60 Meters... Use it or lose it

[AC4BB]

Another technician gimm'e without having to do anything. Just upgrade.
Just how long have you been using 10 meters? I can recall when ten was about the hottest DX band going.

[N0SYA]

Contests should be allowed on 60m! That would fix the low usage issue!

[AF6LJ]

There is a lot of activity on Sixty out here.
Our reg chew group has had to move to a different channel several times due to the channel we normally meet on being occupied. I do think Technicians should have more HF spectrum, give them the whole of the general segment of Ten .
I have reservations about giving techs privileges in another HF band.

[KB9BVN]

As a new ham (general test in late August), I have wondered why a tecnician has a limited access to HF when a LOT of operators are saying if we don't use it, we will loose it. If the FCC will open up 60 meters to a technician class operator, I can pretty much bet that the activity level will increase 100 %. The comments I have read are, "so glad to have a band that I don't have to compete with the 2kw super ham" or "how do I tune for 60 meters"....Well as I see it its would be a win/win for us new tecnicians. A great way to have access to HF without having to spend a ton of cash for rigs and antenna's...100 watts and a dipole. We would surely help by using the band so it doesn't get taking away, and it will help us learn how to use the tecnical part of the hobby, instead of throwing us into the "repeater nightmare"...10 meters has been crappy from the creation of the band..well years and years ago it was great, but nothing in the last few years...

So if Im totally off based, I'll study even harder to learn about the hobby..

73's

Study harder. IN about a week you can pass the general test. Your comments about having to spend a ton of cash to get on HF only demonstrates your lack of experience. Nothing wrong with being inexperienced but it's always better to taste the soup before complaining it is too cold.

[VE3FMC]

Meanwhile in the "Foreign Country" we wait patiently for the right to be able to operate on 60 meters

[KB3LIX]

As a new ham (general test in late August), I have wondered why a tecnician has a limited access to HF when a LOT of operators are saying if we don't use it, we will loose it. If the FCC will open up 60 meters to a technician class operator, I can pretty much bet that the activity level will increase 100 %. The comments I have read are, "so glad to have a band that I don't have to compete with the 2kw super ham" or "how do I tune for 60 meters"....Well as I see it its would be a win/win for us new tecnicians. A great way to have access to HF without having to spend a ton of cash for rigs and antenna's...100 watts and a dipole. We would surely help by using the band so it doesn't get taking away, and it will help us learn how to use the tecnical part of the hobby, instead of throwing us into the "repeater nightmare"...10 meters has been crappy from the creation of the band..well years and years ago it was great, but nothing in the last few years...

So if Im totally off based, I'll study even harder to learn about the hobby..

73's

Get cracking on them there books.
You as a tech already have a nice chunk of spectrum to utilize.

No more GIMMIES !


10m is a great band and will be much better once ole' sol gets cooking.
(It was cooking a few months ago when the SF was higher)

In the mean time, in addition to 28.000-28.500, you have GREAT DX potential
on 15, 40 & 80m CW in the old novice portion of the bands.

40m is probably the best band in amateur radio for both domestic and DX communications.
It is open to SOMEWHERE 24 hours a day.

Learn CW, or even get software and get on the novice portion.


"Ton of cash"...that's funny.
Whats wrong with 100w and a dipole. That is all I have here.
See my signature to see what I have accomplished with 100w and a dipole.
(Actually now it is a 4BTV and a chunk of lamp cord)

And I haven't been active since creation.
I just had my 8 year anniv on July 20th.

[N4GHP]

WOW...Where do I start....
First, Thanks for all that put their two cents in..It may not sound like it, but I'm taking everything in and learning from it. Thats how I am as a person....So bring it on..(and that's not with an angry attitude)
And for the record, I agree that I have entered into this hobby without a CW test and very little knowledge of electronics...But I have the intrest and plan on pursuing CW
With that said....

This thread was in response to another thread on Eham.com, that I thought I would generate a larger group of hams over here..It did..
The title of the thread was "use it or lose it" The creater of the thread had "loose it" so my appology for my spelling error.

SO...Use it or lose it....If we as hams, dont have a certain band to use, why would we compalin about the privileadge to use it..It's not there, (or may not) to use. Don't make sense to me...enough said on that.

Would someone please tell me what's the difference from using a VFO on 60 meters and using VFO on say, 10 metres. The comment about letting a technician loose with a VFO on 60...Dont understand that one. But willing to learn.

The comment about the "ton of cash" was intended to refer to the 2kw...I wouldn't spend, and hope another technician wouldn't either, LOTS of money getting into the hobby...5 watts and a dipole or wire is a GREAT thing and its why we have field day, to prove what amateur radio can accomplish with wire and a battery...So I do agree you can work some great DX with low power...

10 meters is a daytime band, so after working 12 hours, all the activity is pretty much gone..But there has been some activity in the evening..So that comment was comparing to the activity on 20, or 80 in the early mornings when I'm headed to work. It would be nice to have an out of the area contact using voice on the way to work on say, 60 meters, hihi. The same two people on the repeater at 5am, well you know (sorry guys)
All my equipment is in the car right now..Apartment req's...you know how that goes.

Thanks again...73's

[KC8VWM]

It would be nice to have an out of the area contact using voice on the way to work on say, 60 meters,


All my equipment is in the car right now..

Thanks again...73's

I suspect operating a 60m mobile dummy load antenna combined with a restricted power output limitation requirement on this band, probobly wouldn't work especially well for most people anyways.

[K0RGR]

60 meters requires a bit of skill at being right on frequency, because what we have are 'spot' frequencies there. You have to be right on the designated frequency, and your signal has to fit entirely inside the designated channel. As a Technician, (and frankly, for that matter as a recent General, too) you really haven't been exposed to the theory involved in meeting the technical requirements for frequency accuracy, stability, and bandwidth to meet the 60 meter specs.. Hopefully, the next WARC will give us a nice 'band' there and the NTIA will elect to vacate that segment eventually. But, the same considerations that created our current regulations may be there for a long time to come. Some of those frequencies actually are used by government stations.

[WD4CHP]

Consodate all the exams into a 500 question test.

Those that pass can have full privilages on all frequencies.

Those who can not pass can stop operating until they can.

That should wake a few of you up.