Welcome to 2 metres.
Although 2 metres is sadly underused, compared to the good old days, there are some regular chats, beacons and plenty of repeaters around the UK. Here at my QTH in West Sussex, IO 90 TT, I can hear GB3WR, the Wells repeater in Somerset, when the band opens up.
2 metre beacon frequencies.
Thanks to Nick, G4JEI, for compiling the beacon list below. I can hear the Kent beacon, GB3VHF. But I’ve not heard anything else, as yet.
| Frequency | Callsign | Location | |
| 144.060 | GB3SSS | Poldhu, Cornwall | |
| 144.080 | F5ZFS | Patrice Carette, France | |
| 144.415 | PI7CIS | Scheveningen, Holland | |
| 144.424 | F5ZAM | Calais, France | |
| 144.429 | GB3VHF | Fairseat, Kent | |
| 144.452 | GB3ANG | Angus, Scotland | |
| 144.461 | GB3SEV | Stourport, Birmingham | |
| 144.468 | GB3MCB | St Austell, Cornwall | |
| 144.481 | GB3NGI | Ballymena, N-Ireland | |
| 144.486 | GB3WGI | Lough Navar Forest, N-Ireland | |
| 144.491 | ON0VRN | Veurne, Holland | |
The good old days:
Check out my Yaesu FT290R page here. It might remind you of the old days on the 2 metre band. Do you remember the 1970s and 80s when the band was alive with QSOs? TV engineers were out in their vans chatting on local repeaters, and it wasn’t always possible to find a clear channel! The band was busy, day and night. I started out on two metres with the call G8CUH. My gear was a Heathkit Twoer. It was a 5 Watt AM rig with a crystal controlled transmitter and a super regenerative receiver. I’d call CQ and then say, tuning low to high. It employed 5 valves! Happy days!
I then had a Pye Cambridge for mobile use on 2 metres. I also had a Pye Cambridge on 4 metres, 70.260 AM. After that I had various PMR radios until I bought an FDK Multi-700AX FM Transceiver. That was an amazing radio, really posh in comparison to the Heathkit Twoer and the Cambridge. Next in line was my Yaesu FT290R.
2 metre band plan:
Thanks to Geoff for the list below.
144.000-144.025 all mode.
144.025-144.100 500 telegraphy
144.050 telegraphy calling.
144.100 random MS.
144.100-144.150 500 MGM and telegraphy.
144.110-144-160 CW and MGM EME.
144.150-144.400 SSB telegraphy MGM.
144.195-144.205 random MS SSB.
144.300 SSB centre of activity.
144.400-144.490 500 MGM and telegraphy, beacons.
144.491-144.493 500 personal weak signal MGM.
144.500-144.794 all mode.
144.500 image mode centre SSTV. Fax.
144.600 data centre of activity MGM. RTTY.
144.750 ATV talk back.
144.794-144.9625 MGM digital communication.
144.800 APRS.
144.8125 DV internet voice gateway.
144.8250 DV internet voice gateway.
144.8375 DV internet voice gateway.
144.8500 DV internet voice gateway.
144.8625 DV internet voice gateway.
144.975-145.194 12 KHz FM/digital voice, repeater input.
145.194-145.206 12 KHz FM/digital voice, space communication.
145.206-145.5625 12 KHz FM/digital voice.
145.2375 FM internet voice gateway.
145.2875 FM internet voice gateway.
145.3375 FM internet voice gateway.
145.375 digital voice calling.
145.500 FM calling.
145.575-145.7935 FM/digital voice, repeater output.
145.794-145.806 FM/digital voice space communication.
145.806-146.000 all mode satellite.