FD: Great to hear the interest!
Now a few things to add to list. Adding a second Dipole and proper length phasing harness at 5/8th's wave spacing above the other will give you aprox. 3 dBd. Which as you know will Double your ERP...Your 100w is now effectively 200w.
Likewise adding a second Element in a Yagi configuration will produce about the same, maybe even a smidgen more.
Feedline becomes "critical" on 6m a 2dB loss in your feedline equates to about a 30+% loss of power, both transmit and receive...So keep this in mind even 9913 or equivalent 100 FT. run at 50 MHz becomes a loss. I did notice a difference in some signals changing from 75 FT 9913 Belden to LMR-400max. Hence this next Spring/Summer I'll be replacing the 400 with 7/8th Hardline(Heliax).
Most 6m Addicts will tell you 35-50 FT in antenna height is the pretty optimized height for Eskip operation, at roughly 32 FT antenna height you begin to pick-up Ground Gain.
Some Op's I work have more than one antenna...1 at 30ft...another 45ft …. another 70ft.
Extreme yes, but this is due to angle the signal is being returned down from the reflective layer.
However, I just have the one presently in the middle of that window like 40-42ft above ground and it works well.
You must keep a close eye on the DX Clusters. 6 meters can open at anytime, sometimes the openings may last a few minutes or sometimes hours.
Many times the band is open and nobody home. Thus calling like you do for a few minutes at whatever time is a good thing.
Beacons: These are found in the 50.010 - 50.080...many, many in operation. They ID of course in CW. However just hearing a signal means you have a path somewhere (unless it's 10 miles down the road)
Even if you don't know CW, learn to pick out the callsign number, numbers were the easiest for me to learn and that will normally tell you, you may have a path that direction. Hearing several in that window means you have an opening...Start calling!
Nets: Check with the repeater group, see if you have any SSB nets in your local...or even try to get one started with the op's from the repeater group.
Band Plan: SSB- 50.110 and up to 50.124 DX Window. Don't get caught up working stateside guys there. You may call CQ certainly, but if a stateside answers move up to above 125 to continue(very common practice)
50.125 is considered the call freq. OK to answer and make contacts there, however if you start stringing 2 or 3 in a row, announce your moving up to 50.130 or above and 90% time any Op wishing to work you will move up also. Then call again.
This helps keep the frequency open for more traffic. Activity breeds activity!
50.400 AM call frequency
52.525 FM call frequency (vertical antenna)
I know there was more I want to say, but think my character limit has been exceeded!!!
50.145...7 AM to 8 AM EST(every morning) Meteor Scatter net in Mid-West take a listen...you never know about conditions!
Look forward to putting you in the log from EM79 near Indy (but this little farm town dot,
I call Hooterville)
All the Best
Gary/W9FNB...The voice of Radio Free Hooterville
