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

Tue May 24 00:52:09 EDT 2005

Thanks to all for their most interesting comments ! It seems that I have 
struck quite a chord with  many of the folks on the 50 Mhz reflector. As we 
all know, with 4 mhz of bandwidth on 6 meters, there is plenty of room for 
all to operate however they please. I just felt that after 42 years of 
operating on 6 meters AM, SSB & CW, I would provide some thought provoking 
comments on recent observations of operating methodology.

73 to all and best wishes for a great Sporadic E- Season this summer !!!! 
Hope to work you all on 6 !!!

Dave, K2DP, St. Louis, MO

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Geiger" <johngeig at yahoo.com>
To: <bernie at dailydx.com>; "'Dave, K2DP'" <k2dp at charter.net>; 
<50mhz at mailman.qth.net>
Cc: "'W5GCX (h)'" <w5gcx at sbcglobal.net>; "'W2GCX'" <w2gcx at gte.net>; "'K0BX'" 
<k0bx at qsl.net>; "'W2FLA (h)'" <sherman at w2fla.com>; "'Propper, S D'" 
<s.d.propper at boeing.com>; "'W0GOM'" <w0gom at qsl.net>; "'AE3T'" 
<howardms at lehigh.edu>
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 9:28 AM
Subject: RE: [50mhz] QSO's and Band Openings - Food for thought

> 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
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>>
>> 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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