Monitoring 145.500

[26DT595]

I think the biggest change to 2 metre activity happened when SOTA was started. People had something to monitor 2m FM for, which they could get points for and they could have a quick QSO.
There should be more of this sort of activity on FM at other times, 2m FM is often dismissed as not being for long distances but with a good location you still have a chance.
How about FM or vertical polarisation only activity nights/contests? Somewhere online for spotting UK VHF activity.

[RadioPixie]

Distances are possible on 2m. Even this autumn Ireland has been coming through down here via tropo. A bit of hilltopping and a potable outfit does work well. Wx depending may do a bit myself this weekend.

[phil7ldx]

My experience of meeting G8 call holders I was actually extremely impressed . These guys were not in the slightest bit interested in HF and in the days when there was a great deal of experimentation on uhf vhf and microwaves these guys were the experts . I had just passed the class B and had a G8 (1978) but I was just not in their league . A lot of these guys are of course still around and have pioneered a great deal . The half licence taunting was very much a tongue in cheek remark and often fired to G8s over a pint in the club !
I was not really interested in the Higher frequencies and quickly moved on to the G4 when ofcom decided to give out the A licence to everyone the purist G8s never really got excited they just kept on firing microwaves.
Everyone was good at something . I was crap at building stuff ......but I learned CW in 8 days and passed the 12 wpm after 2 weeks so I guess that was my forte.
But the amateur licence now is a load of b0llox