[SixClub] New to Six Meters

[Steve Katz]

That's where I could use some advice.  I won't be a contester, just a
casual operater.  Is a vertical antenna of some sort good enough to
use, or do I need a small beam antenna.


::I'd strongly recommend at least a small beam.  For one thing, most 6m
contacts are tropo and maintain polarity; if you're vertically polarized,
you'll be at a huge disadvantage working SSB because everybody uses
horizontal polarization.  While a pair of stacked loops might provide 0 dBd
gain (no gain over a dipole, but no loss either), even a little 4-5 element
yagi can provide 9-10 dBd gain in its favored direction.  Since 90% of the
signals worked on VHF SSB are "weak," that's a lot to give up if you don't
have to.  I know if I put a 10 dB attenuator in my feedline on six meters,
the quantity of stations I can hear drops by more than 50% -- and that's
happened everywhere I've ever lived.  You just don't want to give it up,
unless it's impossible to achieve in the first place.  (WB2WIK/6)