[TenTec] Six Meter Openings.....NOW
Kayser
kayser@king.igs.net
Sun, 30 May 1999 22:35:25 -0400
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Greetings all:
Over last winter there was much discussion about when one should look =
for six meter openings, well the hot season is with is, it is called E =
Sporadic and the time is NOW until the middle of July.
I have been listening on 50.110 and 50.2 SSB this morning and I am =
hearing what are known as Meteor Pings every few minutes. This will let =
you know that your receiver is working. What you will hear is a short =
1/2 second or longer up to 3 or 4 seconds burst of voice, usually =
slightly off frequency. If your really quick you can get the signal =
tuned in, but normally it is easier on your reflexes if you just get =
used to copying signals that are slightly miss tuned.
As I wrote the last sentence there was a ping on 50.110 of some 4 =
seconds long of a very nice CW signal, I got three letters "er b" as the =
sending was quite slow. =20
I have also heard pings this morning on 50.180 and 50.200. My antenna =
is probably worse than yours, it is a slightly off resonance dipole =
about 100ft up, and shielded somewhat to the south by my tower. =20
When ES opens that band, signals will come booming in, you will probably =
want to cut the receiver gain back a bit on a good ES opening. When do =
good openings occur? Keep your receiver on, RF all the way up and Audio =
down so you just hear a bit of background. Usually after dinner in the =
evening is when things will open up, your receiver should start pumping =
like mad. Pumping is when the AGC is trying to cope with a very loud =
signal hitting the receiver somewhat off frequency. Openings will last =
from a few minutes to 5 to 6 hours. Move around until you find space to =
be heard and to call others. =20
Don't be surprised when you suddenly find the band has gone quiet. Just =
as fast as it opens, the band mayclose just as quickly. Sometimes it is =
fun to listen to the band go out as signals that are pinning your S =
meter fade down into the noise and disappear.
Six Meters is known in some circles as the Magic Band, it really is, as =
it will never do what you expect the band to do when you expect it to do =
it.=20
You should be listening every evening this month and next for openings. =
Tuning across the band several times an hour is a very good idea. =
Remember you can make lots of contacts with your Ten Tec transverter, =
power is not the big issue on Six Meter EX.
Good Luck es 73 Larry VA3LK
Oh yea, I will be one of the CW guys as I do not have a microphone for =
mysetup.... I hope to work you Six soon......
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<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Greetings all:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Over last winter there was much =
discussion about=20
when one should look for six meter openings, well the hot season is with =
is, it=20
is called E Sporadic and the time is NOW until the middle of =
July.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have been listening on 50.110 and =
50.2 SSB this=20
morning and I am hearing what are known as Meteor Pings every few =
minutes. =20
This will let you know that your receiver is working. What you =
will hear=20
is a short 1/2 second or longer up to 3 or 4 seconds burst of voice, =
usually=20
slightly off frequency. If your really quick you can get the =
signal tuned=20
in, but normally it is easier on your reflexes if you just get used to =
copying=20
signals that are slightly miss tuned.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As I wrote the last sentence there was =
a ping on=20
50.110 of some 4 seconds long of a very nice CW signal, I got three =
letters "er=20
b" as the sending was quite slow. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have also heard pings this morning on =
50.180 and=20
50.200. My antenna is probably worse than yours, it is a slightly =
off=20
resonance dipole about 100ft up, and shielded somewhat to the south by =
my=20
tower. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>When ES opens that band, signals will =
come booming=20
in, you will probably want to cut the receiver gain back a bit on a good =
ES=20
opening. When do good openings occur? Keep your receiver on, =
RF all=20
the way up and Audio down so you just hear a bit of background. =
Usually=20
after dinner in the evening is when things will open up, your receiver =
should=20
start pumping like mad. Pumping is when the AGC is trying to cope =
with a=20
very loud signal hitting the receiver somewhat off frequency. =
Openings will last from a few minutes to 5 to 6 hours. Move around =
until=20
you find space to be heard and to call others. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Don't be surprised when you suddenly =
find the band=20
has gone quiet. Just as fast as it opens, the band mayclose just =
as=20
quickly. Sometimes it is fun to listen to the band go out as =
signals that=20
are pinning your S meter fade down into the noise and =
disappear.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Six Meters is known in some circles as =
the Magic=20
Band, it really is, as it will never do what you expect the band to do =
when you=20
expect it to do it. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>You should be listening every evening =
this month=20
and next for openings. Tuning across the band several times an =
hour is a=20
very good idea. Remember you can make lots of contacts with your =
Ten Tec=20
transverter, power is not the big issue on Six Meter EX.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Good Luck es 73 Larry =
VA3LK</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Oh yea, I will be one of the CW guys as =
I do not=20
have a microphone for mysetup.... I hope to work you Six=20
soon......</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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