Re: [Elecraft] 6m......just my thoughts
My interest in 6M goes back to that memorable solar cycle around 1958, when from my QTH in WV I worked ZS in the morning, W6, in the afternoon, KH6 a bit later with a ground plane and 25W AM. As an active CW op on HF, I had great fun keying my 2E26 rig to work AU. 40 years later, I enjoyed 6M from Chicago, working about 240 grids over about 3 seasons with 100W and a pair of loops at 40 ft. Since moving to NorCal in 2006, I've been active on 6M again, and worked grid #300 from this QTH this summer. My 6M activity is about 75% CW, but I also work SSB and Joe Taylor's WSJT modes. Before I had a SteppIR Yagi here in CA, I made at least a dozen double-hop E-skip QSOs to the east coast and KH6 loading 100W into an 80/40M fan dipole. The SteppIR with the KPA500 is a nice step up, and I've got 12 countries confirmed, including VE, XE, KL7, KH6, ZL, VK, JA, and a few S Pacific islands. With that perspective, what you can work on 6M depends VERY strongly on where you live. Over the last 3-4 summers, there have been MANY, MANY openings to EU from east of the Mississippi River, a few that got farther west, and a handful to SoCal. I don't remember a single opening to EU from NorCal in the 7 years I've lived here. Those east of the MS river also get openings into the Caribbean and South America that we don't get here. Those openings to KL7, VK, ZL, and the S Pacific have happened no more than a half dozen times since I've lived here, they tend to be quite short, and I've been on the air for them twice. This is the best place I've found to monitor 6M propagation and activity. http://www.dxmaps.com/spots/map.php?Frec=50Map=NA WSJT modes are coordinated on sites like http://www.on4kst.com/chat/start.php and http://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk 73, Jim K9YC On 2/26/2014 2:09 PM, Jeff Stai wrote: True, but when I lived in so cal I managed to work most of SA and the pacific rim as well as 48 states (missed AR and NJ) with that three element. Not that forlorn. 73 jeff wk6i On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, Keith Heimboldag...@hotmail.com wrote: Not to rain on the folks in Europe or eastern US or even Texas but 6m is a totally different animal out west. It is still super fun but we get about 1/4 or less of the openings of these other regions. So yes put up a 3 element antenna but don't expect to even come close to those DX numbers. Still it is very enjoyable when the band opens, but go into this with eyes wide open. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] 6m......just my thoughts
This OT 6 meter thread has been beaten to death and is probably ready to be retired so I have just a couple points and I'll quit. The magic band has always been there, and has always been lots of fun. Like many others, I have enjoyed 6M since the late 1970s. I would have been bored to death if I had worked 6M only, but it has always been a fun place to go during Spring months for the annual sporadic-E season. Up until the late 1990s, a dedicated 6 meter rig was needed to get on the band, so most hams never bothered to give it a go and the band was always lonely even in the Spring. During that era, a guy who just tuned and never called CQ would likely miss most band openings and would naively think the band was always dead (without anyone transmitting a hot band will always sound dead!. Yes, there were a few beacons then, but not as many as today. The game changed in the late 1990s when new HF transceivers came with 6 meter capability, and suddenly everyone was on the band, openings were easier to find, and very few openings have been overlooked since. So that's the way it is today. 6M is great fun .. But if you want to enjoy ham radio on a daily or weekly basis year-round, you really need to allocate time to the other HF bands. Don, N5LZ -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Brown Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2014 11:01 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 6m..just my thoughts My interest in 6M goes back to that memorable solar cycle around 1958, when from my QTH in WV I worked ZS in the morning, W6, in the afternoon, KH6 a bit later with a ground plane and 25W AM. As an active CW op on HF, I had great fun keying my 2E26 rig to work AU. 40 years later, I enjoyed 6M from Chicago, working about 240 grids over about 3 seasons with 100W and a pair of loops at 40 ft. Since moving to NorCal in 2006, I've been active on 6M again, and worked grid #300 from this QTH this summer. My 6M activity is about 75% CW, but I also work SSB and Joe Taylor's WSJT modes. Before I had a SteppIR Yagi here in CA, I made at least a dozen double-hop E-skip QSOs to the east coast and KH6 loading 100W into an 80/40M fan dipole. The SteppIR with the KPA500 is a nice step up, and I've got 12 countries confirmed, including VE, XE, KL7, KH6, ZL, VK, JA, and a few S Pacific islands. With that perspective, what you can work on 6M depends VERY strongly on where you live. Over the last 3-4 summers, there have been MANY, MANY openings to EU from east of the Mississippi River, a few that got farther west, and a handful to SoCal. I don't remember a single opening to EU from NorCal in the 7 years I've lived here. Those east of the MS river also get openings into the Caribbean and South America that we don't get here. Those openings to KL7, VK, ZL, and the S Pacific have happened no more than a half dozen times since I've lived here, they tend to be quite short, and I've been on the air for them twice. This is the best place I've found to monitor 6M propagation and activity. http://www.dxmaps.com/spots/map.php?Frec=50Map=NA WSJT modes are coordinated on sites like http://www.on4kst.com/chat/start.php and http://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk 73, Jim K9YC On 2/26/2014 2:09 PM, Jeff Stai wrote: True, but when I lived in so cal I managed to work most of SA and the pacific rim as well as 48 states (missed AR and NJ) with that three element. Not that forlorn. 73 jeff wk6i On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, Keith Heimboldag...@hotmail.com wrote: Not to rain on the folks in Europe or eastern US or even Texas but 6m is a totally different animal out west. It is still super fun but we get about 1/4 or less of the openings of these other regions. So yes put up a 3 element antenna but don't expect to even come close to those DX numbers. Still it is very enjoyable when the band opens, but go into this with eyes wide open. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] 6m......just my thoughts
Being an HF DXer I'm down to one. 6 yr.s ago I'd tried 6m. A friend said load my TA 33 since I had no 6m antenna. Well I wrkd 25 countries with 100w an HF tribander.Then I put up a 3 ele 6m wrkd abt 60 countries. I've since put up a 5 ele 6m yagi with a larger one gg up this Spring. One of the reasons I got a KPA500 was 6m. I'm at 90 countries now from TN. The band is open from late March thru August with quick openings anytime. Last week there were openings to KH6 SA from Ca to Wa. The Gulf Coast guys are hearing SA most evenings now. The last two Winters we've had openings[ only 20-30 min.s] to the S Pacific. Mostly CW but sometimes SSB too. Build a little 3 ele 6m yagi. It'll only be a 6' boom. Smaller than TV antennas. 6m is like 10m. When it's open antennas don't matter that much. I've wrkd Japan 100s of times on HF but it was a rush to wrk Japan on 6m In the QRN times of Summer 6m offers a gud break from HF. K9IL __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] 6m......just my thoughts
Not to rain on the folks in Europe or eastern US or even Texas but 6m is a totally different animal out west. It is still super fun but we get about 1/4 or less of the openings of these other regions. So yes put up a 3 element antenna but don't expect to even come close to those DX numbers. Still it is very enjoyable when the band opens, but go into this with eyes wide open. Keith AK6ZZ Sent from my iPhone please excuse typos On Feb 26, 2014, at 1:35 PM, r miles greenacres...@charter.net wrote: Being an HF DXer I'm down to one. 6 yr.s ago I'd tried 6m. A friend said load my TA 33 since I had no 6m antenna. Well I wrkd 25 countries with 100w an HF tribander.Then I put up a 3 ele 6m wrkd abt 60 countries. I've since put up a 5 ele 6m yagi with a larger one gg up this Spring. One of the reasons I got a KPA500 was 6m. I'm at 90 countries now from TN. The band is open from late March thru August with quick openings anytime. Last week there were openings to KH6 SA from Ca to Wa. The Gulf Coast guys are hearing SA most evenings now. The last two Winters we've had openings[ only 20-30 min.s] to the S Pacific. Mostly CW but sometimes SSB too. Build a little 3 ele 6m yagi. It'll only be a 6' boom. Smaller than TV antennas. 6m is like 10m. When it's open antennas don't matter that much. I've wrkd Japan 100s of times on HF but it was a rush to wrk Japan on 6m In the QRN times of Summer 6m offers a gud break from HF. K9IL __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] 6m......just my thoughts
True, but when I lived in so cal I managed to work most of SA and the pacific rim as well as 48 states (missed AR and NJ) with that three element. Not that forlorn. 73 jeff wk6i On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, Keith Heimbold ag...@hotmail.com wrote: Not to rain on the folks in Europe or eastern US or even Texas but 6m is a totally different animal out west. It is still super fun but we get about 1/4 or less of the openings of these other regions. So yes put up a 3 element antenna but don't expect to even come close to those DX numbers. Still it is very enjoyable when the band opens, but go into this with eyes wide open. Keith AK6ZZ Sent from my iPhone please excuse typos On Feb 26, 2014, at 1:35 PM, r miles greenacres...@charter.netjavascript:; wrote: Being an HF DXer I'm down to one. 6 yr.s ago I'd tried 6m. A friend said load my TA 33 since I had no 6m antenna. Well I wrkd 25 countries with 100w an HF tribander.Then I put up a 3 ele 6m wrkd abt 60 countries. I've since put up a 5 ele 6m yagi with a larger one gg up this Spring. One of the reasons I got a KPA500 was 6m. I'm at 90 countries now from TN. The band is open from late March thru August with quick openings anytime. Last week there were openings to KH6 SA from Ca to Wa. The Gulf Coast guys are hearing SA most evenings now. The last two Winters we've had openings[ only 20-30 min.s] to the S Pacific. Mostly CW but sometimes SSB too. Build a little 3 ele 6m yagi. It'll only be a 6' boom. Smaller than TV antennas. 6m is like 10m. When it's open antennas don't matter that much. I've wrkd Japan 100s of times on HF but it was a rush to wrk Japan on 6m In the QRN times of Summer 6m offers a gud break from HF. K9IL __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net javascript:; This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net javascript:; This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- Jeff Stai ~ wk6i.j...@gmail.com Twisted Oak Winery ~ http://www.twistedoak.com/ Facebook ~ http://www.facebook.com/twistedoak __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] 6m......just my thoughts
To better put this in perspective out of the entire San Diego DX club we have only one member who has 6m DXCC and it has taken him many solar cycles to do it. And it was all from the west coast. The SDDXC is a pretty large club too. Last I looked we have a second member who is closing in on it. The rest of us in the top 20 for the band are in the teens, twenties and thirties. Keith AK6ZZ Sent from my iPhone please excuse typos On Feb 26, 2014, at 2:09 PM, Jeff Stai wk6i.j...@gmail.com wrote: True, but when I lived in so cal I managed to work most of SA and the pacific rim as well as 48 states (missed AR and NJ) with that three element. Not that forlorn. 73 jeff wk6i On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, Keith Heimbold ag...@hotmail.com wrote: Not to rain on the folks in Europe or eastern US or even Texas but 6m is a totally different animal out west. It is still super fun but we get about 1/4 or less of the openings of these other regions. So yes put up a 3 element antenna but don't expect to even come close to those DX numbers. Still it is very enjoyable when the band opens, but go into this with eyes wide open. Keith AK6ZZ Sent from my iPhone please excuse typos On Feb 26, 2014, at 1:35 PM, r miles greenacres...@charter.net wrote: Being an HF DXer I'm down to one. 6 yr.s ago I'd tried 6m. A friend said load my TA 33 since I had no 6m antenna. Well I wrkd 25 countries with 100w an HF tribander.Then I put up a 3 ele 6m wrkd abt 60 countries. I've since put up a 5 ele 6m yagi with a larger one gg up this Spring. One of the reasons I got a KPA500 was 6m. I'm at 90 countries now from TN. The band is open from late March thru August with quick openings anytime. Last week there were openings to KH6 SA from Ca to Wa. The Gulf Coast guys are hearing SA most evenings now. The last two Winters we've had openings[ only 20-30 min.s] to the S Pacific. Mostly CW but sometimes SSB too. Build a little 3 ele 6m yagi. It'll only be a 6' boom. Smaller than TV antennas. 6m is like 10m. When it's open antennas don't matter that much. I've wrkd Japan 100s of times on HF but it was a rush to wrk Japan on 6m In the QRN times of Summer 6m offers a gud break from HF. K9IL __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- Jeff Stai ~ wk6i.j...@gmail.com Twisted Oak Winery ~ http://www.twistedoak.com/ Facebook ~ http://www.facebook.com/twistedoak __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
