Is 2 meter and other bands all dead all the time?

[Rwb]

Was thinking of getting my ham ticket,but after monitering a few bands i never hear anybody.
I got a like new kenwood tm 271,baofeng uv 5rv2+ and an old multi band radio.yesterday not a soul on any of them
There is a hamfest this weekend near me.thinking im selling the whole kit n kaboodle n buying something like my delta force but in a base radio. At least i can hear voices on the galaxy 99v,president grant and my delta force.

 

[Radio Tech]

Well all I can say is do not base this experience on ham radio. V/UHF has been declining for years. I see repeaters sit idle for days only hearing the ID transmit.
At certain times during morning and late nights your all mode may come to life. I have worked stations from NC to NY on 2 meter ssb.
I seen folks try and base this off of 6 meters before.

HF is the bands to be on.

 

[BJ radionut]

Yes: Local FM repeaters vary in usage...Morning and evening drive times here in my area are the most used...During SKYWARN nets etc...
2 meter FM Simplex operation is very popular here in Central Ind....However, unless you have a vertical ground plane antenna correctly tuned at 30-50ft with some good gain and good feedline...you will never hear it. Listening on a rubber duck or whip mobile antenna say on a file cabinet will likely not yield good or any results.
2m SSB again for good reception will require a suitable Horizontal Beam/or dipole at least 30ft or more in height...or at least a "HALO" antenna at that height with good low loss feedline to expect any descent results. To get good results on 2m any mode...requires putting in the work in the antenna system to achieve good results from a base usage stand point. The 440 band even more so.
The "multi-band" radio not sure what you have but again Antenna...Antenna...Antenna is where you will see your best results.
On HF daily I can work Coast to Coast most days depending on band and time of day.
I have worked Europe/Africa/S. Am etc.. on 6m SSB just in the last 3-4 months...but again I have a 5 element Horizontal beam at 40ft and run at least 100w PEP full time.
So potential is there. Most Hams will tell you first off...top shelve rigs are nice to have but without a good antenna system it's a BOAT ANCHOR".
I would rather have a old reasonable priced used/Hamfest special rig and Good antenna system...Than Top notched rigs and a G5RV or Endfed antenna at 20ft any day...MHO
All the Best
Gary/W9FNB

 

[w9cll]

Most here in the Chicago area have moved over to DMR. The repeaters are dead 90% of the day with most of the activity during the drive times. I am hardly on VHF/UHF any more focusing my time time on the HF bands.

 

[Rwb]

Well i got a big antenna a deceased ham operators widow gave me to just take it down. Its hf.and thats where i got the multi band yeasu. As for baofeng i put a genuine nyagoa antenna on it.came in their special bag n has their trademark name on it.i get in our bigest town not much except buisnesses on it

 

[BJ radionut]

Good Deal!...BUT WHAT RIG Model # and what is the antenna and how did you install it?
The Rubber Duck antenna even the best ones have maybe a range of 5-10 miles depending on the repeaters receive height...For FM Simplex pretty much worthless outside of 3 or 4 miles in open terrain.
All the Best
Gary

 

[Riverman]

I would rather have a old reasonable priced used/Hamfest special rig and Good antenna system...Than Top notched rigs and a G5RV or Endfed antenna at 20ft any day...MHO

I agree, Gary!
But right now, an endfed at 20' (17, actually) is what I have.
And it's in my attic.
With this setup I have talked to twenty states thus far, and South America on 10, 20, 40 meters. Mostly using 10 watts.
I may be nuts , but I think QRP is cool.

 

[Tallman]

If your antenna is not setup properly you won't hear much. What are multiband radio bands listed? 160, 80, 40, 20, and ten would be my guess. You need antennas that match the bands. A long wire of around 100ft will work on receive, but not transmit.

 

[Robb]

Most - if not all - net meetings are of either of ARES or RACES affiliations, so in bad storms or emergency situations should arise they will become very active.

You can always look any local net on the internet by whatever state you are in, and they will give the station callsign, freq, offset, and pl tone for those repeaters close to you.

Other than that, 146.520mhz is the simplex nat'l call freq. That would be the local ragchew freq. That is another freq to program in and get to know your local operators by.

 

[w9cll]

I may be nuts , but I think QRP is cool.

I used to play around in the mobile running 10w and worked all over, it was fun.

 

[543_Dallas]

QRP is cool but can be fatiguing for the poor guy on the receiving end.

You can get some adapters and connect an outdoor antenna to your HT. If there is anything happening and you're using a rubber duck antenna you won't be hearing much of it.

 

[Grinder74]

I live between Cincinnati and Dayton and work 2nd shift. I hear some chatter on simplex and repeaters but mostly weekends.

 

[binrat]

Band conditions are nit the best as I only got 9 contacts Friday using 45 watts and a dipole at 18'. On 20 metres of course. My hiking psrtner got 6 on 17 metres running 40 watts.

 

[Rwb]

well,attended the local hamfest. asked a few questions.was treated like i shouldnt be there.i got the impression i was at a sority meeting n wasnt in it. bought 2 items from a very snobbish dealer but he was the only 1 that had what i needed. he was snobbish to a fellow who was a member n asked for his member discount.the dealer snapped him off.if i hadnt paid for my items id said put em where the sun shines.
the guy who was treated bad walked off with me n we talked a bit.we set my antenna up n he helped set swr .he did know 1 person who talked to him n said my radio soundede fine.
my wife said YOUR NOT GETTING INTO THIS KINDA CLANNISH PEOPLE.
In next few days im selling my tm 271 kenwood and antenna . sorry people not much to hear on radio n where id have to take the test has the kind of people im not interested in being around.

 

[Riverman]

well,attended the local hamfest. asked a few questions.was treated like i shouldnt be there.i got the impression i was at a sority meeting n wasnt in it. bought 2 items from a very snobbish dealer but he was the only 1 that had what i needed. he was snobbish to a fellow who was a member n asked for his member discount.the dealer snapped him off.if i hadnt paid for my items id said put em where the sun shines.
the guy who was treated bad walked off with me n we talked a bit.we set my antenna up n he helped set swr .he did know 1 person who talked to him n said my radio soundede fine.
my wife said YOUR NOT GETTING INTO THIS KINDA CLANNISH PEOPLE.
In next few days im selling my tm 271 kenwood and antenna . sorry people not much to hear on radio n where id have to take the test has the kind of people im not interested in being around.

Sorry to hear that.
I took my Technician test in a small neighboring town. It was sponsored by the local ham club and held in a church fellowship hall. From the moment I nervously walked in, I was treated like a long lost friend and made to feel at home. I loved the experience and returned there for both my General and Extra.

There are two sides to every coin.