2m operation

 "Guilty as charged me lud".

When I first went on 2m back in the 1970s, most people were on AM. Then came FM and repeaters and 2m SSB.

These days, 2m seems very quiet. However, appearances can be deceptive as many are now using FT8 . This can give the impression of a dead band, although actually it is possible to work stations at great range irrespective of conditions with very modest antennas and power. Very little spectrum is needed.

Activity sessions can be quite busy, but people have found other ways simply to chat using the Internet.

Apart from local nets, the band can appear quiet. I am as guilty as anyone rarely coming on SSB or FM unless there is an activity session or local net. I often use FT8 instead these days.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/2m-operation.