For those interested in more information about 6 meter operating, conditions and fun, check out this video. I touched on a couple points about antennas, radios/modes and the band conditions. I hope you gain some info from this video and share amongst the newer operators that might not know. Feel free to link/share to any site or social media platform that you wish. 73 all..
Annual SMIRK Contest this weekend; 0000Z 18 June to 2359Z 19 June 2017. Details at www.smirk.org Like the ARRL June VHF and CQ VHF Contests the SMIRK Contest is a great opportunity to acquire plenty of new or needed grids. I'm a longtime SMIRK member and will be operating QRO from a rare grid in South Texas most of this weekend. Ill be scanning up and down the band (50.130 to 50.250 USB for stateside QSOs) as well as periodically listening in the dx window in hopes of multi-hop dx outside of USA. I hope to work as many stations in as many grids as possible and I'll be happy to hand out my SMIRK number in the process (extra points can be gained by making a contact with SMIRK members). If you are new to 6 meters a word to the wise: Please do not "park" on 50.125 and carry on as if it was your own frequency (yes, it still happens all too often, unfortunately). As Eric mentioned in his video above that frequency is for calling another station---and once contact is made---QSY up to continue the QSO on a clear frequency. The dx window (50.105-50.120 USB) is also for working actual dx that you can hear---not for blindly calling CQ from the USA or working other USA stations. Six meters is a truly fun band when propagation favors your area and this time of year the band is generally open non-stop. The SMIRK Contest is not as well known or publicized as the big ARRL/CQ Magazine sponsored tests which is all the more reason to fire up that rig with 50mHz and not miss out on the action this weekend! 73, Jeff, NH7RO (signing NH7RO/W5 during contests)
Glad to see you mentioning JT-65. During the past week or so 6 meters has been rolling at times, and JT-65 has been leading the pack hi. I check for JT-65 signals before any other mode on 6: if 6 is open, you'll be hearing JT-65.
my hat off to you eric!finally some good info on this site relating to the magic band.the 450d is an excellent rig on 6 meters,i think better than on hf hope to work you from EM25 73s
Great info. Thank you. I'm fairly new to 6 meters and up until last month. Only had a handful of qso' s (first was Portland, OR to Arizona on 5 watts voice). Now that I'm getting the hang of it, I've made several contacts using JT65 including my first DX with the recent opening. I love it and hope to see more people on it, especially the technian level ops to gain experience.
What is the MSK144 frequency? I thought it was 50.282 but I'm seeing some skeds on 50.260. But then I read on Pingjockey that 50.260 is a 'calling not operating frequency'. Huh? I put up my $4 homebrew 2el moxon last night and worked my first 6m QSO on JT65. 11 miles? Well at least it works!
Get on Ping Jockey and let people know you are setup and ready to run. You can setup off the call frequency that way. Or announce you are CQing on 50.2XX off the call freq.
Why did your give up your frequency? You were having q's. In a contest when you are having contacts don't be concerned by what anyone else has to say. Not your problem it is theirs.
I think the MSK144 freq on 6m is 50.280. The 50.260 was calling freq for FSK441 MS not sure what the present status is. W3xs/kp2
Who said anything about millihertz in the first place? Is it written invisibly somewhere in these posts? Obviously a typo if so...
I think I jinxed myself by posting info on the SMIRK contest---by 0000Z on Saturday the once very active band died completely down here in South Texas---the entire 48 hours of the test! Just when I had three separate antennas and amp at the ready Murphy's Law reared itself yet again. It was going great guns all week before!