New to 6 m band

[VK2JNG]

Hi all,

We are house sitting at the moment on a large property and I have therefore been able to put up an OCF dipole which operates on 40m, 20m, 10m and 6m.

Not having used the 6m band much at all, I am keen to give it a go and was just wondering what frequency I should tune to, where I am most likely to hear when the band opens up.

Also, what mode, USB or FM.

Thanks,
Gerard VK2JNG

[VK4TIM]

Hi Gerard,

To give you an idea of roughly where things are on the band, the SSB/CW section of 6m is 50.000 to 50.300 in VK1, 2, 3, 4 and 7, from 50.000 to 50.080 is for international propagation beacons, 50.080 to 50.110 is pretty much international DX CW. 50.110 is the International DX calling frequency, and the DX window is 50.080 to 50.150, so the accepted agreement is that NO local (domestic VK) QSOs take place here to minimise that once in a lifetime rare DX signal (received by the big serious stations with stacked or long yagi antennas) being flattened by someone who can't hear it.

Local VK domestic SSB calling is 50.200, and some digital modes around 50.230 to 50.250. Eastern states 6m beacons (that are not in the international beacon segment) are 50.280 to 50.300, while VK5, 6 and 8 6m beacons (that are not in the international beacon segment) are 50.300 to 50.320.
Chat around town/VK above 50.200 no problems.
No operation permitted (yet) in VK1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 between 50.300 and 52.000 and TX limited to 100W between 50.000 and 50.300, until the regulations change following the long awaited decomissioning of all channel 0 TV transmitters.

On the upper part of the band (52.000 to 54.000), there's some SSB activity from 52.000 to about 52.400 or so, FM simplex 52.400 to 52.525, the FM calling frequency is 52.525. FM repeater inputs are 52.550 to 52.975 and repeater outputs are 53.550 to 53.975. I think there's some data and other FM voice around 53.000 to 53.525 but I've never really looked for it up there.

For a propagation indicator to ZL, try listening for TV vision carriers around 45.25, wide FM sound around 50.75 (until December 1), ZL3SIX 50.040, ZL3MHB 50.055 and ZL2WHO 50.024, and for Asia, listen for vision carriers around 49.75 (China and Russia).

[VK4GHZ]

...what frequency I should tune to, where I am most likely to hear when the band opens up.

Everybody sits on 50.110 USB, the primary calling frequency.

Everybody else whinges about the fact that all the other everybodyies sit on 50.110 and ignore "band plans".
"Why aren't they using 50.200?" shouts out from the cheap seats.
"Because no one listens there!" screams come back.

It's a circular argument that has been going on for decades, and nothing is about to change anytime soon.

Tempers flare up.
Egos kick in.
Hate emails start getting distributed around all the cliquey little groups.

Snide remarks appear on the 6m chat sites, some worse than others.
In fact, some chat sites are like walking into a kindergarten.
You'll get to see first hand which play groups think their nappies don't stink, and how far a dummy can be spat!

This is absolutely serious life threatening stuff, and lines must be drawn in the sand!

The absolute insecurity of some operators can be measured by the fact they will not "spot" things on the various clusters, out of fear that somebody else might come onto "their" frequency and work DX as well.
How dare they!


Yes, it honestly gets that childish and serious.

Still interested in 6m?

Reports indicate that the second peak of cycle 24 (double hump) has already passed, and cycle 25 is expected to be even worse.
The agro, frustration and desperation will probably ramp up even more in the coming years, as the reality of very little international DX finally sinks in.
6m chat sites should become even more entertaining in the coming years.

If you're interested in 6m DX, come back circa 2030, as cycle 26 is expected to ramp up.
You can blow the cobwebs out annually with Summertime Es (Dec-Feb) by calling on 50.110, and work around the continent, and across to ZL.

FM dead center of activity is 52.525 MHz.

[/sarcasm]

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.


6m op 1980 - 2011

[VK2JNG]

Appreciating the time you have taken with all the info provided.

Thanks heaps.

Gerard VK2JNG

[VK2TS]

Hi all,

We are house sitting at the moment on a large property and I have therefore been able to put up an OCF dipole which operates on 40m, 20m, 10m and 6m.

Not having used the 6m band much at all, I am keen to give it a go and was just wondering what frequency I should tune to, where I am most likely to hear when the band opens up.

Also, what mode, USB or FM.

Thanks,
Gerard VK2JNG

Hi Gerard

6Metres is a very interesting band indeed. Dont be put off by the 6Metre band police. The 50.200 issue is only an issue to those self appointed amateurs wanting others to use it. As described by others 50.110 is the calling frquency and always will be. Two calling frequencies will never work. If you contact a VK on 50.110 immediately QSY and all is fine. I noticed someone recently tried to make an issue in AR Magazine. A disturbing use of the media to push a personal view i reckon. 50.200 is good for use by the meteor scatter/Aircraft enhancement guys and thats about it.

The more activity the better and trying to split traffic is a dead dog. Hope to hear you on 50.110 the calling frequency soon.

Cheers

[VK3YE]

Gerard,

Six is like digging for gold.

You will spend weeks and even months shovelling through dirt and may not have anything to show.

Occasionally there may be something that glistens in the sunlight.

You're not sure. It could just be part of a lolly wrapper.

Others may claim finding good stuff, but they generally own a tall poppett head while your OCF's only a shovel.

HF is shooting fish in a barrel.

Whereas six metres is walking down a corridor, banging your head on the wall.

Sometimes, maybe one time in a hundred, your head touches a door. It's ajar for a few minutes, hello/goodbye DX, one more for the log.

It may or may not open for anyone behind you.

But one thing's for certain, if you do not walk down that corridor, test the door, rattle the cage, you will work no one.

A joy of Six is there are scarce times when even a flea's breath can open the door.

Even with 1/10 the power and antennas held in your hand (proof at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qclm9JV90qI )

Six is not a mass contact band.

It comprises 99% noise and 1% activity. Maybe 5% in midsummer.

Or, looked at another way it's 1% working DX and 99% savouring the memory of having done so and possibly some tall tale telling in the aftermath. About the one that nearly got away or the lolly wrapper that you thought, for a moment, was of value.

Treat six metres like a $2 raffle and don't live like your life depended on winning.

Have other, longer and shorter wavelength, irons in the fire.

Enjoy those during the long weeks and months when Six does not oblige.

If you do not then Six can be a cruel master, offering nothing of interest.

Life is short. Man cannot live by Six alone and will go around the bend if he tries!

[VK4WDM]

You don't need a big beam to work TEP into JA when it opens up (soon) or on the annual E openings around VK/ZL, the OCF will give very surprising results. Keep an eye on the logger and see what and where others are working and put a call out. One of the major issues is that word CALL, a lot of 6M stations seem to forget that listening is only half of the equation.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK1UU]

Well judging by all the previous comments, looks like I won't be firing up the new rig on 6m any time soon. No fun there.

Think I'll hang on 10 and have some more fun

[VK2ZRH]

Fraidie cat, VK1UU

Forget the naysayers, just get amongst it Gerard.

73, Roger Harrison VK2ZRH

[VK4WTN]

VK1UU, dont be daunted by some of the comments re 6M. 99% of the ops have a great time on what is one of the most interesting bands. You can spend a lot of time listening to noise but the rewards are there when a rare station comes out of nowhere.Even on a quiet cycle like this one a lot of stations managed to work around 25 countries with modest equipment.
Sporatic E will start in a few months which produces some massive VK and ZL signals.Come and join us on 6M and have a lot of fun
regards Wayne VK4WTN

[VK4TI]

Well judging by all the previous comments, looks like I won't be firing up the new rig on 6m any time soon. No fun there.

Think I'll hang on 10 and have some more fun

100 watts and a beam will occasionally get contacts when you ignore the usual band police , it can be fun even on an ocf

[VK4WDM]

For the sake of sanity and the provision of providing info to a question, let's not get into a band-plan fight here. The present band-plan was devised by IARU and agreed to by the members (including WIA) to cope with the expected big increase in international 6m activity due to predicted favourable sunspot cycles. It now needs to be revised to cope with the next few decades when international DX is going to become a rarity. Just how to do that needs to be discussed, but not on this thread.

The fact is that there is a lot of activity to be had on 6M during the summer and winter Es, and on TEP if it occurs, but we need more. My suggestion to Gerard and others is get on the band. If a few die-hard 6m DX toes are stood on in the process is it really a big deal? I am sure that we will recover without any permanent disability

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK2JNG]

Hi all,

I really appreciate all comments.

Will listen on 50.110 and will put a call out on 50.200 several times a day to see what happens over the next 5 -6 months whilst I got the opportunity to use my OCF.

It would be great to make a few contacts.

Thanks all for replying

Gerard VK2JNG

[VK4WDM]

Keep an eye on the logger and see what is about. The JA's are starting to return up here. I used my HF dipole to work them during March to May because my yagi is down for a rebuild.

And don't get fixated on the calling frequencies either. Tune up from the bottom of the band to pick up beacons, and either side of the CF for stations already in contact so you can jump on them when they finish. Some of my most notable contacts were not heard on a CF. Don't forget that the standard licences can only operate on 52MHZ and are often very lonely up there.

Do you do CW? Some big suprises can pop up on that mode, like USA on an apparently dead-flat band.

You need to be very careful though, 6M operating can be very addicitive.

I look forward to working you once the Es kick in.

73

Wayne VK4WDM (Townsville)