Caitlin,
I will have to agree with you re antennas. During the early 1960's, I
managed to confitm 42 states and 4 countries using only a Heathkit Sixer. I
was never able to get more than 2.5 watts out and coupled with the
superregenerative receiver, the antenna was the difference. I was using
long boom 5 element yagi at 50 feet. Also, my elevation of 2,000 feet on a
hilltop helped.
73,
Frank, K4VMO
From: "Caitlyn M. Martin" <mizuhoradio@yahoo.com>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2005 12:47 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] 6 Meter Operation
> Hi, everyone,
>
> 6m has been my favorite band for the last 21 years or
> so. You will do much better with a beam than anything
> else. There is 6m activity on a "dead" band but you
> will only hear it if you have a good antenna,
> horizontally polarized, as high up as you can make it.
>
> Yes, I've worked DX with a wire antenna. I've even
> had a few amazing contacts with an old Icom IC-502
> sitting on a hotel room table years ago. Those are
> the exceptions, not the rule.
>
> A minimal antenna for 6m would be an omni loop (i.e.:
> KU4AB, Par OmniAngle, etc...) up as high as you can
> manage it. That has no gain over a dipole but it
> isn't directional. A dipole has nulls in two
> directions. What if the only direction 6m is open in
> is one of those? This is the reason many active 6m
> ops have both a beam and a loop. The loop lets them
> know the band is open and lets them know which way to
> point the beam :) It is also good for local ragchews
> when the band is dead. "Local" can mean 300+ miles
> around.
>
> The top three keys to success on 6m are:
>
> 1. antenna
> 2. antenna
> 3. antenna
>
> Yes, height matters as does the quality of the
> receiver. Power can matter too, but less than any of
> the other factors. Es openings in particular are
> characterized by strong signals and stations running
> QRP suddenly are 59+. Power really helps most under
> "dead" band conditions and marginal band conditions.
> Again, please note that "dead" is in quote because in
> many parts of the country (especially the southeast)
> there is always some activity.
>
> Can a 40m loop work? If the band is wide open, sure,
> almost anything works. Beyond that you really do need
> a dedicated antenna.
>
> 73,
> Caity
> K7VO
>
> Caitlyn M. Martin - K7VO
> http://www.mizuhoradio.com/personal/k7vo
> Blog: http://k7vo.blogspot.com
> ARRL QRP-ARCI #11018 ARS #445 G-QRP #11577 AK QRP #637
>
>
>
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