[50mhz] rookie question

[KC2FTN in N.Y.]

Greeting Bob,
   First of all...WELCOME to 6- meters! Now for the bad news. 95% of the 
time, the band is closed to E and F layer skip, but by all means DON'T let 
that stop you. I wish I can say that there's a definate way to predict band 
openings, but there isn't. You might hear NOTHING at all on six, but a 
station 100 miles away from you might be working stations 1000+ miles away. 
Hence the term...'Magic Band.' I personally kinda' listen either right 
before/after storms that come thru here, or when the humidity is very high. 
Keep in mind that *most* SSB ops are using antennas that are horizontally 
polarized, and they/we generally hang out on 50.125-50.200. If you're an FM 
kinda' guy, then you wanna go vertical on either 52.525 or 52.540. I say put 
some 6-meter aluminum in the air, listen on 50.125 USB and you'll know when 
the band is open! Here's a couple of links that might help:

http://maps.dxers.info/gmap/

http://www.dxworld.com/50prop.html

http://maps.dxers.info/tec/6m_tec.php


      73 de Mike  KC2FTN



  Catch the wave!
www.hamwave.com

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





>From: Greenacres113 at aol.com
>To: 50mhz at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: [50mhz] rookie question
>Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 08:03:08 EDT
>
>i am an absolute rookie on 6m. i need help in figuring band  openings.
>
>i have always been an HF dxer. i am Honor Roll with 353 but 6m  is a
>different animal. how do u gauge potential openings? on HF i watch the SFI  
>on WWV
>with  attention to the A & K numbers. i know about 'grayline'  
>sunrise/sunset
>propagation plus over 47 yrs on air experience.
>on 6m i use the DX packet but that only gives current  propagation and
>stations heard. is there  a way to use the WWV NOAA numbers  to plan for 
>openings?
>i'm learning to look for beacons but that's still current  prop. is there a 
>way
>to learn when there are 'good' days coming in a week or  weeks ?i know very
>little about 'tropo' where wx fronts generate openings.
>lots of questions.
>
>k9il
>Moderator: Ray Brown, KB0STN
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