[NLRS] WHO IS ON VHF? WHEN WILL 50MHz OPEN? WHEN WILL E LAYER OPEN?

[Matt Burt]

Hello Kris - lots of information to reply to - I will just focus on your 6M
questions.  Looks like you have been around the block a bit - so I'm sure that
you already know lots of this stuff - I just enjoy writing about the "magic
band" so hope you see something new here.  To start out with KA0PQW has been
almost religiously keeping us posted with 50MHz openings for the last few
years.  Matt has been great about this and seldom gets much credit for his
diligence.  Six will be open soon again - in fact May 14,15 UTC time is the 6
meter sprint - there is always activity of some type surrounding the sprint.  I
have found some of these sprints to really be a thrill - mopping up new grids,
states, working Florida on FM, VE3 on AU CW and so on.  You can find rules for
the sprints at etdxa.org.  Just hang in there and you won't be disappointed! 
So that much being said - if possible would be great to get your 6MX5 up before
5/14.  I use the same antenna for my portable operation - many of us have that
same antenna - it is pretty darn good for the footprint.  One june contest a
few years ago I worked 32 states and a bunch of mults with 5W and my 6MX5 -
magic band for sure!
One thing I have done in the past is to monitor 50.125 - .130 (all mode squelch
helps here) 24/7 and you would be surprised to find when the band opens to
where.  Obviously we all have lives, work etc but the first time I worked KL7
on six was because I left the rig on in the shack and heard some noise while I
was outside putting the holiday lights on the bushes.  Making some noise on six
is always a good idea too - I can recall several years back when our FD station
here in Winona had a few ops that thought the band was dead.  After calling CQ
for a few minutes we had a pileup going with stations in NM.  Switching to
52.525 FM added several more q's!  Just can't tell if the band is open or not
if all the stations are listening.  So good luck on six - and the other bands
too - looking forward to working your station soon.  I will be out en force for
the 50 Mhz sprint.
73,
Matt
KF0Q
EN44ea Winona

Quoting christenson at charter.net:

> 
> 
> Been a long time since any chatter about 6 or 2. Local AU and a minor blip
> about 6 weeks ago and now what, nothing! Will it ever open? No big e-skips on
> 2 either. There were some interesting enhancements this winter. I worked
> KC0SIX (Oakdale, MN) from the base of my tower here in Owatonna, MN into a
> J-Pole 500mW on 2M FM. I guess that is why these are my favorite bands. No
> sched no e-mails just monitor or call CQ.  Like a box of chocolates. Hi Hi
> I don't have a very big station on 6 but I am going to get my new 6m5x up
> soon. 
> I operate 2M often with N0VZJ, KC0RQH, WB0JMG, KC0MSQ. We can be found most
> evenings around 9:15 to 10:00PM on 144.220. It would be nice to get some more
> activity on 2M. I think this is where a lot of people get interested in VHF
> and beyond week signal work. (like me). If there is no one there then what
> does that say to a new Ham getting into it? Also, allot of new radios are all
> modes all bands that include 2M/432. A great chance to get people into this
> part of the band plan. (that's what happened to me) It was not to long before
> I had to build a 5 element beam for 2 and then bigger and then a tower and so
> on. I don't know if I will ever get above 432 but I know that with the
> knowledge of this club there would be no problem getting started.
> I want to thank N0VZJ and KA0PQW for there elmering and encouragement. And
> with that I hope that there are others that will get Hams into the VHF and
> UHF bands. Lets not forget the basics. Just getting some traffic out there
> and get people ready for the e-skip season!
> 
> KC0REO
> 
> Kris
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