4m

It is very many years since I was on the 4m (70MHz) amateur band. When I was first on in the late 1960s most operation was in the British Isles. 

These days many more countries have permanent or temporary access to the band. There are far more European countries with access nowadays. 

At one time there was a push to get CEPT to grant access to the band in all CEPT countries I think. 

The photo shows my transverter that has never been used at this QTH. I am not sure where it is even!

At some point I would like to get on 4m again. With a few watts and a halo antenna much of Europe should be workable in Es openings.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/4m_tvtr .

See https://70mhz.org/

4m transverter

One of my Facebook memories today was this photo of my QRP 4m transverter designed and made in 2011. I have not been on 4m for a very long time.

The band is being covered on far more commercial transceivers now and there are far more countries on the band. It is ideal for summer Es.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/4m_tvtr

Cape Verde (D4) on 4m?

EI7GL reports  on his blog that the team in Cape Verde intend to try 4m operation in the coming Es season. There is some doubt that they will reach much of Europe as this may depend on multiple hop Es. At this lowish VHF frequency marine tropo ducts may be harder.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2021/01/d4vhf-on-cape-verde-plans-to-be-on-70.html

4m in Iceland

Southgate News reports that Iceland has 2 years access to parts of the 4m band until December 2022. Iceland is definitely an Es hop from the UK. On 10m I have heard Icelandic stations at incredible strength indicating that the would have been workable with milliwatts.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/december/iceland-authorization-for-70=mhz-allocation-renewed.htm#.X9DoG2iTLrc

4m website

It is many years since I was on 4m.  More and more countries have access to the band, which is a far cry from how it was in the 1960s. Several commercial rigs now include 4m as standard making the band more accessible for "appliance operators". Some may argue this is a negative step!

Many of these countries are within Es range, meaning they can be worked with low power and simple antennas.

One of the best resources is https://70mhz.org/

4m

4m transverter 

One of the (many) things I promise to do is get active again on 4m. Now that there are many European countries on the band and it has become more popular with some commercial rigs covering the band this makes sense.

Some years ago I got active on the band with a home designed and made transverter, I had a few G contacts, but this was way out of the Es season and I just had a wire dipole. Power was just over 1W.

Years ago I recall working ZB2VHF with 4W of AM from university. I guess that was 1969.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/4m_tvtr

4m in Germany 2020

Southgate News reports that 4m will again be available in 2020 for German amateurs. As Ger ismany at just the right range in Es openings, this is good news for amateurs in the UK.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/january/4m-returns-to-germany.htm#.Ximr4PKTLnE

4m website

Although I have not been on 4m for some years there are more and more rigs with 4m coverage and more countries than ever with 4m access. 

One place with lots of data is the 4m website. Assuming the price is sensible I expect to buy an IC-705.  In Europe, this rig covers 4m.  4m should be a useful band for inter-G contacts and Es in to Europe. On FT8 I would expect most of the UK to be within range at any time irrespective of conditions.

Falkland Is amateur bands

Some recent changes to the amateur frequencies in the Falkland Islands have been announced including 60m.

Also included is 4m. This may have been there before, although I was not aware. I guess VP8 to ZS might be possible but EU to the Falklands on 4m is very unlikely although just possible with TEP. Someone will give it a go. A 4m beacon in the Falklands beaming north would be interesting. I guess the path VP8 to EU on 4m might just be possible at times with a combination of TEP and Es.

See https://www.regulatorfi.org.fk/spectrum/amateur-radio/70-terms-and-conditions-amateur-radio-licence-v2-0-121119-pdf/file

4m transverter

Although this has been on the blog before, it is worth repeating it as it may spark ideas in some people. I have to confess it is some years since I tried this in a 4m contest with a hastily erected wire dipole.

Before that, my last 4m operation was working ZB2VHF from the shack of G3OUL (Liverpool University club station) with 4W AM on 70.26MHz. I think that was 1969, so quite a while ago!

The transverter certainly works, although I am sure it can be improved. These days I am too feeble and wobbly to try to make it better. It appeared in GQRP SPRAT, although I cannot remember which one. I guess it would have been in a 2012 or 2013 edition.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/4m_tvtr

4m (70MHz)

It is many years since I went, briefly, on 70MHz with a homebrew QRP transverter and a wire dipole. Even with this some impressive inter-G DX was worked. The transverter featured in GQRP SPRAT. It is also on my website.  If I buy a new radio it is unlikely to include 70MHz.

See www.70mhz.org .

4m transverter

Some years ago at the old QTH (2012?)  I designed and built this transverter for 4m (70MHz). As I recall I erected a wire dipole for the band just before a contest and worked a few stations on CW.

At the present QTH, I have never been on 4m.

Many years ago (1968?) I recall working ZB2VHF via Es one summer from university with 4W of AM on 70.26MHz. I can't recall the 4m antenna we used, but it was at best a small yagi.

As I recall, this QRP transverter put out 1-2W on the band, but could probably produce a bit more with some optimisation.

These days there are quite a number of countries on the band. This was not the case back in the 1960s when it was mainly a UK allocation and only 70.2-70.4MHz. Maybe I should give the band another go? As I recall it is quite an effective Es band in the Es season, and with a few watts much of the UK can be covered.

Germany on 4m next year

Southgate News reports that German amateurs will have access to part of 4m all next year. It would be good if they had a permanent 4m allocation. The ICOM IC7300 includes 4m. At the moment, few commercial rigs include 4m, which is getting more and more allocations.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/december/germany-on-70-mhz-in-2019.htm#.XBtnYvZ2u00
See http://www.70mhz.org/index.php?categoryid=2&p2_articleid=316

Big VHF beams?

Well, I can just imagine the reaction of my neighbours if I erected this monster in my garden! Southgate News reports on a new dual band 10el beam for 50/70MHz. If towers and big beams are your "thing", then I guess you may be interested.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/august/worlds-longest-50mhz-70mhz-dual-bander.htm#.W3U92fZFzIU

Of course, these monster stations are frequently at the far end of some QRP QSOs, so I have to watch what I say! All I can say is these are not of interest to me. Personally I prefer smaller antennas as do my neighbours.

Return to 4m

With more and more countries now getting access to 4m (70MHz), I am seriously thinking about getting active on this band. Many years ago I designed and built this transverter for 4m. This has appeared on this blog before, but if you have no other way of accessing the band this may be a source of ideas.

4m (70MHz) band

More and more countries are getting access to the 4m band.  The latest seems to be Israel that has been given access this summer on a temporary basis. I keep saying that I should try the band - maybe next year?

Although I have been on the band briefly with a very unsuitable antenna and homebrew transverter and working over 200km with about 1W CW, this was many years ago.

Also, I remember working ZB2VHF with 4W of AM on 70.26MHz from university in the late 1960s. I don't recall the antenna, but it was not a beam I seem to remember.

See http://www.70mhz.org/

4m transverter

Some years ago I designed a QRP 70MHz transverter as I had no gear for that band. This was featured in GQRP SPRAT.

Using just a wire dipole in the loft I managed a few QSOs in a contest.

These days, there are commercial rigs covering the 4m band including the ICOM IC7300.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/4m_tvtr

4m (70MHz) band

For some time now I have been after a new challenge. A band I have hardly tried is 4m.

At the moment I have no 4m antennas and my QRP transverter is somewhere! The transverter has not been seen since we moved shortly before my 2013 stroke. It may be somewhere in a box in the loft.

4m sounds like a good band to try as I should be able to work by Es all the EUs allowed access. Also, much of the UK should be workable under normal conditions with a halo and say, 20W SSB. I guess all the UK would be possible with just a few watts on FT8.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/4m_tvtr .

4m (70MHz) next year?

Although I have "dabbled" with 4m in the distant past, I have not really tried the band seriously. As I am looking for a new challenge for 2018, my mind is drifting towards the 4m band. There are now lots of EU countries on the band which should be in reach by Es in the summer. As I recall, 4m is pretty effective for inter-G QSOs too, so 5-50W to a 4m halo should prove quite effective. 4m WSPR should be very effective. We'll see!

4m (70MHz) allocations

It is some years since I last tried 4m using my homebrew transverter and a wire dipole in the loft. Since those days many more countries are on the band. I imagine working Es DX in the summer is quite fun on the band.  The IC7300 even has 4m coverage.

I am not up to date with which countries have 4m, but I seem to recall a CEPT move to allow national organisations like OFCOM to allocate (part of) 4m to amateurs.

With the lower VHF bands being less popular with commercial users (big antennas on portables and Es interference), the chances of more countries allocating 4m to amateurs must increase.

In the USA the FCC might even allocate the band - well, by the 22nd century!

See http://www.70mhz.org/ .