QRP on 2 meters VHF

[PD1AHM]

Last year I was qrv in the north part of the Netherlands (loc. JO33bj) on 2 meters VHF.
From that qth i could made qso with stations in Denmark, Sweden, Germany and the UK.
I was using a Elecraft KX3 with internal 2 meters tranverter. Output is 3 Watt.
This year i will use the same setup but other qth. I will be qrv from the island Texel, iota EU-038 (loc. JO23ke)
From this qth I hope to make the same qso's but now my target is to get Norway in my log.

The two atached photo's are one from my setup and one is the north part of the island Texel

For all the qrp OM in this region, I hope to work you on 2 meters ssb!!

73, Hans.

[GM0LVI]

Good luck Hans. You might catch some sporadic Es if you are lucky.

[PD1AHM]

Hi Dave,

I did some field work for testing it before I go to Texel. With 3 Watt output  and a beam direction Germany I could work 3 stations with real big signals. The best report I got was a real 59 on 95 km/59 Miles. I asked him if this was a accurate report and he confirmed it. So I hope it will be a success with a long long list in my log

[VE2TH]

Hello Hans,

I love your beam, especially with his driven element with a true folded dipole. It is something we cannot find here in Canada, nor in the US.

Also you are very Lucky to be able to make SSB/CW on 2 meters, while running QRP.

On this side it is impossible to work someone SSB/CW, because

1- no one else use these 2 modes, except some hams in Ontario.

2- The only chance I can have if conditions are exceptional, is to work some US stations, but you have to call CQ hours on end.

3- Believe it or not, here along the St-Lawrence river, we have tropo propagation from the great lakes up to Newfoundland for nearly 7 months a year. But no one use it or they didn't know that we have such conditions. 

Here I use my FT-817ND@ 5 watts into a log periodic antenna, for 2 meters and 70 centimeters. I imagine what I could do in Europe, WOW a lot of fun Hi!

So I wish you a lot of success and please let us know of your progress, I love to read this.

72/73, Michel VE2TH

[GM0LVI]

Two metres used to be great fun, though up here in Scotland I had always to look south or east for contacts as there wasn't much north of here. And to compound the difficulty most stations to my south seldom looked north as most activity was still south of them too!
Activity on cw and ssb really went into a deep decline about 15 or 20 years ago and about ten years ago I got fed up listening to white noise and took down my 21 element yagi and replaced it with a 5 element yagi for 6m.
I'd worked dozens of grid squares in Europe and most of the squares in the UK. I think I'd worked about 25 countries. Best dx was Moscow and Iceland and the MIR space station and auroral progagation from up here was often quite amazing - ghostly voices and raspy cw :-)

[G6URM]

never had much intrest in HF - and worked all over on 2 when living on dartmoor - not so much down here in plymouth - some 1500 ft difference - and blocked to the east by the moors

it is true there has been a drop off in activity on 2 ssb /cw AND to an extent FM 

reasons ( imo ) ??

1: letting everyone on hf from the get go of holding a licence - not a good move imo - should have been so long on vhf up then allowed - but whats done is done 

 2: lack of dedicated equipment for 2 up on ssb - i have just got a 290r- mk2 in VGC  - and a 790r mk 1 - just to be able to go out /p  - as i dont now drive and use a mobility scooter owing to disability  - the 290 is harking back to when i started - new 290s £249.00 in those days ( quite an investment ) - but had loads of fun with that little radio + i like KISS - and you cant GET more KISS than a 290 .lol

3; perception that vhf /uhf is somewhat akin to the black arts - is too difficult - theres no one on there ( well that at least is true down here )  - and i wont even MENTION  the D word - or this everything has to be connected to the internet somehow that seems prevelent ................... yep i'm an old luddite and like RF  ..........

4: time / effort ........... it is said that " results are proportional to the EFFORT  expended " - and sadly these days the " instant gratification " syndrome is prevelent in many hobbies - after all why spend hours listening to static and calling cq when you can turn on HF and work people ?? ( well most times )  - it is a fact that to have an effective vhf station and even MORE so uhf ( up ) station takes time - effort and money - again few tend to do this for terrestrial comms - EME and the like IS  getting more qrp with the  digital modes - which is great IF  you are into digital modes ...............

5: INTERFERENCE : arrgh curse of my life ............... living city center sortof - loads of it all over HF  - and a lot on vhf - again computers - solar panels etc etc etc  . so hence my wish to get out occasionally and get at least somewhat clear of it all - lucky therefore i live not far from the sea ............. now if the weather would just cooperate .lol  CANT WORK EM IF YOU CANT HEAR THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE !!

6 : as we know - small houses /gardens - landlord problems - planning problems etc etc - are the bain of many radio amateurs - ( see also above ) - so getting an effective array up in an uban environment - non starter in many cases - sometimes even a white stick co lin is about all one can manage - so again /p is a way round this

soooooooooo as you will see DOING  qrp on 2 /70 cm is fraught with problems from the get go in many cases - and i CAN understand WHY many shy away from it  - but it IS ( IMO ) WORTH THE EFFORT  and don't forget working someone simplex on 5 w FM  is QRP as much as on ssb /cw ............... ah simplex .... remember that , back before repeaters and d-star etc

any hoo just MY opinion  AS ALWAYS - EACH TO THEIR OWN  but this year i hope to get out a few times and may be hit lucky with the dx