[50mhz] New DXCC activated on 6m!

[Lance Collister]

As you will notice in my original email (which you left partially intact below), I 
explained exactly what Jim was running.  My station is explained in detail on my 
website, shown at the bottom of all my emails.  I am running QRO, 1-5/8" Heliax to 
an array of four 6M9KHW yagis phased with LMR600 coax.  I am using a K3 with an 
external low noise preamp for receive.

Working Jim was a long shot, given the poor EME cndx today, and I did not copy him 
at all yesterday, even though cndx were 1 dB better.  However, notice that Jim 
took the creative initiative to move the amp and power supply out to the bottom of 
the mast to reduce his feedline loss by limiting the coax to 15'!  Jim is 
obviously the kind of "can-do" ham who makes things work on a DXpedition ;-)  
During optimum days of the month for EME, I have worked stations as small as 3 el 
and 100w if they have low feedline loss and very good ground gain.

There are more and more stations becoming active on 6m EME, even if they can only 
point their antenna at the horizon.  In fact, with smaller antennas, you MUST keep 
the antenna aimed at the horizon and use the extra ground gain generated in order 
to have enough gain to complete a 6m EME contact.  For example, ZL3NW is still 
horizon-only, but has contacted OVER 50 single yagi stations on 6m EME!!!  It just 
requires careful planning and operating during optimum times of each month for 
EME, and patiently waiting for the moon to move into the ground gain lobes and/or 
for the signal polarity to line up properly.

You might find the following article of interest if you have further questions 
about 6m EME:

http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/6mEMEtoday.pdf

GL and VY 73, Lance



On 1/28/2011 1:02 AM, doc at kd4e.com wrote:
> What were you running for power and antenna, please?
>
> What rigs were you both running?
>
>> Our JT65A contact was during Jim's moonset out over the Caribbean when his moon 
>> was
>> between 17 and 18 degrees elevation.  The Kp index was 0.7 and the Degradation 
>> index
>> was -5.3.  Jim was running a 5 element Cushcraft (modified per W5WVO article) and
>> 300w from a TE SYSTEMS 0552G amplifier at the base of the mast.  Length of coax 
>> was
>> 15'. I also copied him during his main ground gain lobe around 5 - 6 degrees:
>>
>>
>> GL and VY 73, Lance
>


-- 
Lance Collister, W7GJ (ex: WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT  59834  USA
QTH: DN27UB
TEL: (406) 626-5728   URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
LIVE MESSENGER CHAT: w7gj at hotmail.com  SKYPE: lancew7gj
2m DXCC #11, 6m DXCC #815

Interested in 6m EME?  Ask me about subscribing to the Magic Band EME email Google Group!
(or click on the link at the bottom of my web page above)