‰  NOW 40 WPM  ‰  
OVER S 9 FOR ME AT 1955Z.  EARLIER, RON WORKED CT1HZE, CU1EZ, AND VO1 VIA A
POSSIBLE ES LINK TO F2.  KH7Y BK29 LOGGED 9M2IDJ WITH 339 SIGNALS FOR A NEW
ONE ON THE 28TH.  DAVE, N9HF, REPORTS HE NOW HAS THE 100 CONFIRMATIONS FOR
6 METER DXCC.  DUE TO A LONG LOST CONTACT I HAD IN 2007, AND BY USING LOTW,
I NOW HAVE 6 METER DXCC.  IN THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, A LOTW
CONFIRMATION CAME IN FOR A COUNTRY I HAD WORKED BACK IN 2007 AND MADE THE
TOTAL 100.  THANKS TO K2UNK, K6UM, K7JA,

A LONG, LONG TIME.  THERES A VIDEO OF THAT CONTACT ON YOUTUBE SEARCH FOR
KH6HME AND N6NB AS KEYWORDS.  YES, I WAS USING A TRANSVERTER, BUT I COULD
HAVE DONE IT JUST AS EASILY WITH A SMALL, INEXPENSIVE FM TRANSCEIVER.
WITHIN CALIFORNIA, WE ROUTINELY WORK OVER MOUNTAIN RANGES ON 222 FM, WITH
SIGNALS OFTEN BETTER THAN WHAT WERE HEARING ON 144 MHZ SSB.  GRANTED, PART
OF THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO 222 BEING SUCH A GOOD TROPO BAND ALMOST ALWAYS
BETTER THAN 144 OR 432 OVER RUGGED PATHS IN THE SOUTHWEST.  ON MY UTAH DM37
DXPEDITIONS, I HAVE CONSISTENTLY SEEN BETTER SIGNALS ON 222 THAN ON 144
OVER THE YEARS, REGARDLESS OF THE MODE.  ITS NO ACCIDENT THAT DURING VHF
CONTESTS WE USE 222 FM AS OUR LIAISON BAND TO COORDINATE LONG HAUL SSB
CONTACTS ON OTHER BANDS.  WE USE THE BAND AND MODE THAT HAS PROVEN TO BE
THE MOST RELIABLE OVER TIME.  MY SUGGESTION DONT SELL FM SHORT AS A DX AND
CONTEST MODE.  IF YOURE NOT ON 222 MHZ NOW, BUY AN INEXPENSIVE FM
TRANSCEIVER AND JOIN THE ACTION ON THIS AMAZING BAND.  IF YOU OPT FOR THE
ALINCO G29, YOULL INSTANTLY BE ON BOTH 222 AND 902.  ONE CAVEAT DONT EXPECT
MIRACLES ON 902 MHZ.  902 IS A SHARED BAND SO FULL OF OTHER USERS THAT THE

THE MISSING 222 MHZ BAND FM IS A LOW COST WAY TO GET STARTED ON 222 MHZ.
MANY POPULAR RADIOS INCLUDE 50, 144, AND EVEN 432 MHZ ALONG WITH THE HF
BANDS, BUT NOT THE 222 MHZ BAND.  ONE REASON IS THE 222 MHZ BAND IS NOT
AVAILABLE IN EUROPE OR ASIA.  THIS IS UNFORTUNATE, AS IT IS A GREAT UHF
BAND.  TROPOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE OFTEN BETTER ON 222 MHZ THAN 144 OR 432
MHZ.  METEOR SCATTER, AURORA, AND EVEN ES CONTACTS ARE POSSIBLE ON 222.
HOW CAN YOU GET STARTED?  WHAT RADIOS AND ANTENNAS ARE AVAILABLE?  WAYNE
OVERBECK, N6NB, HAS THESE SUGGESTIONS IN CALIFORNIA, MOST 222 MHZ
CONTESTING, AND EVEN A FAIR AMOUNT OF DXING, IS ON FM PRECISELY BECAUSE LOW
COST, HIGH PERFORMANCE FM TRANSCEIVERS ARE READILY AVAILABLE.  THERE ARE
COMBINATION 144 / 222 MHZ FM TRANSCEIVERS AVAILABLE NEW FROM US DEALERS FOR
ABOUT 100.  IVE SEEN IMPORTERS SELLING THEM FOR AS LITTLE AS 30 ON EBAY.
RECENTLY, QST CARRIED AN AD FOR A 50 W 222 MHZ TRANSCEIVER FOR UNDER 200.
ON AMAZON THE 55 W TYT TH 9000D 222 MHZ TRANSCEIVER HAS BEEN OFFERED AS LOW
AS 145.  ED.  ALINCO WWW. ALINCO. COM MAKES A COMBINATION 222 AND 902
TRANSCEIVER THAT PUTS YOU ON BOTH OF THOSE BANDS FOR BETWEEN 200 AND 300.
DURING THE JULY 2014 TROPOSPHERIC OPENING TO HAWAII, I WORKED KH6HME FRED,
KH7Y, OPERATOR OVER THAT 2500 MILE PATH ON 223R5 MHZ FM AND DID IT EASILY
WITH LOUD SIGNALS.  NOBODY HAS SPANNED THE PACIFIC ON 222 MHZ SSB OR CW IN
‰  END OF 40 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ