[50mhz] Need advice on getting on 6M

Sat Apr 22 03:27:03 EDT 2006

It's interesting to read what folks have to say about the 6-meter band. 
Truth be known, when the band is open, it really doesn't matter what kind of 
antenna you're using as the DX will pretty much be served on your plate. 
YES, cross-polarization DOES have about a 25-30 dB signal loss, but that's 
if you're working line-of-site GROUNDWAVE during non-skip conditions. I 
personally have worked about 8-10 states on SSB with my Diamond FM vertical 
when the band was open, but generally I use a PAR OA-50 for SSB. Once your 
signal skips off the ionosphere,  it really doesn't matter what polarity you 
are using as you still most likely will hear it. The reason that most SSB 
ops use horizontal polarization is because it lowers the receive 
'noise-floor' as most 'man-made' interference is vertical, and therefore 
it's not generally heard using horizontal polarized receiving antennas. Just 
my .02

                  Mike KC2FTN

  Catch the wave!
www.hamwave.com

Grid: FN24
Echolink Node: 130382
Six-Club #1994
NCI #3853
SMIRK: 6660

>From: "Chris Boone" <CBoone at earthlink.net>
>To: <50mhz at mailman.qth.net>
>Subject: RE: [50mhz] Need advice on getting on 6M
>Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2006 21:24:33 -0500
>
>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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