| Author |
Message |
    
Keithinatlanta
Senior Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 1006
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2014 - 9:36 pm: | 
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Would someone please make some comments in regards to 6 meters on ham radio? Is it hot? Is it more of a local design like 2 meters, or more like 10 and up as in dx? Do most folks talk on SSB or AM?
Thanks for any input into 6 meters.
Keith in Atlanta
CEF 150 |
Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 1782
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 12, 2014 - 11:14 am: |
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6M is the summer version of 10m - some days it's hot and some days its not. Mostly you'll fund a mix of SSB and FM with a little AM at times.
Tech237
N7AUS
God made me an athiest, who are you to question his wisdom?
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Press_man
Advanced Member
Username: Press_man
Post Number: 765
Registered: 5-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 - 6:17 pm: |
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Guys here in FL are using it to talk across and up and down the state.
73 Pressman
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Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2075
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, May 15, 2014 - 6:05 pm: |
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just curious what liecense ya need to use 6 meters
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
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Milkman21218
Advanced Member
Username: Milkman21218
Post Number: 586
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 16, 2014 - 12:56 am: |
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Dale,Technician will work.
Izzy
CEF#502
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Starface
Senior Member
Username: Starface
Post Number: 3305
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 16, 2014 - 12:58 am: |
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Dale just need Tech for 6 meter
George
KI4NBE
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Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2078
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Friday, May 16, 2014 - 8:09 pm: |
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nice!! thanks guys
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
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Possum_lodge
New member
Username: Possum_lodge
Post Number: 4
Registered: 5-2014
| | Posted on Sunday, May 18, 2014 - 8:53 am: |
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I know this will make me sound old, but back in the day, there was a lot of activity on 6 meters.
When the FCC dropped all the restrictions and license requirements there was no reason for anyone to operate 6 meters where I live and so it died.
Most hams today does not want to invest any time or money into amateur radio. Most new hams only wants to buy a handheld radio and hang out on the FM repeaters - where the repeater does all the work.. If there is no activity on the repeaters, in 10 years they let their license lapse and then it expires and then we have to recruit a new batch of hams to take their place.
Back when you had to start out with a Novice Class License, you had to keep a log and you had to operate - there was a lot of activity on 6 meters. I can remember when a Novice did not have full privileges on Two Meters FM and had to operate on 6..
With the loss of operators, the chances of making a SSB contact from Western PA is very sporadic.
When the band is open - you can talk practically anywhere even with low power. When the band is not open, it requires tall towers, multiple beam antenna's and very large / powerful amplifiers - just to get someone to hear you.. |
Possum_lodge
New member
Username: Possum_lodge
Post Number: 5
Registered: 5-2014
| | Posted on Sunday, May 18, 2014 - 8:58 am: |
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10 Meters is open practically every day the band is open - to somewhere.
10 meters is the opposite of 6 meters..
With 10 meters, a little extra power helps out - sometimes and all the power in the world - doesn't make a hill of beans of difference.
The secret to 10 meters is to use a 11 meters radio to monitor the band conditions.
If you can hear a signal on 11 meters, you can pretty much predict that 10 meters is also open in that direction.
Some people will turn on 10 meters, look around a little, turn the knob because they didn't hear anything and then 15 minutes later, the band is open all over the world and they missed it because they didn't stick around long enough.
Other times 10 meters has as many people talking as does 40 meters - especially if there is a contest. |
Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2082
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 19, 2014 - 5:16 pm: |
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i was wondering some locals here use 6 meter
for local chatting. but i dont have any
way to monitor that. they also use 2 meters
but on simplex
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
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Possum_lodge
New member
Username: Possum_lodge
Post Number: 9
Registered: 5-2014
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 - 9:07 am: |
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2 Meters Simplex would just require a programmable FM scanner, a Good 2 Meters vertical or you could repurpose a old but working television antenna and some low loss RG 6 coax.
6 Meters - 51 - 54 MHz FM should be able to be programmed into a FM scanner using the same VHf television antenna.
SSB - Single Side Band would require a investment into a Single Side Band receiver or transceiver.
It is not illegal for a non ham to listen to a ham radio transceiver, just not allowed to transmit.
You can get a 6 meter all mode transceiver for as little as $150 - used Ranger - if you are in the right place at the right time..
You can get a all mode transceiver HF radio for $600.00 most any day of the week.
706 MKII G, 857D etc - mobile radio.
Or you can buy a used HF and 6 meters receiver at most hamfests for less then $500.00 |
Milkman21218
Advanced Member
Username: Milkman21218
Post Number: 592
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 - 12:37 pm: |
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Dale as Possum said you can get a Icom706 MKIIG or the Yaesu FT-857D and you will be set for most Ham bands. And they will be radios that you can grow into.
Izzy
CEF#502
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Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2086
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 - 7:43 pm: |
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dont they ask for proof of licence when purchasing new?
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
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Possum_lodge
Junior Member
Username: Possum_lodge
Post Number: 13
Registered: 5-2014
| | Posted on Thursday, May 22, 2014 - 5:34 pm: |
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That is a very good question Dale.
When I was younger the answer was yes.
But now that the Internet has come along the answer is NO.
Anyone can buy an Amateur Radio, it is your responsibility to make sure that you do not transmit before you are licensed.
The local CB radio shop uses a Kenwood TS 590S and a voice guide to announce on Channel 19 - services provided by their cb radio shop during the day and they advertise for the pickle park at night.
Bob's
I never even thought to look to see if he has an Amateur Radio license or even a Radio Telephone license - since you had to have at least a Radiotelephone license to work on a transmitter 30 + years ago.. |
Press_man
Advanced Member
Username: Press_man
Post Number: 772
Registered: 5-2008
| | Posted on Friday, May 23, 2014 - 5:44 pm: |
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Ranger has a 5054 all mode 6 meter 50w am/fm and 100w SSB
You can buy direct or ask Copper for one and they may be able to give a better price. $300 range for new.
73 Pressman
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Possum_lodge
Junior Member
Username: Possum_lodge
Post Number: 19
Registered: 5-2014
| | Posted on Thursday, May 29, 2014 - 4:45 pm: |
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The problem is that there is not anyone locally to talk to on 6 meters so another radio for another $300 would be a waste..
Thanks for the Info Press Man |
Revpo
Advanced Member
Username: Revpo
Post Number: 688
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 01, 2014 - 2:04 pm: |
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6 meters has been open for the last few days, you cut yourself short, beats talking on cb, if 6 is dead go to 10, it is open daily...
CEF795
73
REVPO/DOCTOR/CEF 795
Wavin a hand from the cornfields of INDIANA
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Possum_lodge
Junior Member
Username: Possum_lodge
Post Number: 24
Registered: 5-2014
| | Posted on Monday, June 02, 2014 - 12:30 pm: |
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Not entirely true.
A glimpse of my logbook reveals several 6 meter contacts Saturday..
W5LE, W9GMC, W0ERE, WB0RUR, W1AW/0
These were due to Summer Tropospheric Ducting.
There was an Anticyclonic Front with a High Pressure Overhead that moved off to the South West and into the Ocean on the Eastern Seaboard.
This is being followed by a low pressure system with 3 days of rain. This weather front caused normally unreceivable signals to appear due to an inversion layer in the upper atmosphere.
The inversion layer usually forms in the early morning when the ground is cold and the atmosphere heats faster then the ground and again in the evening when the sun goes down and the atmosphere cools faster then the ground.
Inversion Layers in my neighborhood are usually best between 9 AM and 1 PM and again around 7 PM to about 1 AM...
The key was the fact that I was hearing a 2 meter FM repeater in Pocahontas County West Virginia 150 miles away.
I have been hearing many local 2 Meter repeaters - 70 miles or less that have been silent the past 9 months.. UHF ( 70 CM ) does not normally experience the same rapid swings in reception as does 2 and 6 meters...
At the same time, the HF bands has been wiped out by the impending storm and the Geomagnetic events taking place.
10 right now is dead, only one call sign in my log book this weekend, XE1YQQ = a known contester...
I have talked to him many times...
I don't know why Copper did not permit me to post pictures in the appropriate section, but if you looked at my tower, you would see a Solorcon a99 at the top, a 6 element - Two Meters beam in the middle, a 6 meters Dipole antenna at the bottom of the mast, a Off-Center Fed 440 Mhz - 80 meters antenna on the Yardarm and a Diamond Discone tuned to 144 - 147.500 / 430 - 450 MHz - used for the scanner with some low loss RG 6 Quad Shield.
Although most people makes disparaging remarks about Discone antennas, I have managed to tune this antenna so it has less then 1.25 / 1 VSWR across both bands - with a majority at 1.1 / 1 VSWR or less... |
