[50mhz] 6 is opening

[Howard Bingham]

If only I did not live in an apartment where 6m operation would 
really rip TV reception..!

When I first got a 6m radio almost 3 years ago, when trying it out 
the first time after installation, in driving through apartment 
parking lot & giving my call sign & calling CQ with a hamstick, all 
the florescent parking lot lights light up as I drove past, so I now 
limit mobile operations on 6m to a city park about 6 - 7 blocks away..

Maybe after all TV stations go digital, that may improve the 
possibility of trying 6m from my apartment..

Currently have 2m/70cm in apartment, but limit that to very late 
night & early morning when few are on the TV, as upon several 
occasions when I have recorded a TV program I like to watch at the 
same time as a local 2m "public service net" monday night, it really 
tears up TV reception when just signing into the net.. (BVARC public 
service net Mondays, 8:00 p.m. local time,  145.470 PL 123.0   www.bvarc.org )

Howard
KE5APJ

============================
At 06:03 PM 8/3/2008, Chris Boone wrote:
>BTW Howard, that's why 6 is the Magic Band...it can be open to one
>place...but 20-50 miles away, NOTHING! I remember when I lived in Bear Creek
>off Hwy6, one day the HC1 beacon in Quito Equador on 50.035 was BOOMING into
>Houston (10overS9 and it runs 10watts!)...at least to my and one other ops
>QTH...but NOONE else heard it...6 is funny that way.. Also the band can be
>open to 50.2 or so but at 50.4 or higher, forget it!! SSB will always open
>before the FM segment does (unless you run FM down at 50.3 like the West
>Coast does).
>
>Chris
>WB5ITT
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: 50mhz-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:50mhz-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
>On Behalf Of Chris Boone
>Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2008 5:58 PM
>To: 'Howard Bingham'; 50mhz at mailman.qth.net; 6meter at yahoogroups.com
>Subject: RE: [50mhz] 6 is opening
>
>Scanners are typically deaf (~1uV) compared to a SSB receiver (~0.15-0.2
>uV)....The FM squelch also does not often open on a narrow band weak signal
>like SSB until it is REALLY strong; FM squelch is carrier activated and
>there is no carrier in SSB...only way to catch a 6m SSB opening is have the
>radio on! :)
>Chris
>WB5ITT
>EL39
>(and here comes the severe thunderstorms! Time to UNPLUG the antennas! ;)