Is 6 meters dead?

[Tallman]

I have been having a ball with my NEW to me IC-746. Trying and testing the radio on all of the different bands. One bands remain a mystery to me though. Six meters. I have not heard squat. I have a proper six meter a dipole hanging outside. What I need is the call channel for six meters.
On six nothing, zip, nada. I'm getting ready to take this large radio and go mobile and do some hill-topping.
Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Unless you are into meteor scatter 6m is dead most of the time. Sporadic E openings can occur anytime but most often May to August and again in December. Popular freqs. are 50.110 and 50.125 USB of course. I sugest listening in the beacon sub-band below 50.100 especially between 50.060 and 50.080 for CW beacons indicating propagation is open to a certain area. 6m is a fickle band and yagis work best but if your dipole is high enough you should have no problems making contacts if the band is open. A little power makes for a BIG signal on 6m. 100 watts is plenty.

 

[Tallman]

Thanks Captain Kilowatt for the come back. I guess I wasted some money buying a radio that is capable from 160m all the way up to 2m in all modes. Well not actually wasted the IC-746 is rockin' radio and it looks very impressive sitting on my GMC Jimmy dash board.

 

[RatsoW8]

Thanks Captain Kilowatt for the come back. I guess I wasted some money buying a radio that is capable from 160m all the way up to 2m in all modes. Well not actually wasted the IC-746 is rockin' radio and it looks very impressive sitting on my GMC Jimmy dash board.

Yea well an IC-746 is a bit of overkill for HF mobile but it's fun to set it all up. What antennas are you running?

 

[Tallman]

For 2m mobile Antron ADB-270, 10m Sirion 5000 performer with an antenna tuner MFJ-945 just to listen in on the lower frequencies. The SWR shows to be low on the lower frequencies but I don't think it would transmit very far with the low power level.

At the base I have a home made dipole for the low frequencies and for the 6 meters. For 10m I have a Sirio M400 GP which looks Identical to the old "Starduster."
For 2m Sirio WY140-3N with a low end rotator.
D.C. power is by two MegaWatt power supplies rated for 36 amps continuous and bridged by a diode battery isolator used in RV's.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Thanks Captain Kilowatt for the come back. I guess I wasted some money buying a radio that is capable from 160m all the way up to 2m in all modes.

Nope, not at all with a radio that covers 160-2m. I assume you said that because you cannot use the other HF bands? Tech perhaps? If that is the case consider it an incentive to upgrade.

Well not actually wasted the IC-746 is rockin' radio and it looks very impressive sitting on my GMC Jimmy dash board.

I would DEFINITELY not put that radio there. It was not really meant to be mobile and as far as securing it down goes.........nope. Not gonna go there with that one.

 

[Tallman]

Nope, not at all with a radio that covers 160-2m. I assume you said that because you cannot use the other HF bands? Tech perhaps? If that is the case consider it an incentive to upgrade.
I would DEFINITELY not put that radio there. It was not really meant to be mobile and as far as securing it down goes.........nope. Not gonna go there with that one.

I have a General License. The Icom is not transported on the dash board nor is it used while in motion.
I do the hill topping bit. I drive to one of the highest or second highest hill in Louisville. Then I set up the radio check the SWR and start calling CQ. When I'm done I rig down and secure the equipment and go.

I thought all ham gear was supposed to mobile.
It is all handled with extreme care in my hands.
Is there any real benefit to go to extra class?

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I have a General License. The Icom is not transported on the dash board nor is it used while in motion.
I do the hill topping bit. I drive to one of the highest or second highest hill in Louisville. Then I set up the radio check the SWR and start calling CQ. When I'm done I rig down and secure the equipment and go.

OK that sounds better. WHEW! I had visions of a disaster waiting to happen.

I thought all ham gear was supposed to mobile.
It is all handled with extreme care in my hands.
Is there any real benefit to go to extra class?

Well the classic Kenwood TS520/820 series as well as the Yaesu FT-101 series was able to go mobile too with the proper 12 volt option but I can't imagine taking one in the vehicle. Just because it runs on 12 volts does not make it mobile friendly nor does it mean it was designed rugged enough to withstand the rigors of mobile life such as temperature extremes and shock and vibration.

As for any advantage to go extra class, that depends on if you think the extra bandwidth available is worth it. If you already think a 160-2m radio was not worth it than I would say no. I also think that you are missing out on about 99% of the fun of DXing if you think that way as well. Life is so much better on 15,20,40m where there is DX pretty much anytime of day on one band or another.

 

[avistar23]

6 is actually my favorite band, maybe its because of the challenge? But when the band is open the opportunity is endless, just have to be lucky.

 

[Nicholas440]

In my area there are several 6 meter repeaters, they don't get used a lot but we do have activity on them and there are NETS every week on a few of the repeaters. I use a Ringo 6 meter vertical up at about 30 feet and have no problem with the repeaters which are almost 40 to 50 miles away. I do have one locally within 15 miles which has a little activity. But overall there seems to be less and less 6 meter activity across the country from what I am reading. A horizontal dipole will work well in the summer when there are 6 meter band openings, but if there are any repeaters in your area a good 6 meter vertical is your best bet. I also have two Quad Band mobiles which have 6 meters on them and I have a tri band vertical mag mounted antenna for the mobile and it works well for local use with up to 50 watts of my mobile radios. My base rig is a Yaesu FT-2000D which is capable of 200 watts on 6 meters so it' reaches out very well if I need the extra power, but most times I only need 25 to 50 watts on the Ringo 5/8 wave vertical to get into the repeaters. You might check and see whats in your area as far as 6 meter repeater activity goes and you can build yourself a 1/4 wave home brew antenna to get started on those repeaters if you have any there.