[50mhz] Need advice on getting on 6M

[N9QQB]

I too have heard stories about the Swan Too-Drifty, but a lot of folks used 
'em for a lot of years. I personally have an Icom IC-551D. The "D" is 
significant, as the other IC-551 model is a low power one. The D is 80 
watts max for SSB, CW, and FM, 40 for AM.

There's still some AM fans out there at 50.400 and thereabouts, but I 
seldom hear them. Most activity domestically starts at around 50.125 and 
happens in SSB. Goes up to maybe 50.220. The new SSB call channel is 
supposed to be 50.200 but I still find most people calling at 50.125. 
You're supposed to make contact there and move up.

SSB is generally horizontally polarized, as others have said. Going to need 
a small horizontal beam to really get going. Or a wire dipole-- I used one 
of those for a while. Or maybe two that cross at an angle with a coax 
switch. You need a balun in the middle to connect coax to it.

SSB or CW is the way to go. SSB punches through QRN like nothing else 
(except CW) and goes the distance. And wait until you hear aurora mode, if 
you ever get that. Takes practice to be able to understand the voices, but 
it's fascinating to hear voices reflected off the aurora curtain.

73 de N9QQB

At 11:26 PM 4/14/2006 -0700, Ken Kaplan wrote:
>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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