Just wrapped up another fun day out in the field at Galveston Island State Park, and I figured it was the perfect time to jump on 146.520 simplex for the #52Challenge. If you haven’t seen the video yet, check it out here: Did I Make Any Contacts? 146.520 Simplex Test.

I had just finished shooting the portable APRS station video (which I’ll link in the full post when it’s up), packed that away, and realized the 2M Farajay Antenna was still up and ready to go. Why not test some simplex and try to drum up some activity on the national calling frequency?

Equipment Used in the Video:

• 2M Farajay Antenna — Solid performer for portable ops. Grab one here: https://vfcomms.com?sca_ref=10776093.gDYYgj5RtZ8Ora
• ABR Coax — Fed the antenna with quality ABR Industries coax. Save 10% with code ABR10KC5HWB: https://abrind.com/?sld=kc5hwb
• POTA20 Mast from GigaParts — Extended to about 20 ft and tied off nicely to the pergola with reusable twist ties. Earn double points with code KC5HWB: https://www.gigaparts.com/explorer-pota20-portable-handheld-20-ft-telescopic-carbon-fiber-mast.html
• TTP Products Manpack — My go-to portable setup. This hand-stitched beauty (50 of 50, serial numbered early run) is built like a tank and still going strong after years of use. Highly recommend checking out their gear: https://www.thetechprepper.com/
• Ed Fong Roll-up J-pole — Usually my daily carry for dual-band work, but today the Farajay handled the 2M simplex duties perfectly. Available in my shop: https://grapevineamateurradio.com/collections/ed-fong-antennas/products/ed-fong-j-pole-antennas-dual-band-220-and-roll-up
• Digirig Interface – https://digirig.net/p/1/
• Reusable Twist Ties — These things are clutch for securing masts in the field: https://amzn.to/4e6O3DA (affiliate link)

I was running my Yaesu manpack rig (with DigiRig for potential digital modes) and made a solid contact with AB5GU out in Santa Fe. It was great to chat and get some activity going. We need more folks monitoring and calling on 146.520 — whether you’re in the truck, at home, or out activating a park. Let’s keep that frequency alive!

If you’re into portable ops, POTA, or just want more simplex activity, this is the kind of casual field testing I love doing. I’ve been seeing more creators like Jeff K3JRZ and Mike N2MAK pushing the #52Challenge — I’ll have them on an upcoming Sunday night livestream soon.

What do you think — have you been hitting 146.520 more often? Drop a comment on the video or reply to the newsletter. Let’s build some momentum on simplex!

73 de KC5HWB (Ham Radio 2.0)