[50mhz] questions

[Bill VanAlstyne]

JV wrote:

> Hi Guys
>
>         After 28 years, I am into 6 meters and have a couple of
> questions.

Welcome to the greatest band in the ether!  :-)

> 1. I notice most people in the CW portion of the band are signing
>  XXXXX/B What is the meaning of the /B?

There's a little person-to-person CW operation on 6M, but not as much as I'd
like to see. You'll hear most of the actual CW QSOs happening between 50.090 and
50.100 MHz.

What you're hearing with the "/B" callsigns are automated beacon stations, not
live people. In the US, they hang out between 50.060 and 50.080 MHz. We've put
up lots of them to help us keep track of where the propagation is happening.

See, a lot of times, guys will just sit there and listen for somebody else to
make some noise on the calling frequency (50.125 MHz). Well, obviously, if
EVERYBODY does that, then nobody is going to know that the band is actually open
when it is. So beacons help out in that regard. But beacons aren't everywhere,
and 6M propagation can be notoriously fickle. There's no substitute for getting
on and just calling CQ into an apparently dead band. Just today, for example, a
good friend of mine here in ABQ, Stan, W5ZF, called CQ from his mobile sitting
in his driveway, when there were no signals at all being heard on the band -- 
and was immediately called by a KL7! You just never know with this band.

> 2. With so many grids and WAS, is there a 6M QSL buro? This is going
> to be expensive sending SASEs, hi hi.

No QSL buro for 6M that I know of. Like the other guy said, you don't HAVE to
chase grids. But it's fun! I'm addicted. And yes, it can get expensive -- though
that term is relative, needless to say. Fact is, most hams no longer see QSLing
as part of the game if it's not in their personal interest. A sign of the times,
I guess. I send SASEs out with all my QSLs if I want a card back in return -- 
unless the other station specifically says he will be grossly insulted if I do.
:-)  Yeah, a few guys have told me that. But not many.

Again, welcome, and have fun!

Bill / W5WVO
Albuqueruqe, NM / DM65


>
> JV   KT4U
>
> Moderator: Ray Brown, KB0STN
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