[50mhz] QSO's and Band Openings - Food for thought

Mon May 23 10:28:35 EDT 2005

This is my 14 summer Es season on 6 meters (since
1992) so I have had a little experience with this
band, and both types of operating are appropriate
during band openings.  I have done the quick
contest-style QSOs, and I have had some nice ragchews
on 6 also.  What is appropriate depends on the
opening, the propagation path, and the stations
involved.

When working a DX station on 6 I almost always use the
"59 in EM04" approach. If it is another country (other
than Canada and Mexico) there are probably lots of
other US stations that need him or her, and I am
probably too excited to hold much of a rational
conversation anyway.

Now for US openings, you have to gauge the opening by
what you hear, and what you see on the DX reflector. 
With experience, you learn to tell whether this is a
brief opening, or whether the band will stay open for
awhile.  Part of this is determined by how many
stations you hear and how large of an area they are
covering.  If it seems like a strong opening, I am
more inclined to ragchew for awhile.  I like 6 meters,
and I am interesting in meeting other people who feel
the same about VHF, swapping ideas, and learning from
them.  Just yesterday during a ragchew I learned from
a ham in Alabama that one of his friends is getting
ready to take a grid expedition to 1 or 2 new grids I
need.  That is good stuff to know.

If I see or hear double hop QSOs taking place, I am
less inclined to ragchew because that is a fairly rare
phenomena, so I want to let those stations get in on
it.  I still want to get in and make a few QSOs also,
though.

I have over 300 grids worked from my current QTH, so
new grids come less and less often (3 so far this
summer).   That is one thing that makes ragchewing
more enjoyable.  I know that I probably won't be
missing too many new grids, so I want to enjoy the
human element some. 

Also, after a few years on the band, you learn what
are common grids and what are rare grids.  I won't tie
up someone in a rare grid with a ragchew like I would
a more common grid.  

Also, with experience you meet more and more 6 meter
ops, and you enjoy running into them again and saying
"HI" and catching up with them on what has been
happening since the last opening.  Friday night I
worked Tom, NQ7R, who is now in Phoenix.  We both used
to live within 40 miles of each other in Iowa (He was
K0VSV then) and both of us were into VHF operating, so
it was great to work an old friend on 6, now that were
are in good 6 meter skip distance (EM04 to DM43).

Generally during a QSO one of the 2 ops will make it
fairly plain by their operating style what they want
to do.  You generally have to follow the lead of the
station holding the frequency, and make the QSO
appropriate.  If he won't give you a ragchew QSO, keep
tuning, you will find someone who will, or throw out
your own CQ and talk with whoever answers.

If you think 6 is bad for quick contest QSOs, get on 2
meters during a band opening, or the FM satellites.

73s John NE0P
EM04to 
--- Bernie McClenny <bernie at dailydx.com> wrote:

> Ugh!  Normally I would let this go but then everyone
> would just think Dave's
> message below is the way things should be.  I
> disagree with almost
> everything below.  If you want to rag chew do it on
> HF where the conditions
> will hold out much longer.  Or work a local on 6
> meter ground wave.  Now
> I've only been on 6 meters just two years so I may
> not know everything about
> the band.  But one of the first things I learned is
> that when 6 opens it is
> a fun band and you better work them fast or you
> won't get in the log.  Here
> in W3 land the local experts tell me there have only
> been three extremely
> short (minutes) openings to Japan in the last 20
> years.  I hope I never hear
> someone give more than 339 FM19 to a JA during the
> next opening.  Whoever
> gives much more than that will be known as a
> complete lid by everyone else
> who wants to work the rare DX station.  Martti
> rarely ever gives any other
> info when he's on a DXpedition.  However when he is
> home you are right.  On
> HF he gives all his particulars.  The bottom line is
> when the band is open
> keep it short and think about the guys that you
> can't hear that are on the
> frequency that would like to work the station you
> are now working.  Also
> 50125 is the starting point.  Once you establish the
> band is open move up
> the band and keep 125 clear of QSOs.  It's a calling
> frequency not a rag
> chew frequency.
> 
> For those of you who agree with Dave's comments
> below my name is Bernie
> McClenny.  I've been a ham since 1977 I live in
> Glenwood, Maryland (FM19).
> I use an FT-847 and a commercial solid state KW with
> the C3I 7 element 6
> meter beam up 115 feet.  The weather here today is
> 65 and mostly cloudy.  I
> have 300 feet of hardline going from the rig to the
> antenna.  If you want
> more info I'd be glad to work you on HF where we can
> carry out a rag chew.
> 
> 73
> Bernie, W3UR 59 FM19
> 
> 
> 
> Bernie McClenny, W3UR
> 
> Now more than ever - you need The Daily DX and The
> Weekly DX - to keep up
> with the DX news from around the globe!
> 
> Editor of - The Daily DX <-- two free weeks
> http://www.dailydx.com/order.htm
>           - The Weekly DX <-- free sample
> http://www.dailydx.com/weekly2.html
>           - How's DX
> 
> http://www.dailydx.com
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: 50mhz-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:50mhz-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
> On Behalf Of Dave, K2DP
> Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 04:10
> To: 50mhz at mailman.qth.net
> Cc: W5GCX (h); W2GCX; K0BX; W2FLA (h); Propper, S D;
> W0GOM; AE3T
> Subject: [50mhz] QSO's and Band Openings - Food for
> thought
> 
> It occurred to me today while listening to a nice
> "sporadic-e" band opening
> to Florida from the mid-west, that folks are so keen
> on running pile ups,
> that they are failing to keep the "ham" in ham radio
> !!!!! Conditions were
> solid for better than an hour and yet when in QSO
> with a particular station
> in Florida, the only words I could get this OM to
> utter were "5x9, EL 96"
> !!!! This was disappointing in that each QSO on 6
> meters, is an opportunity
> to meet another ham who has precisely the same
> interests and high degree of
> patience and persistence that you do, just validated
> by the mere fact that
> you are both 6 meter enthusiasts !!! While achieving
> WAS or DXCC on the HF
> bands might take an active amateur 12-24 months,
> this might represent a life
> time endeavor for a 6 meter amateur !!!!!! Those of
> us who are avid 6 meter
> enthusiasts are a fraternity within the fraternity
> of Amateur Radio ! Let's
> at least take the time to introduce ourselves to one
> another by name and
> provide a little bit of information about ourselves
> such as our actual QTH
> (we don't address snail mail to EL 96 , do we ?),
> etc. After all, even
> during the outstanding DX openings on 6 meters to JA
> in December , 2001, we
> had the time to exchange our "handles and QTH" and
> still work plenty of
> stations. As another example, listen to world
> renowned DX-er, Martti Lane,
> OH2BH, when he runs a pile up on 20 meters ( not a
> contest) and note the
> courtesy that he extends to each amateur he works by
> introducing himself as
> Martti and giving his QTH, etc, in addition to the
> signal report of the
> station he is working !!!!  Let's have fun on the
> air and let's enjoy those
> great 6 meter band openings when they occur, but
> let's also take the time to
> get to know one another better. Friendships make
> amateur radio the great and
> strong hobby that it is. 
> 
> Thanks for the bandwidth, 73 & c u on 6
> meters.....Dave, K2DP (ex-WB2PMP),
> University City, MO
> Moderator: Ray Brown, KB0STN
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