[TowerTalk] 6 meter angle arrival for DX

[Mike Smith VE9AA]

Hey Bill, 

 

I’ve been on 6m as a serious DXer since Nov 92
about 150 worked on SIX
(QRV
HF since the late 70’s)
.There were years I barely ever left the house from
mid June to mid July for fear of missing some EU 6m DXpedition on Es. 

 I was handsomely rewarded on more than one occasion with a 2 minute
opening.  But I digress
..

 

Via F layer, some of the angles can get very low 1-3º for optimum DX. (Will
we ever see F layer on 6m again?
.man, it’s been a while!)

On Es (single or double hop) the angles can get very high. (10-15 or 20º
even)
.I had dbl hop Es to Cuba one time where a tiny 3el @ 30’ was the best
antenna in the yard, but that was quite rare.

 

I’ve had every 6m antenna imaginable.  Probably my best were 2 stacked
antennas.

I had 3 over 3 at 50/70’ and 8/8 at 48/64’ and even the same 8/8 at 35/49’.
(qrz.com shows my 8/8 homebrew stack at 48/64’)

 

All these stacks always outperformed my reference antennas which have all
been long boom 5 or 6 element designs up at the same heights. (I really like
the K6STI 5el)

 

You can’t go wrong with a stack.  Lefty, K1TOL has one of the largest around
with 4 x 9el and I think he’ll tell you that 98% of the time, he just leaves
all 4 antennas in line.

 

I have work KH7Y via Es and he’s the guy to talk to I guess for KH6 prop.

 

Once you stack

do up a pair of antennas @ 50/70’ with a BIP/BOP switch and
you’re good.

 

73 es we’ll see you (all of a sudden) on SIX !

 

Mike VE9AA

p.s.-hardline is your friend on VHF ! (I am sure you already know that)

 

 

Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB