220 MHz: The El Camino of Ham Radio

Are we ignoring half the ham bands?In this episode, Eric N1JUR, Todd W1STJ, Paul N1OG, and Mike N2MAK dig into the “lost bands” of amateur radio — 220 MHz (1.25m), 900 MHz (33cm), 60 meters, and other underused parts of the spectrum.Why are these bands so quiet?Is it cost? Equipment availability? Programming headaches?Or are we just stuck on 2 meters and 440?We break down:220 MHz — the “bridge band” (aka the El Camino band)900 MHz resurgence with surplus Motorola radiosDMR & CPS software barriersBaofeng vs. buying once, crying onceWhy manufacturers won’t build a true “do-it-all” radioHow POTA growth could change future radio designPropagation differences between 2m, 70cm, 220 & 900If you’ve ever asked:👉 “Is 220 worth it?”👉 “Should I try 900 MHz?”👉 “Why doesn’t anyone use these bands?”This one’s for you.We’ve got the spectrum… maybe it’s time we actually use it.************************************Support the show:Buy Us a Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lfhpodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/LiveFreeandHamPodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093543540309Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livefreeandham/************* Feedback and Questions! You can always leave us feedback on our voicemail line at 978-233-1142Affiliate:Live Free and Ham - 10% off all LFH Swag CODE: LFH10Reliance Antennas - 10% off and free shipping at https://www.relianceantennas.com/ CODE: LIVEFREEANDHAMHalibut Electronics - 10% discount on all purchases https://electronics.halibut.com/ of $25 or more, limited to three uses per listener. CODE: LIVEFREEANDHAM YouTube Channel:Live Free and Ham - @livefreeandhamEric (N1JUR) - @N1JUR Paul (N1OG) - @NovemberOneOscarGrouch Todd (W1STJ) - @W1STJ Swag/Shows/Updates:https://livefreeandham.comJoin our Discord:https://discord.com/invite/zas2cAVNPsIf you would also like to learn more about the hosts:Todd (W1STJ) - https://w1stj.comEric (N1JUR) - https://n1jur.comPaul (N1OG) - https://www.qrz.com/db/N1OG