6 Meter opening

[kg4ehv]

Nice opening around noon here to EM12/13.

 

[John_S]

Heard some VO and VE stations here...but they weren't hearing me.

 

[kg4ehv]

It seems like 6 never really came alive this year, only a very few openings. Heres hoping it wakes up soon.

 

[John_S]

It's early yet. E skip happens more frequently than you think. And it comes and goes quickly...and almost makes it's own rules. Best to take one radio and antenna and just park it on 50.125 and listen.

 

[kg4ehv]

I'm on .125 if I'm in the shack, I need to raise my antenna. I'm blocked to the East by a mountain.

 

[John_S]

6 has been open this morning already. 125 and 135 have been active. FT8 is also showing on my scope. Much of your contacts will be from your northwest, northeast, possibly from west. What antenna are you running?

 

[kg4ehv]

Open to the NW here now, worked a couple. JK Antennas 5 element at 25 feet.

 

[John_S]

That should work fine business. If you really want to get more out of the band, try adding a dipole or loop just to listen on. The beam width of the yagi may cause you to miss activity. Good example was yesterday with skip coming down from Canada. With a beam, I might not have heard it by running the antenna toward where I would expect skip to come from. Also try running your preamp. Good dx cluster can help too.

 

[kg4ehv]

I run DXwatch. Thats why I like 6, you can have your antenna one way, and work folks off the back and side at the same time. I used an M2 7 element for years.

 

[John_S]

For the first few years I was licensed, I spent a bunch of time on 6 meters. With SSB at one end, AM a little further up, and FM simplex and repeaters around the central New England area. I really didn't need any other bands. I ran Cushcraft stuff then found better antennas from Hy Gain. Had their 4 and a 6. The 6 was beasty...the 4 was more practical all around. Also had the big V6-R for FM. Those were good days.

 

[kg4ehv]

Very cool, never worked AM on 6. Worked AM on 10 a couple times, it was fun.