USB 2 Meter Radio

[JohnyMac]

I have been playing with 2 meter (144.000 - 144.275 Mhz) communication. The longest I have been able to talk was 55 miles to a station do south of my AO. However I have heard folks as far away as three times that.

I built a 4 element Yagi directional antenna and am using my Yaesu 817ND in SSB mode with a RM (Italy made) LA 145 85W amplifier which is putting out 89 watts at peak and settles in at 84 watts with 5 watts in from the radio.

I have been very busy this week so the time really hasn't been there to play to much and fine tune my antenna and radio this week however I will.

Has anybody played with USB 2 meter? If so what have your experiences been?

[pkveazey]

I would have spent money and time but somewhere along the line, some idiot decided that horizontal polarization was the only way you could talk on 2 meter Side Band. Why would I buy two beams when one is all that is needed? There is hardly anyone there unless you call someone and get them to meet you there. As a prepper, I'm pretty sure that everybody will be operating FM Analog Simplex when there is an emergency situation. I can generally get 30 to 40 miles Simplex when talking to stations equipped the same as mine. I'm definitely not anti-SSB on 2 meters. I just refuse to march in lock step with people who screw things up.

[Jackalope]

I've gotten about 70 miles with a 7 element beam running 20 watts, with the antenna up about 40 feet.  I attribute the distance to my elevation 1800'  and the remote station was at about 400' ASL, with no obstructing terrain between us.

We've recently acquired a new multi band, multi mode transceiver which will put out 100 watts on 2 meters, and 75 watts on 440 MHz,  so I'll be testing that out. 

We're planning on using 2 meter D-star simplex if the SHTF, since that'll give us a little privacy.  Not too many folks are running D-star up here, plus we could send text messages and images via the digital mode too. On analog, APRS could be used to send text messages too.  By going to D-star, all of the scanner listeners will be disappointed.

The same radio will be used for receiving weather satellite images. Regarding the polarization issue, there are cross polarized beams, which gives you the best of both polarizations.  We went with a M2 eggbeater for satellite work, and it needs to be installed before winter truly settle in.  The old Wilson 7 element beam is currently sitting on the ground along with a 6 meter beam.

Johny, we may be able to work each other on 6 meters. 

[JohnyMac]

Interesting comments pkveazey.

Well it cost me a total of $3.00 to build a 4 element Yagi antenna. Of course I already had the Yaesu 817 ND on hand which does it all - AM, SB, FM, 70 cm -160 meters. I did buy linear amp for 2 meters but not for the purpose using it for 2 meter Side Band.

Jackalope, I have a 6 meter dipole antenna however I think if we were to chat via 6 meter I would need to build a 4 element, 6 meter Yagi. That could be a good project for post deer season which starts this Monday.

Just a humours side note: At our Thanksgiving feast with friends and neighbours yesterday the conversation eventually turned to politics. One of my neighbours made a statement, "We know why the dame black helicopters constantly circle the top of our mountain...Its all the damn antennas poking out of your house!"

Well everybody got a good laugh out of that and piled on like a pile-up on a HF channel during a QSO Contest.

PS, pkveazey my home brew 4 element Yagi can go from horizontal to vertical polarisation or back in under a minute.