national calling frequency for 2m

[n9ysq]

I want to propose that the ham community and the ARRL adopt 144.250 as a national calling frequency for AM operation. This would help, especially in western Kentucky, Southern indiana, southern  Illinois   to make contact. Especially with vertical antennas. I occasionally call from my mobile in the car looking for activity. If this frequency is a poor choice then let's choose another. In the UK recently they are informally adopting a single calling frequency for this activity to encourage operating. While this won't necessarily generate a massive movement to am, wouldn't you like to try it on your FT817 or other multi rig?

[W4EWH]

I want to propose that the ham community and the ARRL adopt 144.250 as a national calling frequency for AM operation.

I'd like to go back to 145.800. All the AM rigs have crystals for that frequency anyway.

Bill W1AC

[Pete, WA2CWA]

There are a number of 2 meter AM frequencies that have been established over the years as meeting places. Probably many operators are also crystal controlled.
Go here to view typical AM hangout frequencies:
http://www.amwindow.org/freq.htm

And, if you're into AM type Nets, go here to see what's happening on 2 meters:
http://www.amwindow.org/nets/netfreq.htm

With most modern day rigs with a gazillion memories, it's fairly easy to program some of these frequencies into the memory banks and scan for activity. However, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for lots of AM activity. Even 2 meter FM activity is dead in lots of areas.

[W4EWH]

With most modern day rigs with a gazillion memories, it's fairly easy to program some of these frequencies into the memory banks and scan for activity.

I wish there was a way to scan a range of frequencies instead of just one: the old AM receivers, particularly the Heath "Lunch Boxes", were broad as a barn door, and many of the transmitters were on 145.8 "more or less", i.e., plus or minus 50 KHz was close enough.

A ham who fires up an old Gonset that has an crystal labeled "145.8 MC/S" could be anywhere from 145.75 to 145.85, and so he probably won't be heard if people are monitoring 145.8 with a modern, narrow-band receiver.

Ideas?

Bill, W1AC

[Pete, WA2CWA]

The OSCAR subband starts at 145.8 MHz. There are also FM Repeater outputs between 145.2 to 145.5 MHz. Personally, if I was to operate AM on 2 meters, I would hang somewhere between 144.2 and 144.275 MHz.

[WB2YGF]

I see there are a couple of nets on 144.45.  A few times I joined the "Cracker Barrel Net" on 144.45 (about 1977 ?) in Central Jersey.   I suspect most if not all the guys are SK.  I had an Ameco TX62 into a 5 el beam.

I also used to work a guy, Harold, W2JG Bound Brook.  He had the mike gain cranked up, and as he would do one of his 15 minute CQ's, you could hear the crickets outside and the trains go by on the Raritan Valley line. He would talk about guys on FM as:  "the push-button boys up the band".


I found one reference to Harold (interesting thread too:  AMers - bah!)

http://forums.qrz.com/showpost.php?p=59545&postcount=17

[kb3ouk]

I doubt if many people would like AM on 145.80, since it is in the OSCAR subband and happens to be the ISS's downlink frequency.

[W4EWH]

I doubt if many people would like AM on 145.80, since it is in the OSCAR subband and happens to be the ISS's downlink frequency.

Well, yes, I know that, but the problem remains no matter what frequency we settle on: nostalgia aside, if we're going to encourage AM activity on Six or Two Meters, we'll need to have a FAQ and Knowledge Base that shows those who have boatanchor rigs how to "net" them onto the agreed-upon channel.

The old CD Gooneyboxes had trimmer caps for the purpose, and I think it's a good idea to publish the circuit mods needed to have trimmers on "civilian" rigs too. If we're going to make the old rigs productive again, we need to take a page from the FM book and make it possible to have people listening on one calling channel, instead of expecting everyone to tune around all the time.

Thanks for thinking about it.

73,

Bill W1AC

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I doubt if many people would like AM on 145.80, since it is in the OSCAR subband and happens to be the ISS's downlink frequency.

Well, yes, I know that, but the problem remains no matter what frequency we settle on: nostalgia aside, if we're going to encourage AM activity on Six or Two Meters, we'll need to have a FAQ and Knowledge Base that shows those who have boatanchor rigs how to "net" them onto the agreed-upon channel.

The old CD Gooneyboxes had trimmer caps for the purpose, and I think it's a good idea to publish the circuit mods needed to have trimmers on "civilian" rigs too. If we're going to make the old rigs productive again, we need to take a page from the FM book and make it possible to have people listening on one calling channel, instead of expecting everyone to tune around all the time.

Thanks for thinking about it.

73,

Bill W1AC

Why would it have to be "old rigs"? Many of the multi-mode HF/VHF rigs are stable as a rock on VHF frequencies.
Nothing worse then a drifty Gonset II or III on 2 meters. And, if you're using a vertical, probably the best "distance" you're going to get is 10 to 25 miles if you're lucky. I personally don't see a lot of advantage to 2 meter AM operating other then for local intercom-type operation.

6 meters has lots of AM activity especially during band openings. And, there is a published calling frequency for AM although, during good band openings, I've found AM QSO's between 50.3 and 50.5 MHz.

[kb3ouk]

I didn't know there was a six meter AM calling frequency, but I also thought I saw somethign about 144.300 being an AM calling frequency. And the list of 2 meter frequencies on the AM Window site range from anywhere between 144.250 to 144.450. And the net frequencies listed range about the same, except for one up on 145.650. If you were over in Scotland, there's a net over there that uses 145.800. However, any frequency used by SSB should be ok to run AM on those frequencies.
2-Meter Amateur Radio Band ARRL Recommended Allocations
144000-144050 kHz EME (CW)
144050-144100 kHz General CW and weak signals
144100-144200 kHz EME and weak-signal SSB
144200 kHz National calling frequency
144200-144275 kHz General SSB operation
144275-144300 kHz Propagation beacons
144300-144500 kHz New OSCAR sub-band
144500-144600 kHz Linear translator inputs
144600-144900 kHz FM repeater inputs
144900-145100 kHz Weak signal and FM simplex (145010, 30, 50, 70, 90 are widely used for packet)
145100-145200 kHz Linear translator outputs
145200-145500 kHz FM repeater outputs
145500-145800 kHz Miscellaneous and experimental modes
145800-146000 kHz OSCAR sub-band
146001-146370 kHz Repeater inputs
146400-146580 kHz Simplex
146610-146970 kHz Repeater outputs
147000-147390 kHz Repeater outputs
147420-147570 kHz Simplex
147600-147990 kHz Repeater inputs
They way I see it, we can even run between 145.500 and 145.800, which may be a good choice for those with older radios, that way it isn't as far away from 145.800, and then won't be as far to retune, and would probably be easier to retune, too. And these frequencies are only recommended, there's nothing saying that we can't move around, as long as we don't cause problems, and stay in the phone part of the band. Besides , I know that some people don't exactly follow this band plan anyway, around here we have repeaters that aren't even in the repeater frequencies, they have an input in one simplex part, and outputs 1 mhz lower, in another simplex portion.
Shelby KB3OUK

[Opcom]

With some old military and commerical gear, you often get forced to 50KHz or 100KHz increments, whether it is by VFO or by some ancient analog synth.

That -channel spacing- ought to be thrown into the mix too.

A good plan would have something for calling with the 100KHz-spaced stuff. Not that it's wide in the channel, but that it is spaced widely. A 100KHz increment is also easy to remember. Really a calling freq should be basic and it would cost no one a bit of inconvenience to put FM, AM, and SSB calling freqs on 100KHz increments.

The same 100KHz suggestion goes for a simplex frequency for each mode.

just my 2 cents. Not advocating rule making, only trying to better a suggested band plan, if any. Would 145.8 really interfere with OSCAR? Not knowing much about it, I would think those using OSCAR would be directional into the sky mostly away from the horizon, whereas simplex is usually vetical antennas point to point.

[KB2WIG]

 The ISs downlink frequency is 145.800....... 

http://hamradio.arc.nasa.gov/ISSrepeater.html


klc

[Opcom]

any other 100KHz then.. or some 50KHz if it has to be. Problem is the power. If it were PW it would not bother anyone, but a bucket of 4CX250B's would.

[WB2YGF]

I personally don't see a lot of advantage to 2 meter AM operating other then for local intercom-type operation.

I have to agree.  There is enough empty bandwidth on 10 & 75 for local AM nets.  Given that 2M FM has good fidelity, and FM equipment is ubiquitous and dirt cheap,  I don't see how 2M AM adds any value unless there are Technicians nostalgic for the AM days and I just don't see that as a trend.