6m FM range

[kc9zbp]

Newer ham here. I googled Indianapolis 6 meter net and found this. I've found a good used icom and a 6 meter dipole and I'm really wanting to get some use. Any thought on what I could get to?

This might sound stupid since you are all much more experienced but do I go FM for local 6 meter. I passed my general but I really have only now just started to learn.

 

[KG4NEL]

Welcome to RR!

Do you mean an Icom HF rig that includes SSB as well as FM, or FM only?

FM on six is usually found between 52-54 MHz, with the national simplex channel on 52.525 (vertically polarized, just like 144/440 FM is). We're coming up on the winter sporadic-E season, so whether you're on FM or SSB, it's a good time to be listening

 

[KF6DGN]

Here is a list of 6m repeaters in Tenn: Tennessee Amateur Radio Repeaters

 

[kc9zbp]

I have a hf radio with fm/ssb and am.

I only have the dipole today. I'll have to greate a few antenna projects this winter.

If I'm in indianapolis would 6meter fm reach Tennessee?

 

[AK9R]

6m FM range is one of this "it depends" situations. When the W9ICE group had their 6m repeater in Noblesville, Indiana, it wasn't unusual for mobiles in South Bend to work the repeater. During a period of enhanced propagation, I once talked on 6m FM simplex from my truck with a 1/4 wave antenna driving through Indianapolis to a ham using a base station in New Jersey. I also worked from Scottsdale, Arizona, to Pahrump, Nevada, using a similar set-up.

 

[rapidcharger]

Newer ham here. I googled Indianapolis 6 meter net and found this. I've found a good used icom and a 6 meter dipole and I'm really wanting to get some use. Any thought on what I could get to?

This might sound stupid since you are all much more experienced but do I go FM for local 6 meter. I passed my general but I really have only now just started to learn.

We have/had some 6m repeaters where I live. I always remarked how the repeaters were not even required because unlike VHF hi band and UHF, everyone could hear everyone else on the input clearly. It was love at first sight but sadly 6m gets very little use. I would monitor the calling channel for days and days and hear nothing. The only time I heard FM traffic on 6m was during nets where the repeaters were linked. Most of that use is on SSB and people using it for rare long distance DX contacts. I'm in a metro area with 6 million people btw.

 

[kc9zbp]

I think I was looking for the W9ICE repeater. I guess the local Indianapolis repeater databases are dated.

Tonight hopefully I'll have a 10 meter dipole and I play with that too.

 

[AK9R]

If you are finding listings for a W9ICE 6m repeater on 53.110 MHz, those listings are out of date. According to the W9ICE.com web site, that repeater is off the air. Also, there's no coordination for it in the Indiana Repeater Council repeater directory.

 

[kc9zbp]

Ok.

I found these in the link you gave:

Indianapolis I 52.700 51.700 K9IPL IPL ARC O E L 04/29/10
Indianapolis I 53.010 52.010 K9TNW HQ RC O E RACES 03/23/12

If I am using a dipole though I may not be able work them from what I think I interpreted from the above.

I need a vertical 6 meter antenna.

 

[k9rzz]

Bear in mind that by convention, FM is vertically polarized, so install your dipole either vertically or as a sloper, otherwise you're going to give up 20db by being 'cross polarized'. SSB/CW work on the bottom end of the band is horizontally polarized. Putting your dipole up as a sloper facing the repeater you want should be a snap. Distances covered on VHF (which includes 6 meters) depends greatly on the setup of both stations and you're not going to work any farther on 6 meters than 2 meters unless you have a band opening of some sort. That being said, 6 meters IS a great band. It might get slow at times, but it is a lot of fun when it's cranking.

 

[AK9R]

The signal attenuation when trying to receive vertically-polarized signals with a horizontally-polarized antenna or vice versa is about 18 dB.

Both of those repeaters were on the air a few months ago, but I have no recent experience with them.

 

[prcguy]

Isolation between vertical and horizontal polarization can be in excess of 40dB or only a few dB depending on surroundings. In the satellite busines you usually are not allowed to uplink unless you can demonstrate a minimum of 30dB cross pol isolation. Well made antennas in free space can acheive impressive cross pol isolation.

If your operating mobile in Manhattan your vertically polarized mobile signal will arrive at various points with all kinds of polarizations due to reflections off buildings, etc. For terrestial use there is no constant number you can use to state cross pol isolation.
prcguy

The signal attenuation when trying to receive vertically-polarized signals with a horizontally-polarized antenna or vice versa is about 18 dB.

Both of those repeaters were on the air a few months ago, but I have no recent experience with them.