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Well 1999 must be one of the best years ever for 6M DX from Missouri.
Highlights were: Southern Africa on F2, Northern Africa via Multi-Es, South
America Via Es-TEP, VK via Es linked TEP(?), Europe and UK via multi Es, and
Alaska and Hawaii. 31 countries in all.
The quality of the openings was generally poor, compared to other cycles,
but
the diversity was wide, and with diligence, a pretty impressive array of
stations could be logged. Most of the openings were very brief, with the
exception of the VK4 opening which went on for an hour or more. Many of
these
stations worked reported that I was the farthest or nearly farthest station
station to be contacted during their opening, so that would indicate to me
that we were on the "edge" of a much better opening being enjoyed by
stateside stations closer to the source. This is the one "advantage" of
being
in the black-hole >equally poor in all directions I gess..
The antennas here are varied, and during many openings I never transmitted,
if I had already logged that station/country/grid before in the same year.
That way others could get a "new one", and I could experiment with different
antennas and receiving techniques.Seldom did I ever call CQ except when
indicators showed me there should be something there, and no activity was
heard.
I have 3 different antennas systems, each on it's own tower, and separated
by
350 feet between them. One some occasions I have also set up vertiacls,
halos
LPs etc for comparason.
I can switch between antennas, or have diferent antennas on different rigs,
and feed different ears of the headphones (antenna diversity, space
diversity, or pol.diversity).The IC756 is set up as dual-receive and I use
the realtime spectrum analyzer a lot.The FT 847 has a more sensitive
receiver
and it's used a great deal for monitoring beacons.
One antenna (7el-26' boom) can be raised in height from 22' to 66', another
(4 x 6el - 34' booms) can be raised in height from 22' to 75', and tilted
from zero to 90 degrees, and the other is an 11 el at 105'. All these are
situated along the edge of a sheer rock river bluff with a falloff of around
150'. Other antenas are set up as temporary test units as required (7 towers
available)
The main course of my experiments is to develop ideas that can be used to
stimulate thoughts about antenna system design, and to encourage others to
pursue 6M as a DX band.
Here is a list of the stations actually worked, in order,with notes as to
anything unusual about the QSO:
CP..I was furthest N. he worked
TI
VE
LU..several. Es/TEP linkup. Best antenna: 4X6 tilted to 18 degrees
CX..like Lu
CO..common es
KP4..Es
ZF..Es
EA8 Multi Es. Low antenna or tilted ones better than single high antenna by
1-3 S units
S5> Multi Es. ant. tilted 18 degress. Only US station worked. Same
station/same date as last year!!
OK> ditto S5
EA
GI This opening followed the gray line exactly: EH8,S59,EH1,OK1,GI6
CT
CT3
VP2E
KG4
C6
KP2A
YV
VK4..This must have been an Es-TEP linkup, not F2. I worked the first
station
with 40 Watts and the 7 el at 23'
HC8
HC5
J6
HK
9J2 he had 8 Watts and a cut-down CB antennas at 30' (F2). Eric was 40 over
9
at times, and came in for 3 days running at about the same time.High antenna
was much as 6 S units better than anything else except 4x6 at zero degrees
and cranked all the way up..The first true F2 for me of this cycle.
J8
Py
KL7..many.One station was 8W with a small quad at 15'.(F2)
KH6- F2..I was furthest he worked. very weak both ways. stable but brief
opening.He had worked stations all across the western states before getting
as far as me, and then only as the band died out.
8P9..I worked Jon with a halo, and also from the mobile with the Yaesu
screwdriver antenna.
Also heard the Fo0 but did not get QSO ...
The gist of all this is that there is not one antenna that's great for every
6m opening. Es opening tend to come in at a high arrival angle, and are BEST
worked with A) an antenna that can be tilted (not too practical for most),
or
B) an antenna mounted close to the ground. F2 signals on the other hand
arrive at a very low angle. Theese are best worked with an antenna mounted
very high up, OR a stacked pair of anrennas fed in phase at a lower height.
I have documented at least one Es-TEP linkup with LU, in which the station
was calling CQ-CQ-CQ with no takers- I went back to him with the 11 el at
105' and he failed to repsond, went on calling. I went to 1KW and called
him..still no answer..then I went to the 7 el at 23', and 40 Watts..he was
several s-units stronger, and came right back to my first call......that
antenna was matched to the arrival angle..As a matter of fact.the best
all-around antenna if I had to pick one as a compromise is the garden
variety
7 el at about 55 feet..It works Es and Es linkup great, and usually the F2
is
so strong, that it works well there too.
It still looks like a very practical antenna for all types of 6m propagaton
will be a stacked pair of 5 to 7 element Yagis, stacked one above the other,
at about 48 and 60 feet, with a variable or selectable phase delay (to tilt
the beam) in the feedline of the upper antenna. I will try to build one this
year, and dedicate another tower to it, bring 2 identical feedlines into the
shack, and vary the delay via inserting extra feedline into the upper
antenna
with a switch..
I really hope I find time for this, because I also have plans to add 2 more
Yagis, in the vertical polorization, for further experiments.
I'm also glad to report that my Majic Calendar has lived up to it's
expectations. I have taken info form my own log over 35 years and plotted
likely days on which certain types of openings MAY happen..and refined it
with info from other logs in different parts of the country..This gives me
"windows of opportunity" that indicates a "hot" day for DX..the most
remarkable example was the repeat of the S5/OK/DL opening on the exact same
day in 1998 and 1999....Also seemed to be borne out was the idea if the band
was open on day 1 it might open on day 2 and 3, but if it skipped day 2 it
wouldn't open again on day 3..so: 1+2 yes 1+2+3 yes 1+3no.One other thing
seen was if the band was open at dusk, it could well continue into darkness,
but if it was open earlier, and closed before dusk, it would not re-open in
darkness..
**Finally: on the power issue..In no case have I missed a station with 40 or
100 watts, that I could have worked with 1500 Watts. The vagaries of
propagation have a far more profound effect on the signal level than does a
mere 10-13 dB. I try to run most QSOs at 40 Watts, and consider 400 the
highest sane power to ever use on 6M, (UNLESS YOU TRY FOR EME). In most
cases, selecting the proper antenna for the job will give you a far greater
advantage (I can show you a 30dB advantage for a 7el at 40' over an 11 el at
105'!!- on any antenna modeling program...look for yourself at the 30 dB
NOTCH at 10-15 degrees). In the meantime remember that the other fellow is
probably running 10 watts..all you'll do with MEGAPOWER is mess things up
for
your fellow band users. Be considerate> match your "talkout" with your
"talkback" capabilities..I've seen 1000 times when the Mega stations call CQ
and are heard and answered by modest stations, and continue to call, because
he can't hear him. Don't be a 6M "ALLIGATOR" (all mouth-no ears)
And pehaps it no longer needs saying BUT: 50.100to50.150 for international
DX
ONLY PLEASE (NO W-VE or W-XE or especially W-W).W stations; use .150 for
calling frequency..
Good luck to all who enjoy the Majic band. 2000 should be a record year for
all of us..
Geo> K0FF/7
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