From NG9R
6/15/2007 1:48:01 PM (0 comments) 
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If you haven't tried it, take a look at WSJT for weak signal work on VHF. WSJT started as a high speed meteor scatter mode and has evolved into an EME, tropo and recently seeing use on HF.
On VHF, it is a real addiction to be able to work stations 500 to 1200 miles on 6 and 2 meters without an real propagation enhancement, just the normal junk that enters our atmosphere every day.
Even without WSJT, I spend as much or even more combing the weak signal part of the VHF bands looking for activity, With 6 meters being on most of the new HF radios, that band has seen a huge increase of activity. 2 meter SSB and CW aren't nearly as popular and usually requires a dedicated all mode radio or a transverter attached to a HF radio. 222 and up is pretty much all transverters. The Radio Shack HTX-100 has been very popular with the VHF/UHF crowd as an inexpensive radio for driving a transverter. Radios like the IC-706 or the FT-100 have made it possible to get a good start on HF up to 440 at a beginners price.
Have you tried using the VHF bands on your new radio for anything other than repeater QSO's?
Check out 50.125 or 144.200 and you may find a sub-culture you didn't know existed.
