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List:       elecraft
Subject:    Re: [Elecraft] Advice on 6 meters...
From:       AG0N-3055 <mcduffie () ag0n ! net>
Date:       2014-02-27 0:47:28
Message-ID: oj2tg91e8rrc89lsnkbj7vthr00uid35eu () 4ax ! com
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On Wed, 26 Feb 2014 10:08:46 -0800, Phil Hystad wrote:

> I have seen some comments recently about six meters and I have never operated
> six meters.  I don't really have a descent antenna for six meters, just my 
> 80-meter (ladder line fed) dipole or my hex beam that I can at least tune to six
> meters.

I'd use the hex beam.  You've already had many comments on the subject,
and yes, I'm about to add mine.  Believe it or not, most of them are
true!  Ken Kopp has one of the most important ones.  Get familiar with
DXMaps web site and sign up to receive email alerts when the band opens
for North America.  As soon as someone puts a spot up for a station,
you'll be informed that it is open.  You can click on the link provided
in the email and it will show you a map of the contacts posted.  I pay
close attention to that.  You'll get lots of "openings" for people on
the east coast, or in the southern states, especially southeast.  You
just have to evaluate what you see to decide if you want to run in and
fire up the rig or not.  One thing about it, the further south you are,
the more openings you'll get.

I've been a ham since 1960, and, except for having a 6M FM mobile in the
early 70s in Montana, I'd never been on six meters until a couple of
years ago.  I picked up a used rig that had six on it and a friend about
10 miles from here called me on 2M and told me the band was open.  I
used my HF beam, a TH-7DX to get on the air and tune around.  As it
turned out, I was able to work someone!  We later had a much better
opening and I worked a ton of stations.  I was hooked.  It's just like
ten meters.  When it is open, a wet string will work for an antenna.  It
just isn't open as often as ten.

The suggestion that March through August are good months is a good one.
My first July on six SSB filled a log book.  My second year did a good
job on another, even though neither year's travel plans allowed me to
work the entire month.  I've worked transequatorially to southern Chile,
but no JAs yet.  My second year on the band, I got a note from an old
friend I hadn't talked to in years and he cussed me out for working KL7
before him.  He had been on for over 20 yrs and never worked KL or KH. I
worked two KLs in less than a week, followed by two KHs.

The recommendation to not go too large on the antenna is a good one.
Directionality becomes a problem when you are in the monitor mode.  You
need to be able to hear signals that come in from all directions, just
in case.  I'm lacking that here, but I do have a good takeoff angle
almost 360 degrees.  I'm currently running a 5 element so-so antenna at
60 feet.  With my KPA500, it talks pretty darned well.  You would do
well to put up a more omnidirectional antenna for monitoring.
 
> The band is always dead quiet with the small exception of some noise
> spikes here and there but very rare.

This is pretty normal.  However, it does give you a chance to hunt up
some noise sources if you have any.  Power line noise, and junk like
that can really have negative effect on your enjoyment of any band,
especially six, where you have to be there and be ready to pounce as
soon as you hear something.  Openings can last from seconds to hours.

> Question:  is there any activity for six meters that I should invest
> in a nice multi-element 6 meter bean antenna?

Start small (3-ele) for now.  It is pretty much assumed that we are on
the downhill slope of the sunspot cycle and the band will likely be open
less and less for awhile.  Plus, you are more likely to hear something
off the side or back of the antenna when a signal comes in from the
wrong direction.

> My most dominant operating mode would be CW but maybe some SSB from time to
> time.  I have no idea what's there as this band has always been blank to me.

CW is alive and well on six, but not nearly as much as SSB.

Sign up for the emails from Sherlock (DXMaps) and get ready.  We just
had a short opening to SoCal a couple weeks ago with good strong
signals.  You never know when it will open.

Gary - AG0N
-- 
http://ag0n.net
3055: http://ag0n.net/irlp/3055
NodeOp Help Page: http://ag0n.net/irlp
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