2M SSB / CW / FT8, gaining momentum, again? maybe...

[ThaDood]

Interesting. You would have thought that interest in 2M Weak Signal Modes would have gained momentum during Solar Cycle Minimum. However, in West Virginia, there's been more talk from ops being interested in doing so, now. Part of this interest stems from the fact that when crap hits the turbines, and power is not there to maintain FM repeaters, a reliable alternative option for regional communications isn't a bad idea. 25W TX, +20dB RX preamp, and a well-tuned 4 element HORZ beam can bring good, reliable results of +150 miles, day and night, routinely. Add a little Tropo enhancement, and double, or triple, the range. And, with today's SDR tech, you can look beyond just sitting on the call FREQ of 144.200MHz. There are actually more, newer multi-band rigs out there that include 2M multi-mode, like the Yaesu FT-817 / 818, FT-991A, Kenwood TS-2000, the Icom IC-9700 and the portable IC-705, etc. About the only folks that I hear on 2M Weak Signal today are contestants and FT8 / 4 users. I am hearing the slow digital modes around 144.140MHz. Here, in West Virginia, unless you are a hill topper, 432MHz, and higher, are just not practical, but 2M seems to be. Get that beam above the foliage, or in a clear area, and it will travel. TV antenna rotors work well with the smaller 2M beams as well, 7 elements and smaller. So, what are you hearing out there in the Weak Signal portion of 2M, where you are? 

[w2nap]

had to join to toss this comment in, Don't be shy on using 432 or 1296 you would be amazed at how often 432 is open. Downside someone else has to also be listening to reply.

I had a repeater on 441.975 in Indiana and about every morning (sometimes all day long)  we would get packet bursts on the input (446.975) that came from a packet station east of Columbus Ohio here by Indianapolis IIR. (part of the reason we changed repeater freq) When we decoded the call of the packet station it was making about a 200mile trip. so 432 is open.