Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

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PARSNIPHUNTER
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Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by PARSNIPHUNTER »

Hello all,

I have been off air for 10 years or so but kept some of my equipment a 2 meter FM mobile and a Liner 2 SSB only 2 meter mobile. With a thought to having a go again I set up the 2 meter FM radio in the cars boy was the band dead , where has everyone gone ?
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bigpimp347
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by bigpimp347 »

died....

VHF is dead, but lets not forget there is no morse requirement now days so all those B licences who were stuck on VHF and above have now over night become HF DXers and spend all there time on HF.

but seriously though blame the licencing structure.
most 'people' get a 'ticket' and all they think about buying is a HF set, built in ATU and magic 'long wire' antenna.
there's little or no reason to stick around above 50Mhz
the only time you hear anything now days is UKAC or the few dedicated B licences who mostly knock about on 4m or 2m.
even repeaters are all but dead, wiped out in favour of pretend radio like DMR and internet based networks...
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Mikel
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by Mikel »

Around here most of them are on PMR446 these days.......................

But I don't judge people, I leave that to God.
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Otter
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by Otter »

Also on CB.
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PARSNIPHUNTER
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by PARSNIPHUNTER »

I must admit at the same time as trying the ham equipment I wired up an old CB radio that I used to use when I was a HGV driver. This band was far more interesting with many conversations going on ( same old crap on 19). I have a class A license with a Morse pass but never really had much interest in HF and became disheartened when they started issuing M0 calls to everyone plus didn't like the mixing of internet and radio. I'll get the gear on eBay and find something more interesting to do.
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by Transwarp »

You'd have thought the airwaves over the last 10 months would have been rammed on all bands due to the pandemic and radio minded folk needing that human interaction to feel connected with humanity whilst exercising the old grey matter at the same time. It's a funny carry on.
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WhiteNoisePoetry
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by WhiteNoisePoetry »

Same here. Totally dead.
Yes totally dead.

Not even anyone blipping up the repeaters any more

As another poster said you'd have
thought that the bangs would be
jam packed with covid and lock down.

Takes a lot to shock me, but I am.

I can remember being able to get a
qso for about 22 hours out of 24 at
one time.

Now it's zero.
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Buick Mackane
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by Buick Mackane »

Same here 2m is as quiet as a rolf harris art exhibition
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by Auldgeek »

Buick Mackane wrote: 22 Jan 2021, 02:05 Same here 2m is as quiet as a rolf harris art exhibition
That because you've got a sh1t aerial Jason! :lol:
Bands are heaving my way...

Ok, I'm lying but I do hear a regular pocket of activity on a few spot frequencies but there's hardly a queue.
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Buick Mackane
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by Buick Mackane »

Auldgeek wrote: 22 Jan 2021, 19:35
Buick Mackane wrote: 22 Jan 2021, 02:05 Same here 2m is as quiet as a rolf harris art exhibition
That because you've got a sh1t aerial Jason! :lol:
Bands are heaving my way...

Ok, I'm lying but I do hear a regular pocket of activity on a few spot frequencies but there's hardly a queue.
I rarely stick the handy on drew and anytime i do i never hear any of the repeaters being used, Not to say if i hooked up the colinear there wouldn't be any action on simplex
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Andy
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by Andy »

It's like a morgue. Every time I tune around 2m or 70cm they are virtually empty, the only bit of activity is maybe an internet linked repeater and an odd bit of digi stuff at the top end. A sad contrast to the late 70's and early 80's when you had to go searching for a vacant frequency.
Four metres was my last VHF refuge, but I've had to ditch that now as the local noise level has made life unpleasant.
The only band I use now is 160m, where a group of old stagers get together at weekends. The noise is bad on there as well, but at least I can get around it by using a separate loop antenna for receive.
I go on a morning walk every day which takes me over one of our local hills, and a few weeks ago I took my 2m h/h with me. I set it on 145.500 and the squelch didn't break once in the hour I was out.
Very few people bother homebrewing stuff now, and anyway parts are becoming more specialised and not really suitable for hobby use.
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WhiteNoisePoetry
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by WhiteNoisePoetry »

Seems we're all pretty much experiencing the same thing, the bands are dead.

So we have to ask ourselves why, and be honest about it too.

For myself it all went downhill locally once the undesirables made their presence known
and so many of us just don't want to know. We diverted our enjoyment onto other bands
and modes.

Plus there seemed to be a lack of anyone I came across that seemed to have any technical
competance or interest, club nets full of bores that never really imparted much of use.

I've also found it difficult to ever have a meaningful QSO with anyone.

It's all pointless rubbish about whether to use baluns or not, crap about G5RV's blah blah blah...

At one time it was fun to get a few locals together and build little AM rigs in baccy tins on 2m.

Now it's about wasting time setting up programming software.

But my biggest gripe is about having MEANINGFUL conversations, not just about radio.

And that's why I can't be arsed anymore.
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by InTheClouds »

I am a ham now. VHF has never really appealed to me, unless you are a aficionado of VHF specific prop then CB would
be perfectly fine and from my relatively little experience so far. In terms of range and the DX side also preferable.

You are more likely to get a warm response to a chat style QSO on the CB frequencies as well.

For VHF you have relatively low range, less chance of DX without some E layer/warm air lift and the most
popular radios are HF sets with no VHF built in. Ok so you can put a very high gain beam up without
needing to own a farm size bit of land, that is a nice touch but only if you are drawn to VHF in the first instance.

I find even on HF the shortness is a little unfriendly. I thought I was short at times on DX but HF ham DX is really something else
on the "Your QSO has been terminated" approach. I do understand it though, it seems to be more about how many
DX contacts you can make and not about having any interest in what the other station is using. I imagine experienced hams have heard it all
before and so speaking to the 1,000'th sub 1,000km dx of the year is not super interesting.

There are exceptions of course like anything. 80m and 160m seem more tolerant of talking... and don't get me wrong
I love talking radio as much as idle daily chit chat.. in fact I prefer it, though a good a balance is nice.

I am enjoying it, trying to get a handle on the different bands. As a relative new comer I take it for what it is
and so far I am enjoying myself, QRP was a bit of a struggle to get out of Europe the last months, though I did manage it
on 10W after DIY'ing a better antenna. Stuck to my 10W and was a good boy.

It comes as no surprise there are few on VHF speaking as a relative newb.
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Whisky1
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by Whisky1 »

Yep its a funny carry on, I do more swl now and even the m7 frenzy seems to have faded into the lockdown fog. Oh well it is what it is I guess, I have to wander around hf while listening to the idiots on 19 hogging it like their vco is locked up on there.
I had some pleasant dx on mid band fm the other day on fm too, radio seems to be at a all time low just now and the price of equipment keeps me amused on fb and flea bay lol.
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Re: Where have all the Hams gone (VHF)

Post by Transwarp »

My interest in computers started in the late 90's and took over from my interest in radio. Combining the two for me was a no no. I haven't played radio for quite a few years now simply because l've no interest in it anymore. Still have some kit and always will but thats it. I guess when l retire from work and if was to move home to a place high up miles from anywhere and anybody else the interest could return, however because l like a quiet life l'd probably be more content with a couple of dogs and going walkabout with a lot of the time. Your interests like other things change as you get older.
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