[50mhz] Need advice on getting on 6M

[KC2FTN in N.Y.]

Ken,
  Lemme try to dissect this. *Most* 6-meter folks are on USB between 
50.125-50.200 with 50.125 being the U.S. calling frequency. Mobile hams, or 
those that live near repeaters, will generally hang-out on 52.525 or 52.540 
FM or on their local machines. If I were you, I'd look around either
http://www.6mt.com/   or   http://www.smirk.org/   The Swan 250 is a good 
rig providing you are familiar with the tune and load stuff. If it were me, 
I'd fire it up on 50.125 USB and maybe feed it into a PAR Omni-Angle OA-50 
at about 30' or a 3-element Cushcraft. Most of the time, 6-meters is dead, 
but when the '6-meter gods' awake, it's an absolute BLAST! Just my .02


            Mike KC2FTN



  Catch the wave!
www.hamwave.com

Grid: FN24
Echolink Node: 130382
Six-Club #1994
NCI #3853





>From: "Ken Kaplan" <krkaplan at cox.net>
>To: 50mhz at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: [50mhz] Need advice on getting on 6M
>Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 23:26:09 -0700
>
>Hi,
>
>I am seriously thinking about trying 6m. Never been there & never listened 
>but I've read a lot
>both here and other places. It seems like 6m might fit me. The 2m & above 
>repeater thing
>just does not interest me. HF is not an option as I have a tech license and 
>antenna
>restrictions would kill things anyway. I do have a Cushcraft AR6 Ringo that 
>I can "sneak" up.
>A while ago, I picked up an old Swan 250 that may or may not be up to 
>specs. If not, I can fix
>it. What I don't know is what modes are most commonly used? Is SSB the 
>common way to
>go like on HF? Is AM used? I see that a lot of mobile rigs use FM. Is that 
>for repeater
>access? I know where to get info on propagation factors as well as antenna 
>design. I
>understand electronics well (tube & semiconductor - I are an engineer <g>). 
>What I have no
>info on is how to operate on this band. The Ringo instructions indicate 
>that the antenna
>tuning stub needs to be tuned to a 1 mHz portion of the 6m band. What 
>portion of the band
>should I focus on? My goal is to have a base station and do dx and maybe 
>work all 50. I
>know, probably not with a Ringo but I have to start somewhere.
>
>Although I've had my license for quite some time, I've never really been on 
>the air. I see 6m
>as possibly changing things for me. Is there a website or a book that I 
>should be reading to
>get me started on 6? Any Phoenix, AZ hams out there who would be willing to 
>give me a
>show-tell?
>
>Thanks,
>73 Ken kb7rgg
>
>Moderator: Ray Brown, KB0STN
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