[50mhz] Need advice on getting on 6M

Fri Apr 21 22:24:33 EDT 2006

The idea of 50.200 as the "new calling channel" actually came from one group
wanting to make 6 the same as 2 (144.200)...but in practice, the stateside
calling FREQUENCY" (channel implies FM) is and will remain 50.125.
DX calling freq is 50.110 btw.....
If you run a Ringo, you can work folks when the band opens....but under
normal conditions, you miss a lot of possible...
The RF difference between vertical and horizontal is 20db.....thats a 100:1
power difference..
Also please do NOT transmit between 50.8 and 51.0 MHz; that’s the new RC
model band and you could cause a crash of a high speed plane somewhere else!
(Obviously if its 8pm at night I SERIOUSLY doubt anyone is flying at that
time...I know I wont be! :)

The 250 can have some drift but a lot of folks did and DO still use
them....Leave the rig on to stabilize...and look for activity around
50.125...you can listen to the beacon subband of 50.06-50.08 and see if you
hear anything there..even though I HAVE worked contacts with no beacons
present....you just NEVER know with 6!! (The magic band)

Chris
WB5ITT

> -----Original Message-----
> From: 50mhz-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
> [mailto:50mhz-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of N9QQB
> Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2006 9:40 AM
> To: 50mhz at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [50mhz] Need advice on getting on 6M
> 
> 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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> 
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> Naggum --... ...--  -.. .  -. ----. --.- --.- -...
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> Analyst, Tech Writer, MCP, CCNA, Registered Linux User 385531
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> 
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