BATC Forum

I note that in the bandplan that I have144.750MHz is listed as the 'TV calling channel'. In the June contest last weekend I went /P on a high spot in West Dorset but found that the channel was unuseable as a small number of stations were permanently ensconced on the channel and setting up TV exchanges on all manner of channels and modes. Surely 750 is a 'CALLING' channel, not a working channel. There are plenty of free channels either side of 750 to use for the interminable process of setting up TV exchanges and sorting out problems. After three hours of struggling to find a quiet slot to put out calls I gave up having worked no-one on TV.

Please, during contests, can we keep 750 clear for calling only.

Ed G3VPF

Hi Ed,

Sorry if you had a problem at the weekend - interestingly we had the opposite comments on Saturday when we did QSY down to .725 on a number of occasions and a couple of stations said they listened on .750 and never heard anyone!

I guess the answer is to QSY when possible and if we do use .750 to leave long breaks and for all stations to check .725 and .775 for activity.

It's a pity you were out on Sunday as I was at Walbury on Saturday, Dave GKQ was at Povingdon and another station was at Win Green and I'm sure you would have worked all of us on 5.6GHz.

Hope to work you again soon.
73
Noel - G8GTZ

On the subject of 144.750 do people still use horizontal polarisation these days ....will be putting a talkback yagi up soon for 2m

G4HTZ wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 12, 2019 1:44 pm

On the subject of 144.750 do people still use horizontal polarisation these days ....will be putting a talkback yagi up soon for 2m

Most use Horizontal as it saves having two aerials. Some use slant (you know who you are) or circular.

Mike

Perhaps BATC could include guidance on good practice use of 144.750MHz in their 'getting started' documents. I was unaware that horizontal polarisation was the norm, just assumed FM therefore vertical!!

Ed G3VPF

The issue is further complicated by the fact that most of us use vertical when at home for cross town chatting - as a result I run a vertical colinear and a horizontal beam when out portable.

We do probably need a section on this under the operating section on the wiki, which is of course built and maintained by all BATC members.
https://wiki.batc.org.uk/BATC_Wiki#Operating

The getting started guides on the wiki are all out of date and need updating - I did write the originals but would be very happy for anyone to volounteer to update them

73
Noel - G8GTZ

Sorry you did not have any contacts Ed, It is hard dx on the higher bands!

I must admit to sitting on .750 most of the day Saturday/Sunday with 40W to a yagi but when very few stations about it's the best option to promote ATV/Talkback channel.

I use slant 8el yagi for /p use, covers both H/V stations and only one antenna to take.
The yagi generally fires where you want it, not to to everyone within 100km

Totally agree with moving freq when there's more stations appearing but if nobody else calls in then it's free for anyone to use.

I imagine that quite a few stations on over the weekend were unaware there was a contest taking place and continued as normal.

Rob
M0DTS