Phil, 6 meters is vacant most of the time except for locals. When it is good, it is mostly E skip with occasional F skip. Some of us who have more than 200 countries on all bands except 160 and 6 like it for the challenge, but figure on a lot of tuning for an occasional opening. There is very little CW, but there is some around 50.090 to 50.095. Most of the CW band is clobbered by beacons when the band is open. A large portion of the stations on 6 meters have Technician operators who do not do code often. If you find yourself tuning 10 meters during the sun spot nulls, you will find 6 meters much like that during the sun spot peaks. A four or five element beam will make 6 meters look like 10 with a dipole or a vertical when the band is open. Most QSOs will not even exchange names, just grid codes and usually don't even bother with 59. In spite of all this, I still like it and operate it some. It is much more interesting to me than RTTY or PSK and one of the few CW stations you hear there will be K5EWJ. So if the lower bands bore you and Digital bores you even more, then maybe 6 meters is your game. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke, TDXS DX Chairman K5EWJ & Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart
________________________________ From: Phil Hystad <phys...@mac.com> To: elecraft <Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 12:08 PM Subject: [Elecraft] Advice on 6 meters... I have seen some comments recently about six meters and I have never operated six meters. I don't really have a descent antenna for six meters, just my 80-meter (ladder line fed) dipole or my hex beam that I can at least tune to six meters. The band is always dead quiet with the small exception of some noise spikes here and there but very rare. Question: is there any activity for six meters that I should invest in a nice multi-element 6 meter bean antenna? My most dominant operating mode would be CW but maybe some SSB from time to time. I have no idea what's there as this band has always been blank to me. 73, phil, K7PEH ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
