The Availability Of 220 MHz Equipment Today By Joe WI2M

The 220 MHz band or also known as the 1.25 meter band in the VHF spectrum has always interested me.

Most newly licensed hams tend to purchase a dual band 2m/440 MHz HT or mobile then eventually get on the 2m repeaters to start their ham adventures, me? I went a different route.

After getting licensed I purchased an Alinco dj-280 220 MHz FM HT and started listening to the LIMARC 220 MHz repeater (224.820 -1.6 136.5 pl) after some time I put my call out and met some hams that have become lifelong friends and to this day I still keep in contact with.

But the availability of commercial equipment for the 220 MHz band has always been sparse to say the least. In the 1980s and 1990s the “big three”, Kenwood, Yeasu and Icom all had equipment for the 220mhz band but by the end of the 90s many of these models were discontinued leaving a void.

So, what if anything has changed?
The flood of mostly inexpensive Chinese transceivers over the past 10 years some of which includes the 220 MHz has given this band a new lease on life in my opinion so let’s take a closer look at what’s available. I quickly searched the internet and in almost no time came up with a quick list of gear of which I only own one which is the TYT Th-9000. Rest assured there are more choices. I am not affiliated with any of the products listed, i just compiled a list. In addition, I recently attended Hamcation in Orlando and came across a vendor making inexpensive antennas for the 220 MHz band. I purchased one but have yet to deploy it.

So let us take a look at this quick list of transceivers available.

The first is the Radioddity QB25 quad band FM mini mobile. With 25 watts of power and MSRP is around $25.00 at the time of this article.

Next up we have the TYT th-9000 FM mobile transceiver with 45 watts of power, 200ch of memories and price is around $139 at the time of this article. This is the only transceiver that I can attest as this is the radio I use in the shack. I have owned it for almost 10 years, and it has worked well for me. I have made contacts on numerous repeaters as well as simplex.

Next up is the first HT in the review and it’s the TYT TH-350 tri band HT with 2 meters, 1.25 meters, and 70 cm all FM. This HT has the standard. 128 channels of memory and is available with the standard 4 to 5 watt output.

Next, we have the Baofeng BF-F8HP Pro which is also known as the UV5R 7th generation HT. It’s hard to imagine the legendary UV5R is in its 7th generation from Baofeng. The UV5R is considered to be the game changer in Chinese ham radio gear with its low price. Many hams today can say their first HT after being licensed was the UV5R.

So, let’s take a look at what the 7th generation has to offer. It is also a triband HT with 2 meters, 1,25 meters and 70cm. It is IP54 rated and has 1000 memory channels. It also has aviation band. It also has NOAA weather channels, cradle charger as well as usb-c charging. The HT comes in at around $69.00 at the time of this article.

Next up is Kenwood with a new introduction to the market with much fanfare at the Tokyo and Hamcation shows. It’s the brand new TM-750A tri band mobile radio. It has not been released yet and price has not been determined at the time I write this article but here’s what we know right now. It’s a triband mobile with 2 meters, 70 centimeters, and 1.25 meters and comes with 3.4in LCD screen, APRS, D-STAR, Blue Tooth connectivity, wireless LAN, and a micro usb. This is a high-end radio with a no doubt hefty price tag. Rumors at Hamcation is around $500 to $700 price tag.

And finally with no picture is the Bridgecom BCM-220 FM mobile with 200 memory channels and comes in at the highest MSRP of around $259.

For antennas I use the Ed Fong tri band vertical that I purchased at the LIMARC hamfest but rest assured there are more choices on the commercial side with well-known makers like Comet, Diamond, Hustler and more. In addition, there are vendors on the hamfest circuit that construct small verticals for the 220 MHz band.

So you have gone out and picked up a transceiver that you researched and want to get on the air, so what next?

The Suffolk County Radio Club has a wonderful repeater for the 1.25 meter band at 224.680 with a negative offset and a pl tone of 103.5. Check the club web site for more details and give the repeater and the band a try. Hope to hear you on the 1.25 meter band.