HOW DOES THE EVENT WORK?

The 145 Alive event covers the whole of the UK.  The UK is broken down into grid squares using the Maidenhead Locator System.  Each large grid square is allocated to a 'Net Controller' and is assigned a frequency from the 2m FM portion of the 2m band.  The frequency allocation is calculated to cause least interference with other local nets.  The Net Controller will call for participants and will note the operators callsign.  A callsign will then be called forward and invited to contact the other callsigns in the net.  The next callsign then follows, with the intention that all participating callsigns can contact each other if in range.  Some operators may also be able to contact other nearby nets.  No repeaters are used in the event and contacts are confined to the 2m FM Simplex frequencies.

TAKING PART

The event is free and open to all licensed radio amateurs.  Simply find your nearest Net frequency (these will be published nearer the time of each event and can be found on the 145 Alive Facebook Group.) and so long as you have a radio capable of operating on the 2m FM band, you are good to go.  For best results you may wish to operate from high ground (as the 2m band is virtually Line Of Sight).  Operate away from any causes of interference which may affect your signal and try to use an antenna with good gain, the ideal being a Yagi antenna or a Slim J / Slim G antenna.  If you only have the standard antenna which came with your radio, there is nothing to stop you having a go, you may be surprised!