Fair enough. I wasn't trying to catch anyone out, I just went to see if I could get some idea of your location, since this can have an impact on activity and coverage.

As Steve says 2m is often the first band of choice for operations, and is easy enough to operate and set up for. There is plenty of equipment produced by all of the manufacturers and this often turns up second hand which can help to keep the costs down.

Most day to day activity on 2m is vertically polarised FM in the channelised section from 145.000 - 146.000, or just inside these limits in truth. There are allocations in the band plans for CW, SSB and data but these either require multi-mode kit or interfaces.

Most of the country is in the footprint of at least one 2m repeater and these are often used by mobile and low power operators as a mechanism to either increase range or maintain reliable contact. These are usually busiest during the morning and evening commute times but you can normally scare up a contact if you call CQ on your local box.

Simplex activity can come and go, many clubs run nets at specific times which increases the levels of activity.

If you want to find out how things are in your local area ask at the local club, or possibly borrow some kit from willing club members to get a feel.

73

Well, I'm in Coventry and there is a fair bit of activity around on 2m. You might want to look at some of the repeaters around. There are a few in Northampton.

Here in Coventry I can access quite a few repeaters but not yet tried for NH.

Northampton Repeater Group: http://www.nrg-uk.org/

http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3np.htm 70cm Northants
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb7jf.htm 70cm Northants
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3bf.htm 2m Bedford
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb7db.htm 70cm Bedford
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3bl.htm 70cm Bedford
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3ci.htm 70cm Corby
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3co.htm 2m Corby
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3lt.htm 70cm Luton
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3lt.htm 70cm Rugby
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3nh.htm 70cm Northants
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3np.htm 70cm Northants
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3to.htm 2m Northants
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb3xx.htm 70cm Daventry
http://www.ukrepeater.net/repeaters/gb7db.htm 70cm Bedford

Indeed. The only people I ever gave my call sign and home address details to, were Ofcom and the RSGB (as they deal with the training and exam). I specifically stated I wanted my details withheld and yet...

How surprised was I when I see my (old now) home address listed next to my call sign on hamcall.

I wonder who gave them that information then?

Your listed in QRZ.com as well as vidchili.com

Your listed in QRZ.com as well as vidchili.com

Yeah, you will find stuff if you do a web search for 2E0JTP, that's not the issue, or a problem.

It's just Ofcom/RSGB giving out my home details that was shocking.

Muppets are muppets, regardless of which 'system' they use.

They like an audience, don't give it to them. Report them to the repeater keeper/RSGB/Ofcom (delete as appropriate) and then ignore them and get on with using your radios legitimately.

I don't know if you went for an FM only radio or a multimode but if you have SSB you would have found the SSB end of the band very busy last night for the activity contest.
VHF contests.
Probably around 150, or more, stations on around the country/near Europe and no "dead keying" or "music" in evidence.
Although, I must admit, one or two could benefit from checking the quality of their transmissions.
Truly terrible conditions but lots of stations had contacts well in excess of 500km.

I know we are all security aware but, if you take an interest in VHF/UHF it is a good idea to put, at least, your QRA locator on your QRZ page.
Otherwise how are we going to know which way to point the beam when we hear a weak signal from you?
The QRA is not precise enough to be a problem and, in any case, when you are operating you will be giving it out on the air so it could easily end up on the clusters.

Cheers

Tony

124deg from here.
I assume you are using vertical polarisation so, although you are only about 180km away, the cross polarisation loss would probably be a problem.
I've no verticals here.
In fact the last time I used FM, on 2M, was in May 2006 - the other station using a12ele horizontally polarised beam and nearly 300km away.
We were working on SSB and changed over to FM as an experiment.
The previous FM contact was more than a year before that.
Only 13 2M FM QSOs here since 2001.
Well over 4000 on SSB.

So see you when you have SSB.

Cheers

Tony