From w7gj at q.com Mon Oct 9 05:04:19 2017 From: w7gj at q.com (Lance Collister, W7GJ) Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2017 09:04:19 +0000 Subject: [50mhz] UPDATE: VK9XGJ SCHEDULE CHANGES! PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY! Message-ID: <680d7e27-7c74-8e33-b27d-6065fc4f84aa@q.com> Monday October 9 I have decided to revise the planned operating schedule for the following reasons: 1) There seems to be decreasing activity outside of my moonrise and moonset periods. 2) The next few days have higher Degradation, meaning it will be increasingly difficult to complete with small stations. 3) My 66 year old body is simply wearing out and needs some sleep! Therefore, I have decided to CANCEL all 6m EME activity until my moonrise on Thursday October 12 at 0000Z.? I have also TENTATIVELY decided to CANCEL all 6m EME activity after NA moonset at 0015Z on Tuesday October 17. The revised schedules are now available for download on my web page: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/VK9%20Schedule.xls http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/VK9XGJ%20Schedule.pdf MNI TNX for the record breaking number EME contacts by a 6m DXpedition, and best wishes for success in the coming days of optimum conditions!? Thanks for your continued support and understanding ;-) GL and VY 73, Lance -- Lance Collister, W7GJ(ex WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR, 5W0GJ, E6M, TX5K, KH8/W7GJ, V6M, T8GJ, VK9CGJ, VK9XGJ) P.O. Box 73 Frenchtown, MT 59834-0073 USA TEL: (406) 626-5728 QTH: DN27ub URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj Skype: lanceW7GJ 2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815 Interested in 6m EME? Ask me about subscribing to the Magic Band EME email group, or just fill in the request box at the bottom of my web page (above)! From w7gj at q.com Sun Oct 15 01:19:45 2017 From: w7gj at q.com (Lance Collister, W7GJ) Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2017 05:19:45 +0000 Subject: [50mhz] VE7BQH Antenna Comparison Charts Message-ID: <0cb3469b-0de3-cf22-8828-cc557a592d02@q.com> Hello! VE7BQH has recently updated his very handy Antenna Comparison spreadsheet, which can be found in the link on my web page here: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/6mTable.htm Gain comparisons are shown between all antennas, as well as optimum stacking distances and stacking gain.? If you are serious about 6m DXing, you definitely want to keep this reference handy as you plan your next 6m antenna project! Here is the direct link, if you prefer: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/VE7BQH%20Charts.xls As always, thanks to Lionel for his continued contribution and efforts in preparing this great tool! GL and VY 73, Lance -- Lance Collister, W7GJ(ex WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR, 5W0GJ, E6M, TX5K, KH8/W7GJ, V6M, T8GJ, VK9CGJ, VK9XGJ) P.O. Box 73 Frenchtown, MT 59834-0073 USA TEL: (406) 626-5728 QTH: DN27ub URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj Skype: lanceW7GJ 2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815 Interested in 6m EME? Ask me about subscribing to the Magic Band EME email group, or just fill in the request box at the bottom of my web page (above)! From af5cc2 at gmail.com Mon Oct 16 14:44:01 2017 From: af5cc2 at gmail.com (John Geiger) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2017 13:44:01 -0500 Subject: [50mhz] FTDX3000 vs TS590SG on 6 meters Message-ID: Has anyone had the chance to compare these 2 radios on 6 meters? The FTDX3000 uses down conversion and has narrow roofing filters available on all bands, whereas the Kenwood TS590SG only uses down conversion and narrow roofing filters on 160, 80, 40, 20 and 15 meters. So on 6 meters the Kenwood is using up conversion and a wider roofing filter, with the 2.7khz filter being used in the 2nd IF. So, on paper the Yaesu looks better on 6 meters. However I see many reviews saying the Kenwood is the best radio in its price class. So, is the difference on 6 meters between the 2 not really an issue, or is the Yaesu FTDX3000 noticeably better on 6 meters? 73 John AF5CC From w7gj at q.com Sat Oct 28 18:42:22 2017 From: w7gj at q.com (Lance Collister, W7GJ) Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2017 22:42:22 +0000 Subject: [50mhz] SUMMARY: VK9C and VK9X 6m Results Message-ID: I have uploaded my log (hopefully with not too many typographical errors) to the bottom of my DXpedition web page at: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/Indian%20Ocean%202017.htm As you can see, VK9CGJ completed 86 6m EME contacts plus one local ground wave contact in a total of 28 different DXCC. VK9XGJ completed 106 6m EME contacts plus one local ground wave contact in a total of 33 different DXCC.? The QSL cards from each DXCC are also shown above each log. I also updated my CALL3.txt file on my website, to include the new stations I contacted from VK9C and VK9X: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/CALL3.txt I hope to also upload all of the many stations I copied but did not work, along with graphs showing the percent of the total contacts made during each moon pass.? For that reason, you will see the numbered moon passes in the log.? The first moon pass from each DXCC is shown as '0' because neither pass was a complete pass from moonrise.? I got on the air as soon as I could, but some of the travel glitches made it impossible to start as originally hoped. Nevertheless, full moon pass operation took place many days, including during the best weekends for 6m EME. Certainly, there were factors such as shrinking windows with North America, increasing Degradaton and fewer unworked large stations, that caused the decrease in activity during the final days of eack operation. However, there were many 6m stations currently active on 6m digital modes who were capable of completing contacts with my small portable 6m EME station.? I am not sure whether they just didn't know about the DXpedition, had too much local noise for 6m weak signal work, simply were not interested in working DX on 6m, or perhaps did not have the patience to make a 6m EME contact using JT65a mode.? I think the smallest antenna worked was a 6 element yagi, so many more capable 6m stations are out there!? Please spread the word to other 6m stations who are interested in working DX, and let them know what they are missing if they haven't tried 6m EME. There are more 6m EME DXpeditions taking place in the near future and now is the time to gear up and be ready! Finally, thanks again to all the stations who did take the time to read the procedures on my web page and get on the air to call me.? It was very hard work on my end to repeatedly stay up night after night calling CQ, but it also was very fulfilling to be able to hand out an ATNO with virtually every contact ;-)? And it was certainly rewarding to complete more contacts than any other previous 6m EME DXpedition!? I appreciate your interest and support and hope to give you another rare one next year ;-) GL and DX on the Magic Band!?? VY 73, Lance -- Lance Collister, W7GJ(ex WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR, 5W0GJ, E6M, TX5K, KH8/W7GJ, V6M, T8GJ, VK9CGJ, VK9XGJ) P.O. Box 73 Frenchtown, MT 59834-0073 USA TEL: (406) 626-5728 QTH: DN27ub URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj Skype: lanceW7GJ 2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815 Interested in 6m EME? Ask me about subscribing to the Magic Band EME email group, or just fill in the request box at the bottom of my web page (above)!