‰ NOW 30 WPM ‰ TEXT IS FROM JANUARY 2015 QST PAGE 95‰ A LONG, LONG TIME. THERES A VIDEO OF THAT CONTACT ON YOUTUBE SEARCH FOR KH6HME AND N6NB AS KEYWORDS. YES, I WAS USING A TRANSVERTER, BUT I COULD HAVE DONE IT JUST AS EASILY WITH A SMALL, INEXPENSIVE FM TRANSCEIVER. WITHIN CALIFORNIA, WE ROUTINELY WORK OVER MOUNTAIN RANGES ON 222 FM, WITH SIGNALS OFTEN BETTER THAN WHAT WERE HEARING ON 144 MHZ SSB. GRANTED, PART OF THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO 222 BEING SUCH A GOOD TROPO BAND ALMOST ALWAYS BETTER THAN 144 OR 432 OVER RUGGED PATHS IN THE SOUTHWEST. ON MY UTAH DM37 DXPEDITIONS, I HAVE CONSISTENTLY SEEN BETTER SIGNALS ON 222 THAN ON 144 OVER THE YEARS, REGARDLESS OF THE MODE. ITS NO ACCIDENT THAT DURING VHF CONTESTS WE USE 222 FM AS OUR LIAISON BAND TO COORDINATE LONG HAUL SSB CONTACTS ON OTHER BANDS. WE USE THE BAND AND MODE THAT HAS PROVEN TO BE THE MOST RELIABLE OVER TIME. MY SUGGESTION DONT SELL FM SHORT AS A DX AND CONTEST MODE. IF YOURE NOT ON 222 MHZ NOW, BUY AN INEXPENSIVE FM TRANSCEIVER AND JOIN THE ACTION ON THIS AMAZING BAND. IF YOU OPT FOR THE ALINCO G29, YOULL INSTANTLY BE ON BOTH 222 AND 902. ONE CAVEAT DONT EXPECT MIRACLES ON 902 MHZ. 902 IS A SHARED BAND SO FULL OF OTHER USERS THAT THE ‰ END OF 30 WPM TEXT ‰ QST DE W1AW ƒ