Are the upper bands worth looking at?

[Tallman]

I was advising a future Amateur about getting their general because of all of the other bands you get to use and I realized that I have not even listened to 1.25, 33cm, or 23cm. Is there anything up there?
Would it be worth while to get radio that could access these bands?

 

[Tallman]

Anybody?

 

[Robb]

Moleculo has played around with 1.2ghz; there is a viddy of it on the forum somewhere.

 

[w9cll]

I dabble on 2, 220 and 440 but nothing higher.

 

[fourstringburn]

By a SDRplay and hook it up to even a mobile 2m/440 antenna and you can see and hear all the way up to 2 GHz when interfaced to your pc.

SDRplay sells for around $120

It also makes a nice panadapter for the rest of your radios since you'll find the upper bands uninstersting except the police band.

 

[Blackcat630]

Me and a couple friends have tried to keep 220mhz (simplex & repeaters) alive in our area. We have a few repeaters but they are really quiet. As for 33cm, a club 25 mi south of me just put up a machine and they are trying to drum up activity. I haven't jumped on board that yet.... As for 23cm ?? Couple guys around here do ssb on contest weekends but that's it. No 1.2 ghz repeaters in my (south central IL) area to my knowledge..

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Taking notes, all good stuff guys. Thanks!

 

[w9cll]

220 is only active around here is on Saturday night for the nets. 70cm is probably the most active UHF band here.

 

[Mudfoot]

I'd only be interested in data modes at those frequencies.

 

[Tallman]

Thanks guys for all of the information. That's what I'm looking for.
The SDRplay sounds interesting. I think I'll hunt one up.

 

[fourstringburn]

Thanks guys for all of the information. That's what I'm looking for.
The SDRplay sounds interesting. I think I'll hunt one up.

Consider the SDRPlay RSP2 model for about $160

This one has more antenna options for 2 radio/antenna inputs and a Hi-Z wire antenna via 3 antenna ports. Like their other models, this too receives at 1 Khz all the way up to 2 GHz.

I have my TS-590 IF out signal going into antenna port 1 for low band up to to HF and I use an ELAD splitter box for my Icom-7000 to carry receive signals from my 2m/440 1/2 wave vertical going into the SDRPlay antenna port 2. I have no IF out on my Icom.

I can switch radios in the SDR software to have a full pan adapter monitoring for HF with my Kenwood and VHF/UHF and beyond with my Icom. If you have modern radios with CAT control or equivalent, them you have mouse click capability on the waterfall so your radio and SDR will follow each other.

Of course you can always just simply plug an antenna into it and just listen and see it all on the waterfall with a USB cable on your P/C without using your radios.

SDRUno and SDR console are the better software to run and they are both free!

 

[Tallman]

I am considering purchasing a transceiver instead of just a receiver. Probably cost more than I would want spend though. The wife is retiring after 31 years of Gov't service amd money might be tight for a while.

 

[Mudfoot]

http://sdr.hu/

 

[2RT307]

I think the

I am considering purchasing a transceiver instead of just a receiver. Probably cost more than I would want spend though. The wife is retiring after 31 years of Gov't service amd money might be tight for a while.

I think Icom has a model or two that do 1.2 ghz as an option. Seems like the Kenwood TS-2000 did, too. You.might find one o the used market?

Love my RSP1, btw!
73,
Brett

 

[ButtFuzz]

I would love to use any band locally. Problem is these days, can't even find a trucker to harass on Ch. 19.