VHF/UHF band openings

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VHF/UHF Band Openings !

Reports are coming in for band openings on VHF and UHF.  I talked with a fellow in western Ohio tonight and he commented that he talked simplex to a station in Colorado, over 1,000 miles away.   He did it on a modest antenna up about 40 ft.   

This time of year VHF and UIHF band openings are not uncommon.  It seems they occur mostly in the morning and last up to about 11am or so.  But, they can last longer.  This early summer weather creates temperature inversions and various conditions, especially when weather fronts are moving across the area.  

So, start listening in the mornings on simplex and you will probably hear some far-off repeaters too.   If you hear a repeater, try to catch some callsigns, then go to QRZ.com to find out where they are located.  Then, Google that area for amateur radio repeaters and see if you find one on the frequency you are hearing the repeater.  Look up the PL tone, and then see if you can hit the repeater.  If you hear a distant repeater on a frequency of one of our area repeaters, chances are the distant repeater is running a different PL tone.  So, once you determine their PL tone, you can talk with them without keying up the local repeater.  

Even if you are mobile, you can make some long distance contacts.  A few years ago, I was mobile on the south side of Indy and talked with a guy in Pennsylvania on simplex.  I was running about 25 watts and so was he and he only had an omin-directional antenna up 30 ft.  

73,

John W9KD