[AK-VHF] 6m Activity

Thu Apr 30 00:56:34 EDT 2020

Brandon, Paul:

Good time to start promoting 6m activity with the begin of sporatic-E 
season.  Paul, I've never heard that TEP works this far north so we 
enjoy hearing about the activity down there not likely going to help 
1400-mile farther north.

Most Alaskan hams have all their VHF antenna in Vertical polarization 
(including 6m so they can work 52.525 FM).  Not helpful working SSB 
over a 100km ground wave path with stations like mine that are 
Horizontally oriented.  Many years ago I even put up a 6m j-pole and 
could not access the anchorage 6m repeater with 125w - so no 
incentive for me to have vertical pol antennas (just to work 
non-existent local FM).  Hopefully, we can encourage a few hams in 
southcentral AK to put up at least a dipole (or moxon).

I'm still without use of my 6m-eme array (awaiting finish of a thrust 
bearing and rental of a man-lift to replace my rotator).  Also the 
SWR went bad on the array so not usable at all until I can get up to 
check cables.

So I am with only a 3-element yagi fixed toward the West Coast and 
80w (antenna will not handle 1000w).  Good enough for Es opening, 
though and I could do some FT8.

With no 6m antenna pointed toward Anchorage still not able to hold a 6m Net.

73, Ed

At 03:53 PM 4/29/2020, Brandon Clark wrote:
>Hi Paul,
>
>It's great to hear from you, and I couldn't agree more about the 6 M 
>band. When I was doing hilltop VHF contesting in southern Ca that 
>was THE band for activity. One time Hawaii came through in a brief 
>opening. Everyone on the Ca side went ape $#!+ calling them. Fun times!
>
>Over the last two years I've asked around about band openings to 
>Alaska, and they absolutely DO happen. I've come across many people 
>who have worked the lower 48, and even Japan, on that band. I think 
>the roadblock these days is what you pointed out: too few stations 
>on the Alaska side listening and calling, so the openings are getting missed.
>
>For a while now a number of us have been brainstorming about how to 
>encourage 6 M activity, and a few projects are already in the works 
>behind the scenes. Below is a tentative preview:
>
>  * To help hams get on-air cheaply and simply, we are preparing
>    instructions, photos, and videos for a simple 6 M dipole antenna
>    that can be built for just a few dollars. It isn't a Yagi, but it's
>    a way to start. Call it the "gateway drug" to bigger 6 M antennas.
>  * We also need local activity as an incentive to work that band. We
>    have in mind an ALL DIGITAL net on the 6 M band using HORIZONTAL
>    polarization and a rotating selection of modes.
>      o This also opens up a weak-signal club activity for hams who
>        don't have 2 M SSB.
>  * If we can give hams real-world statistics about openings that would
>    also help a lot.
>      o One option is to set WSPR beacon/monitor stations to run 24-7
>        over the course of a year. With what we learn we can then back
>        up ideas and stories about openings with real data.
>  * Distance records are also fun; nothing incentivizes hams like
>    bragging rights!
>      o Working Anchorage-Fairbanks has been a personal challenge since
>        I moved here. A rover route with a stop in Fairbanks could allow
>        using digital modes to work Anchorage. Achieving that helps
>        disprove the "you can't do anything with VHF" narrative that I
>        hear a lot in Anchorage.
>      o Other paths would also be interesting, as well as good for
>        outreach (Look at what our club can do!). Paths like
>        Anchorage-Kodiak, Whittier-Juneau, and so forth would be just
>        plain fun. 6 M make those possible.
>
>Those are a few ideas that we have cooking behind the scenes. When 
>you get right down to it, ham radio is about setting challenges and 
>having FUN! I think it would be a blast to push the envelope on 6 M 
>and show the rest of the ham community what we can accomplish.
>
>Brandon
>
>
>On 4/29/20 12:27 PM, Paul Kiesel via ak-vhf wrote:
>>Hello, All!
>>Been a while since I jumped in here to say anything,so now would be 
>>a good time to do it.
>>As you all know, 6m is a VHF band and has the most activity 
>>world-wide. This year, we in the lower-48and lower Canada have been 
>>experiencing some pretty good propagation conditions on the magic 
>>band. A little over a week ago, many US and Canadian stations 
>>experienced a big opening to parts south,including all the way to 
>>Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador and Colombia. There were many stations 
>>on in Mexico and Central America, as well. This
>>particular opening was unexpected, as it came well short of the 
>>usual beginning of the Northern Hemisphere sporadic E season, which 
>>normally starts up in May. Since the opening to South America, the 
>>band has continued to open sporadically to areas around North America.
>>
>>There is a lot of recent chatter about stations not having heard 
>>Alaska for many years. Many stations have never worked Alaska on 
>>6m. So, I am going to urge those Alaskans who think they might have 
>>an interest in working DX on six meters to consider getting up a 
>>decent-gain antenna and give
>>it a shot. By decent-gain, I mean at least a fiveelement yagi and 
>>have it be as high as you can getit. This means devoting some time 
>>and money to it,and some won't have the opportunity because of 
>>where they live. For sporadic E, antenna polarization is not 
>>important, but I suggest horizontal because of ease of mounting the 
>>antenna and the elimination of tower parts getting in the way of the elements.
>>The majority of QSOs on 6m these days are being made using the FT8 
>>mode of WSJTx. The 6m band-plan frequency for FT8 is 50.313 MHz. 
>>This is where you would find a lot of 6m activity.A good place to 
>>keep an eye on activity is the ON4KST Region II Chat page. You will need to
>>register just once to use it.
>>
>>Knowing when to watch for DX on 6m takes some getting up to speed, 
>>as there is a lot to take into account. But, sporadic E is 
>>generally a daytime mode that sometimes extends into the night.
>>That's enough for now. If you think you might have an interest in 
>>talking to people beyond the otherside of town, consider making the 
>>move to get on six meters in a way that will get you heard by the DX.
>>BTW, I think Ed keeps track of Alaska VHF distance records. A fun 
>>activity is establishing and breaking a distance record. I keep 
>>track of distance records for the Pacific Northwest VHF Society 
>>members. You can view it here:
>>PNWVHFS Distance Scoreboard
>>
>>|
>>|
>>|
>>|  |  |
>>
>>   |
>>
>>   |
>>|
>>|  |
>>PNWVHFS Distance Scoreboard
>>
>>
>>   |
>>
>>   |
>>
>>   |
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>73,Paul K7CW / VE7IBAVG Awards Guy
>>______________________________________________________________
>>ak-vhf mailing list
>>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
>>
>>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>______________________________________________________________
>ak-vhf mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ak-vhf
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:ak-vhf at mailman.qth.net
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

73, Ed - KL7UW
   http://www.kl7uw.com
Dubus-NA Business mail:
   dubususa at gmail.com 