2 meter AM.. Who does it and what do you use?

[KL7HNY]

I've recently been shaking loose a fairly decent pile of gear from questionable sources (like eekPray) that's currently capable of generating respectable levels of AM and CW signals on 6M and 2M.  Well, also 220 MHz, if an elusive accessory allegedly manufactured by Amplidyne Labs called a model 221 converter, possibly constructed chiefly of Unobtanium, can be found.  The Amplidyne currently does GREAT on 2m and 6m AM & CW, and has the matching model 261 VFO (the transmitter is the model 621.)
Additionally, an Ameco TX-62 and matching VFO and a switching controller made to interface (I think) a separate transceiver and receiver.

A handful of Two'ers and Six'ers sig hearing a 4- or 5-MHz wide band of in-band noise (I'm casually looking for some 2m bandpass filters for the receivers.)

With a functioning SB-102 and Icom IC-730, as well as Hammarlund HQ-100C, HQ-110. and HQ-145, and a Hallicrafters SX-111, I've got plenty of usable receiver "i.f. passband tuning" to use if I were able to put my hands on a usable receive converter for 2m or 6m AM/CW or, dare I hope, a transverter.

Back when I first got my Novice at age 9 in 1961, my Dad (who took the same Novice class under W4DX Ben Team) had decided that the ARC/5s I had (to cover 80m and 40m CW) and the homebrew 6v6 transmitter were all I needed.  After all (he decided), VHF was only useful for line-of-sight.  Dad (ex-wn4anv, SK) apparently never read anything about Es and other VHF DX opportunities.  So on our trips to Barry Radio and Team (I think) Radio someplace in SC or NC, we never went down the rows that had VHF gear.

Now that I've got my 20-wpm Extra (for 20 years) and qualify for the HCWA, if there were such an organization -- must be plenty of 50-year-plus licensees -- I've been finding and obtaining lots of gear made about when I was born, or that was available when I first got my Novice.

I just picked up an Ameco CN -- I think it's a 144, dunno -- that came with a spare for parts, which upon bried inspection shows the only parts left on it are the helical resonators --- woohoo!
But I'd love to come up with some modestly priced gear, either purpose-built 2m or 6m receivers or receivers, or easy-to-hook-up converters.  I've spent nearly 40 years as a commercial tech, but 95% of my work has been with FM two-way gear, repeater site stuff, etc.  About the only AM stuff that ever showed up at our benches was when some customer's owner showed up with a CB that he needed to get un-golden-screwdrivered that some employee had had "fixed until it was broken" at a roadside hack site.

So I can't be the only guy besides the OP who's looking for ways to hear stuff above 30 MHz.  With the Hammarlund HQ-110 I can at least tune the 6m band, which will give me a chance of knowing what's happening up yonder.  Guess there'll be a 6m halo switchable to a vertical ground plane in my future before I invest in something that's directional and a way to turn it.

Thanks for enduring my long post. I endeavor to be thorough, and to not have readers scratching their head(s) after reading my posts and murmuring, "Uhh, what does this guy want, anyway?"

73 and again, thanks for your patience.
diddly dahdidah
dit      dit

[KL7OF]

I have a Swan 250C txcvr for 6 meters...TX has a pair of 6146 and the rx has a WIDE passband...worked good on 6 for years, was running when I parked it...... But I haven't used 6 in so long that the tree my 6 meter beam is in has grown up around the antenna....and captured it

[W4EWH]

I've recently been shaking loose a fairly decent pile of gear from questionable sources (like eekPray) that's currently capable of generating respectable levels of AM and CW signals on 6M and 2M.  

I recommend a Clegg 99'er, the best $55 I ever spent. Six meters as it should be: heard in every TV for five miles!

Bill, W1AC

[VE3LYX]

I have a "two-er" lunch box
don

[WU2D]

Now? Less people than 2M FM so I think it is a negative number...

My first was a CD net with a Heath Twoer in the early 70's. AM was still VHF then where we were in far upstate NY, but FM repeaters were coming on strong.

In the late 90's 2M AM had a brief resurgence and I did up an SCR-522 and used to QSO with several guys here in New England.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

There are still pockets of activity out there Barney, you just need to poke around and maybe arrange a few contacts in your area to get things going. There's a group north of me in VA who operate six and/or two meter AM weekly, maybe Tuesday nights (I forget).

As for equipment, it really depends what you like. If you're into the old tube gear, the Clegg Zeus xmtr and Interceptor receiver are probably the Rolls Royce of their day. Well made, Nuvistor front end, approx 120-150w out, silky-smooth Eddystone dials. They cover both 6 & 2, and they look cool too. And like most older gear out there, prices have come down in recent years.

Just don't try to one-hand the power supply/modulator deck which is a stand alone unit. It's under the desk in the photo below. It's on par with a 32V, Apache etc weight-wise.