, but I can say that some of the repeaters I used to use when I was out there are still up.. just sitting, waiting for someone to give them the love that they deserve.
220 has some very interesting propagation characteristics that you will not find on 2m or 440. I remember the one time I was able to operate from XE from Rosarito Beach and I was able to easily bring up many of the Los Angeles repeaters that I used at the time.
As long as there's no incentive to use 220, there will be no demand for the radios. Perhaps if the FCC/ARRL left the Novice license alone, this would have been a whole different video.
On the loss of 220~222, this was at a time when ARRL advocacy for any activity other than satellite on 2 meters and above was nonexistent (it still sort of is these days, but not as bad as it was then). The FCC actually did rely on the ARRL Repeater Directory as justification to reallocate 220~222 citing the lack of repeaters. There were a lot of unpublished control links and packet backbone connections at the time. The FCC partially recognized this with the restricted 219~220 allocation given to the ARS. I let my ARRL membership lapse for many years over the whole 220 debacle. I did not trust that the ARRL would stand back if/when other spectrum (such as 420~450) would ever be threatened. So yes, the ARRL of that time (staying quiet during the 220~222 reallocation and sort of, where it came to the elimination of the Novice) was very responsible for the 220 band (and its activity) we have today.
de KU3N.
Back when I got my Novice, it only took my Elmer, N5AL EX WA5UVD, to give me the test.
220 is active in my area. I’m thankful for that. I live in Northwest Virginia. The repeater is at 2200 feet and has a huge footprint.
We have a very active 220 machine that has been on the air since 1985. Unfortunately Alinco stopped producing their famous DR235. TYT's monoband 220 mobile is still in production. Anytone's 578 tribander does have 220, but is limited to 5 W. Yaesu makes the VX6R portable. Unfortunately it is only 1.5w but is a great radio. We found all the bridgecom stuff horrible. Our group uses a combination of Motorola, Alinco, Anytone and TYT's. 220 repeaters are almost impossible acquire. The only real 220 repeater out there is Tait. 220 is the best kept secret. I am going to keep my 220 machine going for as long as I can. I do wish more hams would enjoy the band.
I would be interested to know your experience with Bridgecom. I've been really happy with the performance of mine, what am I missing out on?
I recently read somewhere that Alinco radios are now made by Anytone, though I have no idea if that is true or not. Its strange that the DR-235 is still listed on their web page.
Where are you and your 220 repeater located? Frequency & PL? And your call sign so if I get that way I can give you a shout. My wife and I are now retired and thinking about relocating and one of the considerations is having a vibrant and friendly ham radio club nearby.
Alinco has released new 220 radio -DR-CS25T
Ria, thanks for another fine video. This subject is near and dear to my heart. I've been an active user of the 222MHz band since early 1972. I had to build my (tube) transmitter and mate it with a down converter to HF receiver as my first 222 station. I then built a 222 AM repeater. There were no FM rigs yet available and the small number of hams on the band were all weak signal guys mostly on CW, SSB and AM. I've had a collection of various mobiles, handheld's and yes, base stations since then. I currently have a Yaesu VX-6R handy and an Alinco DR-235 mobile rig. I also have a 222 transverter mated to my IC-705 for weak signal work on the band. BTW, we just replaced the old "split Midland" FM repeater built in 1973 with a new Bridgecom Systems BCR-220 machine and continue to provide repeater service here in southern California. 220, use it or lose it! 73 de Chris W6NOB DM14ei Wrightwood CA USA
The Icom IC375A was a great 220MHz multimode back in the 1980s, here in the UK we had similar issues with 70MHz equipment until fairly recently. Either using converted PMR equipment/total homebrew or transverters.
I modified the band limits on the Baofeng AR-152. It is advertised as a 2 meter and 70 centimeter transceiver. But, with a configuration change, it does operate on 1.25 meters, as well, albeit with slightly less receiving performance. Change the antenna to the Nagoya NA-320A, antenna and now you have a tri-band, triple power, handheld transceiver! It also receives 4 meter band, but only receive. I would love to share the knowledge.
I recently bought a Bridgecom BCM-220 and I love it. I was disappointed to see it disappear from their website. It's a great piece of analog hardware.
This looks almost like a connect systems CS800D. I wonder if they have the same OEM?
@@n2rj I'm not sure. It's made in Korea if that means anything.
I've wondered if any ham radio manufacturer would entertain a group buy for a 220 version of an existing radio they already make. Maybe there would be enough interest in the RUclips ham community for something like that to happen.
I treated myself to the BC-220 Handy-talkie. I am impressed with the range I get on 220 FM. I regularly work a repeater 30 miles away with 5w into a home-brew J-pole. I also check into the Nation-wide 220 net on Fridays at 7:00.
ICOM should include it with their 9700. For the price, we should be getting 23cm-2 meters.
Thank you for this! I bought a TH-D74 because of its tri-band ability, but it's rare to hear anything in my part of Illinois on 1.25. I have to get closer to Chicago or St. Louis before the band shows any repeater life. Like you said, it's a use-or-lose situation. This may be a good time to tout the ARRL's Bandwidth Defense Fund. Let's keep our lobbyists in the ears of our Senators and Representatives to prevent more radio shenanigans.
Soo lucky I'm kicking my self in the ass for not just buying that ht when I could now used once are going for over 1000$
I have been on 220 for many years. In face we had our weekly net just this evening. I agree that it is the most unused of all our allocations and wish it would pink up more. Thanks for video. 73 Bob Smith WB6ODR
Get a 222 transverter if you can find one and use it with your HF rig. It will give you all available modes, SSB and CW in addition to FM. That is really the best way to go.
DX Engineering has TWO 1.25M radios in their latest catalog: the Alinco DR-235TMKIII and the BridgeCom BCM-220.
Both discontinued.
@@kellyblackmon2805 Well that sucks. I wanted that Alinco
The Salt Lake City area has almost every 2M and 70cm frequency allocated for repeaters and even simplex frequencies see a lot of use. The 220 band doesn’t get a lot of use, but there’s a small group of us that use it regularly. There are a handful of 220 repeaters that do a good job of covering the valley. From my elevated location I can talk to almost anyone in the area with 5 watts and a copper JPole. Propagation is comparable to 2M.
As far as radios, I use an Alinco DR-235, Anytone 5888, Yaesu VX-6, and UV-5x3. The Comet CX-333 is an outstanding triband base antenna.
Hard to believe anyone would want such a small band these days. Many newer digital radio modes are bandwidth hogs.
73s WB5NOE
Thanks for the video! I bought the Alinco DJ-V27 single band as it was going out of production, and have enjoyed using from summits for SOTA. There seemed to be a battery issue with the first one, and replacement has worked well... 73. It's always fun to hear... "this is my first 220MHz simplex contact"! 73 James
Thank you Ria for all that you do to promote the hobby. Dave, K7CI
Just my $0.02, but I consider 220 to combine the best of 2M and 440 - lower noise than 2M and better coverage than 440. We had a very active group here on the band but attrition (leaving for college, etc.) took its toll and we eventually ended up losing the site, to boot. I still have an IC-38A and a few other radios as well, including some HTs, but there's almost no one left to talk with.
The Lake Erie Amateur Radio Association headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio has a repeater on 224.900/R- PL 141.3. It is an Icom ham radio repeater. Most of our techy people maintain that a radio is not worth anything if it doesn't have a Motorola bat wing on it. However, the Icom repeater has been in service for more than 25 years. In that time it needed one repair when a 79 cent capacitor in the audio path failed. As I recall, the repeater cost us about $3,500 back then. But I think we got our money's worth.
The repeater isn't used a great deal, but there are few folks who listen from time to time. If you are in or passing through Cleveland, give it a try.
Good morning Ria, found the channel about a year ago but didnt know youre a Trini until I came upon the video of Trinidad and Tobago Independence....Im a Trini too and have been a CBer since 1978 and never made the transition to Ham Radio, I tried but never followed up on it...btw Im in Central Florida
Seems to me the demise of 220 radios is because of the unavailability of 220 repeaters. When one goes offline, there's nothing to replace it. Hamronics, for example, was a huge contributor to the population of 220 equipment used in repeaters. Sadly, the owners untimely passing put a stop to their equipment. Others only momentarily provided 220 repeaters. Lastly, converting older commercial radios for 220 repeater use is not something most would do. It's like having cars but no highways or roadways to drive on, so why have cars?
Glad I discovered your channel and subscribed.
Enjoyed hearing the history of 220 - thanks for sharing!
This got me curious, Radioddity says "limited 220" for the QR20 on its website. I emailed them for clarification on what they mean. That radio deserves more interest. I also checked my unlocked Icom IC-7100. It will not allow the VFO to tune to frequencies from 199.999.99 to 400.000.00 - so not even Rx in that range. However, tested into a dummy load, it allows transmitting outside that range on any frequency I tried. Now that is really strange. It tunes 470.000.00 to .030.00 except no 200.000.00 or 300.000.00
Great video!! I use 220 all the time here in Richmond Indiana, I have been using the Baofeng radios for 220 they seem to work ok,my vx-7r covers 220 but only 150 mw. Keep up the good work!! the video was an excellent description an history of 220. Thank You! WA2TWF
A shame Alinco stopped making the DJG29T, 220MHz and 900 MHz. Still have mine. K2KOH
And.... Where are the handhelds with AM/SSB BESIDES FM as modes for VHF/UHF? Would be great for DX and Satellite, etc. 73 DE W8LV BILL
Kenwood built the TM-742A as a tri-band mobile. It generally came with 2M and 440 installed and room for a 3rd module. Modules were available for 10M, 6M, 2M, 220, 440, and 1.2 GHz. The radio has been out of production for 25 years and still has quite following. When good condition working examples pop up on eBay, they typically sell for more than the radios sold for new and comparable to a new Kenwood mobile. Of course, this only an analog FM radio. I have one and it is great radio.
Don’t forget about Bridgecom. They also have 220 MHz repeaters. I love my Bridgecom radio!
Wow! Great to see good old Steve Mendelsohn. He had the 147.195 repeater and allowed me to be one of its monitors, not to mention being under his wing during the NYC Marathon. This was all in the early 1990s.
The UV-5X3, a handheld, though only FM and FMN does 2m, 1.25m, and 70cm.
You are just one hot radio operator. Keep up the good work educating the poor souls like me.
I think you are on target . My Baofeng UV-5R does144- 222-440 mhz . One just needs to re-program it to do so, and some will some won't work . You won't know until you try . Many thanks for posting Ria I look forward to your video's ! 73s
Steve Mendelson was a friend to me also. I worked many NYC Marathons with him. Thanks for the video of him.
Now putting together a transverter-based station for weak signal work. I have a 220 beam and Ringo out in the shed. My goal is 222 in 2022. Sited in Hampton Roads, I am hoping for tropo ducting to take my signals up and down the coast, and sporadic E to get into the midlands and beyond.
Even more so 900MHz would be great but no options at all outside of high cost commercial radios that most of can not easily work the ham portion... but agreed 220 would be great to gain easier access to again. I also would love to see more 1.2GHz activity with more options!
Actually, some of the newest Baofeng radios are supporting 1.25 meters now! You have to look for one labeled UV-5R III and make sure the listing mentions 1.25 meters, but I found one on Amazon last night for $40 with the programming cable. And yes, it still supports 2m and 70cm, so now we have a tri-band HT at a price that’ll be an impulse buy for just about anyone. In a certain sense, this makes 1.25 meters more accessible than ever, let’s see if that leads to more activity on the band. Hopefully if FM 1.25m activity increases, there will be more interest in radios for other modes on the band.
Or maybe there’s something in the SDR space that can fill the need. The LimeSDR is an SDR transceiver that, while not designed specifically for ham use, covers 30MHz to 3.8GHz. You’d want to put a band pass filter on its output to prevent harmonics (not sure how well to trust it in that regard, so better to be safe than sorry) and would need an amplifier with a very low input power (since the LimeSDR’s output power is basically Part 15 levels) and 1.25m antenna. That’s just what I can think of off the top of my head, maybe someone better versed with SDRs is aware of a better option.
I would like to see spurious emissions on the 1.25m band. What about power output? There have been so called Tri band radios for years but only with less than 1 watt output because they are stretching the specs of the radio.
From the little info I can find online that have actually tested it, it seems likely that the spec is a full 4 W on 220, though I couldn’t tell you anything about how clean the signal is. But, in my research, I learned that not all Baofeng radios operate to spec (it’s apparently particularly an issue with ones bought from Wish, I’m guessing that the ones for sale on Wish were factory rejects). So it seems like the spec is for 220 to have the same power output as the other bands, but how well any radio actually conforms to spec is questionable (but I’d totally settle for 3W on 220 over 1W or milliwatts, which I hadn’t realized was an issue with a lot of tri-banders).
Can't use it if we either don't know about it or have the equipment to access it. Thanks for the heads up. I'll be looking for a radio now
I did not know that the former UPS allocation is now used for Positive Train Control; very interesting !!! Great Video !!
Yes, I was disappointed as they could have given it back to us and used more suitable spectrum, lol. But here it is.
railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/17788/PTC%20Desense%20Test%20and%20Evaluation_Appendix%20A_final.pdf
220 to 222 is heavily used for narrow FM in NY state. Indian Point nuke plant uses 220 to 222 for emergency alerting....PTC is not all 220...several Class A carriers tried to get it nationwide but were denied by the FCC.
I have an Alinco mobile 220 megahertz radio in the house, it runs great.
This is exactly the question I want answered! No reason that my IC-7100 shouldn't include 222!
I would really like a 7100 or 705 type rig for 144 through 1.2! 144/222/440/902/1296 all mode. It could be a lot of fun! I don't know why the 9700 doesn't have the other bands. I don't want to drop $2k for a 9700 or $2k+ for a five band transverter!
I've thought of getting a VX-6R, but I don't really want 1.5w FM. I'd like FT8 and other digimodes without a transverter, even if it's 10 or 20w.
73 de VE3GKT!
I "Mars Modded my 7100 and should be legally able to broadcast on it. Now if there were only someone else listening so I could see if it is transmitting. SSB would be fun.
@@Siskiyous6 you might be able to tx, but the transistors might not be able to handle it properly, and the low pass filters might not be tuned in the right spot. Just a thought
I have the BTECH Mini UV-25x4 which covers 220. Not much activity around me on 220 though. One repeater with a few ops.
We need to make a push to get these frequencies back in use, Traditional fm is dead. But ssb/cw could be fun.
Motorola did produce some products (Waris) for the AMTS spectrum blocks at 217-219 MHz. This was popular as Passport trunking (LTR) back in the mid 2000's. There were other companies producing MPT trunking kit as well for these bands. Most of this can be repurposed to ham use very easily via a filter change and some simple reprogramming.
There is also the secondary 219-220 MHz allocation of data use. I'm the only user of that I've ever met. There are commercial data radios which will do 128-400kbit/s in a 100 KHz channel at QPSK to 64 QAM.
Thank goodness for the excellent and inexpensive Ukrainian transverter for 1.25m! I added one a few years to my rover and it adds multipliers! 73 DE WA5RR
We have two radios in that band. The Snohomish Co WA the Red Cross uses the 1.25 for its feeding vans.
My cousin and I are both HAM's and we enjoy 220. It seems as we're the only people in our area on it so we pretty much have our own walkie talkie frequency. No need tying up a repeater lol.
We have the same issue in the UK - we don't get 222Mhz as we have digital broadcasting there but we do have 70Mhz (4m) from 70.000 to 70.500Mhz all modes, 100watts but very few radios made for the allocation.
Lots of low band 66-88Mhz business radios can be converted for 70MHz
BTECH UV-5XR has 1.25 meter, which is nice since you can use it on simplex without worrying about interference on another frequency. The problem is that you have to buy two, and since both operators have to be licensed, it makes more sense just to buy GMRS radios in a blister pack.
Don't want to mention my Elmers call sign but he had a 220 repeater which I was on for about 20 years.
Some places do have them. What radio do you use to get on it?
Ria's Shack ham radio I got an AZDEN PCS-7200 in the car. A Kenwood TM-642A in the Shack. Various HT''s. You can build a transverter with a 10M input to get on SSB.
Just got an AnyTone AT-578UVIII Pro that is Tri-Band and I use the 1.25m down in Colorado Springs
I was happy to get a never used open box Alinco before they became impossible to find. I just noticed today Bridgecom discontinued theirs as well. :-(
Good content without the click bait. Please keep it up. … would like to see content on SDR and XIEGU X6100
We have a few 1.25m repeaters in the area I live, but it is difficult for people to use them as there are so few decent radios and the prices are high on most of what is available, which discourages experimenting on the band by new users. It is the realm of experienced, operators with funds available. I think the band will be lost to history soon due to lack of interest. Some clubs are putting up GMRS repeaters as a better investment because it can draw more people into the hobby
I’m thinking about looking into 220. I have 7 repeaters within 100 miles of my qth of Clarkridge, Arkansas EM36
KE5MUG
The Anytone 5888iii is a great triband mobile and only $250
We don't have this band in the UK. Those frequencies were used for Band 3 TV and military airband. We have a 4m band on 70 MHz. We got that in place of pour old 5m band (56 MHz) which we lost to TV after WW2. Then int he late 80s we got 6m as well!
220 is a great band. I have a couple 220 radios. I bought a 220 transverter, maybe will build it soon LOL. The biggest reason for lack of use is, "The Big Three" dont want to put money into a market with few hams (Region 2). I really dont this changing.
The TYT UV8000D can be programmed via CHIRP to work on the 220 MHz band. The receiver sensitivity is good but unlike the 440 band on that radio, it gets easily overloaded on 220. I've been told it can transmit over 1 watt on that band; mine only does ~0.75 watts, & the current draw is rather high so I think the RFPA is putting out a lot more power but it's being blocked by the low pass filter in the transmitter output. The 220 transmit output is clean: 2nd harmonic is 60 dB down, so no worries about causing interference with it unlike some other Chinese radios hacked to do 220. The Yaesu VX-7 also does 220. Receive is good, but mine only puts out 0.23 watts on that band.
Regarding commercial NBFM equipment for 220: there is a small LMR band in the 216-217 MHz range & Motorola made some radios for it, including the CDM1550LS mobile. They are made for 12.5 kHz channel spacing (2.5 kHz deviation) but can be modified for our traditional 5 kHz deviation. I have 2 such radios that I converted for repeater operation that I'm about to put into service. Their performance is comparable to other commercial gear made for VHF & UHF bands, & I regularly use another 220 repeater made from a pair of these mobiles & it works great. So these are a viable option for repeater use. As far as lack of digital radios on 220, I consider that a plus given the irresponsible attitude of digital 440 system owners dumping their repeaters on top of existing analog operations. IMO digital & analog need to be separated in the same way CW/digital & SSB have separate band segments on HF.
Same can be done to the old Baofeng UV-B5 or UV-B6, Chirp with an added PY file can do it.
as well as Motorolas, Kenwood TK715 are on 216 trunking and can be reprogramed for 222
Theres a one use eprom in a socket behind the LCD display which holds the channel hex codes
I was a novice when the FCC gave 220 privileges to novice and I bought a radio for the band. I mountain topped for repeater coverage and made some distant contacts. It's chaps me that Yaesu makes a tri-band ht that only has watt or so on 220.
Wonderfully informative. Thank you!
Thank you for this topic
It seems the paintballers, air soft, and survivalist preppers love 222Mhz transceivers. I am constantly adapting all manner of radios for 1.25 meters. Of course, not all can be modified to work on 222 to 225 Mhz with ease. Some, I tell they have to get something else.
I have two of the Alinco DR-235mkIII mobiles and one BridgeCom BCH-220 handheld. It is a very quiet band for FM.
Great question. I have a triband radio, qyt 8900r, but no one around me has any radios and it's difficult to find a decent radio.
I know that my yaesu ftm300d and ftm7250 and ftm70dr have 220 repeater shift in it but they will not transmit there for some reason
I remember in the 90's the popular HT's were tri banders either 2m, 220, and 70cm or 2M, 70cm, and 1.2GHz. Sadly 2M 70cm won the HT war.
Ria setting up a 220 echolink node but having problems with the rigblaster nomic and the connections any help using the QYT 9000D 220 radio in mic rj45 ? Thank You
I am on 223 MHz everyday
Anytone 578 mobile DMR unit supports 1.25M 70cm and 2M.
I have an old alinco fm handheld with a small linear . Ssb record around here from chilhowee mtn near 100 miles. Local heroes.
1:15 Icom, despite being part of the DMR consortium, have never released a DMR radio in either the commercial or the amateur spaces.
DMR is a commercial offering. In the USA, icom has standardized on NXDN for its commercial radios. They have no plans to manufacture DMR equipment. See here: www.icomamerica.com/en/media_events/news/NewsArticle.aspx?id=201101
The Anytone 578UVIIPlus has the 222MHz band but at a lower power.
I thought it was just because 2 meters was lower than 1.25 meters and 70cm resonate with 2 meter antennas.
Radioddity confirmed via email limited power on the QR-20 rasio for the 220 band.
Also what about 70 MHz, 4 Meters, in Europe? I understand that's near a TV
channel in our system, not given up
by HDTV, though low VHF is not great
for HDTV, as seen here with WGBH-TV,
PBS, now on Channel 2. Except for Cable,
you need an outside TV antenna to receive
out of the immediate broadcast area, even
being a bit over 30 miles from the transmitter. Ray W2CH Nashua, NH
You must try the Midland CT990. 5 or 10 watts in 1.25 meter.. Best regards
I know you're not supposed to do it but you can actually reprogram the UV 5r to run on 222 of course you will have to get a different antenna
The spurious emissions are really bad though
Waiting for Kenwood to come to my rescue for 222 MHz on both handheld and mobile. 🤞
It's sad, but other than FM, there hasn't been a large number of choices for 1.25m radios. In years past, it could be found as an option, for some multiband radios. These days, used Amateur Radios, Transverters, & a handful of used Commercial Radios are about the only means to get on the 220 MHz band. With the Railroad Industry using the lower end of the band for PTC, I worry we'll lose the rest, if the band doesn't get more activity on it, to justify our use of it.
222 to 225 is amateur exclusive..we got that when the FCC reallocate 220 to 222 to LMR. We were shared back then
@@christopherboone9802 If we don't use 222-225 MHz, the FCC could just as easily take away the remainder of the band, especially if they thought it was a revenue opportunaty.
Anytone at-d578uv does 220mhz and is dmr
Great content. 👍
If we don’t use it we’ll lose it. De N9NY
Isn't the Kenwood TH-F6 HT still available? This does 220.
It has been discontinued :( In fact the only Kenwood HT I see on sale now is the TH-K20A.
W8WIN here, Hi Ria Good video! I have been using 220 MHz for years with a group of locals in the NE Ohio area. My only comment is about your video is, that I think you are placing too much value on using other modes on 220 like SSB and digital modes. 220 has always been primarily an FM band for people who like to talk locally with a few friends. Much equipment is currently available for DMR and SSB on 54, 144, and 440 With that being the case, I don't really see a need or a want for multi mode 220 equipment,
Well there is actually a desire for it. Ham radio is about experimentation and not utility communications so it stands to reason that there should be options for everything. That said transverters fill the need nicely but I’m surprised that some mainstream radios don’t have the band.
@@n2rj Yes, I do agree 100% that more 220 options would be nice. It seems like 220 is being offered in radios from China much more than the major market radios form the big 3 manufacturers. However having owned several China radios that are 220 capable, I would personally say the quality is surprisingly good for a low a cost. I would say 220 is on the upswing at the moment, (however just FM) ... but still a good thing.
PS I really enjoy your videos! .. keep up the good work!
Ft-736r with 220Mhz module. Multimode operation.
💪 we are 220 strong here in SW OHIO 💪
Ok...about 30 or so years ago the FCC made a rule change to encourage Novices to operate. They gave them voice privileges on the 220 band with 25 watts of FM and 200 watts of SSB from 28.3 to 28.5 MHz. Technician class licenses also got the 10 meter voice band. This resulted in a flood of operations on 10 and the appearance of 220 MHz FM gear from the Big Three.
Many clubs added 220 systems, but since hams like to play exclusivity games, the 220 band was stigmatized as "the Novice band" and those who used it were ridiculed and told to "get a real ham license". Nothing like encouraging newcomers.
Today, no one actually talks on their radios. The old curmudgeons are long dead along with the clubs they belonged to and the repeater systems they built. The Novice class went away along with the Advanced class when the FCC restructured the license classes some years ago. Modern amateur radio consists of connecting a laptop to a 7300, going to work, and seeing how many other laptops your station "worked" while you were out. Meanwhile...
Local clubs die out although there are more licensed amateurs today than at any time in history. Why is it like this? Because instead of actually talking to another human, I'm typing on the keypad on my phone while the radios are turned off.
At this rate, I predict that the only available commercially made ham gear will only be used by 2030. There will be no new equipment.
Novices and Advanced Class are still around..I'm one of them, Advanced since 1974. I know of Novices who keep renewing.. true no NEW tickets for those two classes but we are still in existence
@@christopherboone9802 , during a recent public comments section I advocated upgrading all Novices to Technician and all Advanced to Extra but couldn't get any traction. I've been an Extra since 1989.
If any band can be handed off to the FCC to then sell at a profit to a cell, broadband, or gps related use, it is 220 band. There are many well supported bands with plenty of space and active repeaters that are half dormant. I knew a few that liked it for it's rarety, exclusive to deep experiment nature, and the privacy of it nearly never a band at the grasp of a programable scanner. They could do worse and trim off of all bands, so it seems like something to consider. 60, 30, 17, and 12 meter bands were nice gifts, and there is a rumor of a 4 meter band, but it is getting bonkers for manufacturers to keep up with, and keep it priced sanely.
4 meters isn’t happening as they used that space to repack TV so the FCC can auction off what’s left of UHF TV.
@@n2rj Kinda doubt they would use freqs that close to digital rabbit ear (free broadcast) tv, but I hope that happens, instead.
I got the Baofeng UV-S9X3 which comes with the 1.25 meter band.
- Guess what, I live in one of the two countries in the world where the 1.25 meter is illegal, Guatemala!
I have no idea whatsoever who uses the 1.25 meter in Guatemala as the frequency is dead silent whenever I scan it.
In Texas, we call it the Quarter Gig band lol
My Anytone 578UVIIPlus has 222MHz but at only 5 watts. But there are not a lot of 144MHz, 222MHz , 444MHz antennas. So it isn't easy to use the 222MHz band. There may be others that make antennas for the 3 bands but Ed Fong is the only one I know of. Any antennas that cover the 3 bands for under $100 let me know.
A traditional car antenna for FM broadcast réception in the US is about the right length for 220.
@@jeffkardosjr.3825 I really didn't want to have another coax and antenna on my tower. I can make an antenna easy. My scanner antenna is almost long enough. I can get some more stainless steel welding rods and make one. There is a good video on how to make a VHF-UHF vertical Dipole antenna with the stainless steel welding rods. They are 36 inches bent over with each part longer than needed for the bands then cut to tune. Two of them one pointing up and the other pointing down. Mounted on some PVC pipe. Or on clear plastic to make it hard to see.
@@donaldsmith3048 I use welding rods too. Got a beam for 2m made out of them and some finishing wood trim.
In Europe 220Mhz are used by military aircraft
But still, you can buy it from china with 220mhz enabled 😇
Also used for Dab radio in some areas.
What handheld has Airband, sw, fm/am!? Tall order.
The 200's Are Dead Here In The UK That's Why We Like It
Bless Up Sister
Holy cow! A smart girl, who knew¿
Doesn't the Anytone D-578 with DMR,
and 3 bands let you use that mode on
222 Mhz?
By my understanding that radio is only 5 watts on the 1.25 meter band.
If you want 220 all mode radios most likely used is the best bet plenty were made in the 80's and 90's 900 and 1.2 gig is even worse less radios for those bands.
I suspect quiet simply that the band is unique to American amateurs . Similarly to the 4m band in the UK.
K9BAR has a 222 machine. I wish there were more radios that had it.