Summer 2004 Issue

The annual return of the Perseids meteor shower in mid August causes many an experienced weak-signal VHF operator to look for falling stars for propagation of his or her signals. Here K7BV/1 presents a whimsical approach to meteor-scatter communications—not just in August, but all year round as well.

By Dennis Motschenbacher,* K7BV/1

One of the biggest challenges facing a new user of the VHF bands can be overcoming boredom. This is the case for both HFers trying out that “50” button on their new rig as well as the multitude of new hams who first get on the air as Technician Class licensees.

It appears that our new Technicians generally are only pointed toward the local FM repeaters. Often, the locals who may be a close-knit group do not receive them with open arms; other times they are accepted, but in this “culture” they may not be openly encouraged to expand their horizons beyond the coverage area of the repeater.

While the world of repeaters may satisfy the needs of some, statistics clearly show that many had something else in mind when they studied for their ham radio operator license. A recent ARRL survey found that 25% of all persons obtaining a Technician license never even make one QSO! While there are a number of likely reasons for this, I maintain that numerous hams with a Technician license become discouraged and simply go away without knowing that their license could have taken them on so many more exciting VHF and UHF adventures not only across the country, but also across the globe.

I recently found myself in the second category of VHF ops. I became one of the HFers trying out the “50” button when I moved to Connecticut in the spring of 2002 to work as Sales and Marketing Manager for the ARRL. I coincidentally purchased a rig with 6-meter capability. Shortly after moving into a house on a hilltop, I leaned up a temporary 40-foot tower and lashed on a 7-element Yagi, which was recommended to me by one of my new clients, 6-meter fanatic Ray Grenier, K9KHW.

This article is about the discovery that kept me from becoming a flash-in-the-pan VHF enthusiast. Instead, I remain a dedicated VHFer and have significantly changed my discretionary time priorities, now devoting most of my time, energy, and entertainment dollars to the pursuit of VHF, 6 meters in particular, and its associated challenges and goals.
 

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