2meter weak signal?

[Bearcat]

can someone explain this type of operating? Is this fm or strictly ssb? How is it done? Antennas ect? Amps? Explain radio gurus lol

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Basically it is exactly as it says.....weak signal.This may include terrestrial contacts over a couple hundred miles or well over a thousand on 2m miles if the band is open. It also includes meteor scatter where the signal is reflected from the ionized trails of meteors as they burn upin the atmosphere or even from bouncing the signal off the moon however very high power and huge antenna arrays are generally needed for this moon bounce operations. You need all yopur ducks in a row for that although there are a few stations in the world capable of working smaller stations due to their HUGE antennas and basically they are doing all the work It is narrow band modes ONLY so that means no AM or FM so SSB, CW or digital modes only however the term is almost exclusive to SSB. Because it is not FM mode the antennas are horizontal. As for what antennas or how much power that is up to the individuals wants, needs, and finances. The bigger the antennas and the higher they are the better the performance. The same goes for power output however the ability to receive is VERY important so better antennas are more important than an amp since they work on receive as well.

http://www.arrl.org/weak-signal-vhf-dx-meteor-scatter-eme-moonbounce

 

[Moleculo]

Also check out some of the newer digital modes like JT65, WSPR, and the like for activity. I've not tried them on 2m, but have on HF and the results are quite impressive.