[50mhz] 6m EME this month on the Magic Band at W7GJ

[Lance Collister, W7GJ]

Hello!

I am writing this summary to give you an idea about the activity that is on 6m EME, 
and also to provide a way that you can estimate how strong the stations would be at 
your QTH with a different antenna system.  I was elevated for all my contacts, so I 
had only my free space antenna gain (around 18.5 dBD).  So if I copied someone at -23 
dB and you have 3 dB less antenna gain than me, you could have copied them at -26 dB. 
  You can also see how the signal strengths improve under periods of low Degradation. 
  Almost all the contacts I made were with stations while the moon was near their 
horizon...the extra ground gain that happens under such a situation is often the key 
element for many stations working 6m EME.

It was great to have such outstanding EME conditions during the peak week for EME 
this month, and the Es did not seem to cause any problems at all ;-)  It sure is 
amazing what happens when good EME cndx combine with moonset at a very convenient 
time of evening for people in EU!

On Monday, Jun 14 (Kp = 2.0,. Degradation = -3.3), I was pleased to work 3 EU 
stations on random CQ's during the EU moonset.  YU7EF (100w, single 7 el) peaked at 
-21 dB, OH6MIK (kw and single 9 el) peaked at -27 dB, and OH8MGK (100w, 8 el) peaked 
at -26 dB.  That was the first 6m EME contact for OH8MGK.

On Tuesday, Jun 15 (Kp = 2.3 to 3.7, Degradation = around -1.3 dB), while I was 
calling CQ during the Middle East moonset, I was surprised to receive a call from 
LZ2WO (kw, 7 el).  Apparently Val now has elevation on his single yagi!  His best 
here was -23 dB.

While I was running a sked with HA8FK, I got a -24 dB random call from OH1ND (~200w, 
6 el) and gave him his first 6m EME contact.

Before I could bet back to my sked with HA8FK, I got a call from LZ2CC (8 el) who 
peaked -24 dB during our contact.  It was his first contact on 6m EME.

As soon as I finished with Vasco, I received a -19 dB (!) call from OZ6ABA (QRO, 7 el).

My CQ was then answered by a -23 dB call from IS0GQX(kw, 7 el)for his first 6m EME QSO.

The next person to answer my CQ was LA8AJA with (7 el) who peaked -19 dB!

The caller after that was G4ASR(2x6 el) for his first 6m EME contact. He peaked at 
-26 dB when his moon got below 3.5 degrees elevation. SK2AT was the only station 
copied but not worked.

On Wednesday June 16 (Kp = 4.3, Degradation = -1.3 dB), I didn't have any luck :-(  I 
copied A92IO (6 el) very well (up to 21 dB) but his S3 noise makes EME impossible for 
now.  I copied SV9GPV (9 el) very well a number of times up to -23 dB, but no 
completion.  I ran again with ZP4KFX (10 el), who copied me almost every sequence, 
but Faraday did not rotate at the right time for me to make out his 80w.


On Thursday, June 17 (Kp = 1.3, Degradation = - 1.5 dB) , I saw many small stations 
trying 6m EME for the first time - I got lots of nice SWL reports from numerous 
single yagi stations during EU moonset - even when the moon was up around 30 degrees 
elevation!  As far as contacts (all with single yagis) I completed with SV9GPV (-25 
dB) for a new DXCC here, LY2BAW (-17 dB)G8BCG (-21 dB), OZ1DJJ (-22), KL7/KB7Q (-18 
dB) and MM0AMW(-19 dB).

On Friday, June 18 (Kp = 1.3, Degradation = -2.5), I worked single yagi stations 
ZS6NK (-24 dB) and OE5MPL (-25 dB).

By the weekend, cndx were beginning to degrade rapidly due to the rising Degradation. 
  Although not EME, I was thrilled to work a new DXCC on Es on Saturday - VP2EMR ;-)

By the end of the weekend, EME cndx were such that very few people were on EME 
anymore.  However, on Tuesday June 22 (Kp = 1.0, Degradation = -4.7 dB) , I was still 
able to complete with single yagi stations ZL3NW (-28 dB) and WA2YUN (-27 dB). 
WA2YUN is in KH9 and was a new DXCC for me.  Colin is using a 5 element Cushcraft 
yagi, modified per W5WVO's article, and 600w.  He has a great over water moonset, and 
I decoded him best when the moon was 1.75 degrees elevation.

So three new DXCC in the last week - life is good ;-)  GL and DX to all!  VY 73, Lance


-- 
Lance Collister, W7GJ (ex: WN3GPL, WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT  59834  USA
QTH: DN27UB
TEL: (406) 626-5728
URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815

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