MF/LF OPERATING: Life Below the AM Broadcast Band

This has been a remarkably busy quarter for questions about 630- and 2200-meter station-building and I can only imagine that this is due, in part, to amateurs being stuck at home through the spring and summer. Additionally, statistics on my website suggest that there are operators in needed states (states that currently have no operators) on both 630 and 2200 meters who are actively seeking technical information about how to approach station-building in such a way that their chances of on-air success are as high as possible. It’s great progress for what we do. If you are one of those people and have questions, please ask one of the friendly operators who are on the air and “in the trenches” nightly. Most of us are happy to try to answer your questions and provide some perspective on your particular situation. A link to the 630-meter operator list can be found in the bottom section of the front page of my website1 and a link to N1BUG’s 2200-meter operator list2 can be found at the bottom of the 630-meter operator list page.

In previous discussions I have presented my own exploits and those of other operators in story form, leaving many of the specific details for the prospective operator to consider or question at a later time. Every situation is different and trying to detail every step necessary to get on the air, with all of the possible if-then logical scenarios, is an exercise in futility. This is not a “plug tab A into slot B” affair. Additionally, it’s good for someone to critically think through their situation,