I don't want to sound condescending here, please don't take it that way.
I think the reason most folks have poor results on these bands is due to poor antenna systems. So, I will give some advice in that regard.
Back when I first got on 6 meters, up in Ohio, I was in high school. I had an old battered Cush Craft 5 element beam up about 30 feet, fed with crappy, non foam dielectric RG8. For me, back then, DX was 50 miles, or a sporadic E opening. But there were tons of locals on, and I had a lot of fun. But I knew I was missing a lot. K8MMM was working stations in Florida I couldn't even hear. At all. I often thought he was just faking it. Until I saw his antenna system. Wow!, stacked long boom 5 element beams on a 100 foot tower fed with 7/8" heliax. I didn't even know they made coax like that! No wonder he could work all that DX.
Now, I realize that a lot of you are apartment dwellers, live in condos, or in neighborhoods with HOA's. You are probably stuck with repeaters and neighborhood simplex operations. When the band is open, during the summer, a halo or dipole will work. But for weak signal work, see below.
If you want to do some serious work on 6 meters, a good 5 element yagi, on an 18 foot boom up about 45', fed with decent feed line will get great results. LMR400 under 50', 50 to 150' LMR600 or better. A lot of folks on 6 chose that antenna height, and do quite well. Seems to be a "sweet spot" on 6 for some reason. My current antenna is a 6 element LFA up 62 feet, fed with LMR600.
On 2 meters, a lot of hams use single 9-11 element yagis, up 35 feet or more, fed with good LMR600 or half inch heliax or better. Myself, I have a 9 el LFA up 52' and can work 2-300 miles reliably, with 70 watts.
Biggest problem, however is everyone listens, nobody transmits. (I am guilty of this, myself!) Get on and make some noise! Monitor the chat groups and DX clusters. Subscribe to the 205 Morning Report.
VHF and UHF bands can be a lot of fun. Use them or loose them!
Hope this helps someone.
I think the reason most folks have poor results on these bands is due to poor antenna systems. So, I will give some advice in that regard.
Back when I first got on 6 meters, up in Ohio, I was in high school. I had an old battered Cush Craft 5 element beam up about 30 feet, fed with crappy, non foam dielectric RG8. For me, back then, DX was 50 miles, or a sporadic E opening. But there were tons of locals on, and I had a lot of fun. But I knew I was missing a lot. K8MMM was working stations in Florida I couldn't even hear. At all. I often thought he was just faking it. Until I saw his antenna system. Wow!, stacked long boom 5 element beams on a 100 foot tower fed with 7/8" heliax. I didn't even know they made coax like that! No wonder he could work all that DX.
Now, I realize that a lot of you are apartment dwellers, live in condos, or in neighborhoods with HOA's. You are probably stuck with repeaters and neighborhood simplex operations. When the band is open, during the summer, a halo or dipole will work. But for weak signal work, see below.
If you want to do some serious work on 6 meters, a good 5 element yagi, on an 18 foot boom up about 45', fed with decent feed line will get great results. LMR400 under 50', 50 to 150' LMR600 or better. A lot of folks on 6 chose that antenna height, and do quite well. Seems to be a "sweet spot" on 6 for some reason. My current antenna is a 6 element LFA up 62 feet, fed with LMR600.
On 2 meters, a lot of hams use single 9-11 element yagis, up 35 feet or more, fed with good LMR600 or half inch heliax or better. Myself, I have a 9 el LFA up 52' and can work 2-300 miles reliably, with 70 watts.
Biggest problem, however is everyone listens, nobody transmits. (I am guilty of this, myself!) Get on and make some noise! Monitor the chat groups and DX clusters. Subscribe to the 205 Morning Report.
VHF and UHF bands can be a lot of fun. Use them or loose them!
Hope this helps someone.
