[VHFcontesting] Newbie on 6

[Paul Kiesel]

50.076 is a CW ONLY frequency in the United States. 50.276 is the JT65A calling frequency. JT65A QSOs should be made on or around that frequency. I think 50.290 is used mostly for PSK31.

Paul, K7CW
--------------------------------------------
On Thu, 5/5/16, roger at k4rw.net <roger at k4rw.net> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Newbie on 6
 To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
 Date: Thursday, May 5, 2016, 10:08 AM
 
 
 Hi Dwight,
 Welcome to 6m. 6m is addicting and you may find yourself
 having so much fun
 on 6m that you are on this band more than others. Got the
 t-shirt...HA
 
 My two cents:
 1. Watch the vhfdx maps:
 http://www.dxmaps.com/spots/map.php?Lan=E&Frec=50&ML=M&Map=NA&DXC=N&HF=N&GL=
 N 
 
 2. For JT65A, the following frequencies have activity:
 50.076 MHz USB
 50.160 MHz USB
 50.260 MHz USB
 50.276 MHz USB
 50.290 MHz USB
 I think 50.290 & 50.276 are ones I see spots for more
 often. 
 
 3. FSK441 and other digital modes for meteor scatter are
 best observed on
 Ping Jockey site (as others have mentioned)
 
 4. SSB & CW Meteor Scatter is very active "daily" here
 (TX, FL, TN, LA, AL,
 MS, OH, MI, PA, IN, etc) on 50.145. Lots of activity on this
 frequency 7-8am
 Eastern.
 
 5. Scan the beacon frequencies often when you are at the
 rig.
 
 6. As far as station improvements go, the name of the game
 is "hearing" the
 other stations. Noise is a BIG deterrent to hearing weak
 signals. Antenna
 gain becomes secondary if the antenna is picking up lots of
 noise. Be active
 in searching for noise sources around your home/station. You
 may have a
 noise problem on 6m but it never bothers you on HF. This is
 typical because
 on 6m (and vhf in general), you are listening for and trying
 to work
 stations that my not even move the S-meter. If you have
 noise that is strong
 enough to register on the S-meter, you will miss a lot of
 good dx on 6m.
 I've found annoying noise generators just by selectively
 unplugging stuff
 around the house and listening on 6m. 
 
 7. DX....  You're in a good area to hear JA's and
 Pacific Islands. Watch for
 the spots on the vhfdx maps.
 
 Again, welcome to 6m and get ready to have some fun. Summer
 E's season is
 starting. I see the band is very active in EU right now.
 
 Roger K4RW
 
 Date: Thu, 5 May 2016 06:41:59 -0700
 From: Dwight Jones <123dwight at gmail.com>
 To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
 Subject: [VHFcontesting] Newbie on 6
 Message-ID:
     <CABxmy-ezsKj-b1W7aMOXCH4b046Labnwrr8DuPfGTSoxTbTXXw at mail.gmail.com>
 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
 
 Hello,
 I have set up a modest station for 6 meters. I live in a
 rural area where
 there are no other VHFers. (Grid CN71; Del Norte County,
 California)
 
 I have a strong preference for digital modes. I know the
 recommended
 frequencies for various modes, but suspect that some modes
 have more
 activity than others when the band is open.
 1) Could someone recommend modes that will be most likely to
 have activity?
 2) I'm most familiar with JT65 because I use it on HF. Is
 this a good
 choice? What is an appropriate power output on 6 meter
 JT65?
 3) Can someone point me to a book or website that explains
 how to do FSK411?
 4) Any other modes I should look into?
 5) Does anyone do digital during the June contest? I intend
 to operate
 portable form the highest ridge in my grid. I might resort
 to SSB if there
 are no digital people to contact.
 
 Thanks,
 Dwight
 KO6FE
 
 
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