6m – magic band, really?

Why do I bother on 6m WSPR? Apart from G6AVK (78km) with whom I exchanged spots more than a week ago I have had no success at all on 6m WSPR out of the Es season.  I get plenty of success on 10m with less power.  I go on 6m WSPR because I can do so at the same time as being on 10m. I get far more success on 630m with an ERP of just 5mW. I think I am going to give up on the “magic band” until April or May. Maybe I really do need 100W and a big yagi up high in the sky to make the band “magic” at this time of the year. My 1W ERP from a V2000 vertical omni antenna just isn’t enough or maybe all the activity is on other modes?

Roger Lapthorn, G3XBM, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Cambridge, England.

2 Responses to “6m – magic band, really?”

  • G3XHB:

    Know what you mean. I can usually connect with a regular c50m North of me and once managed a hit near Shrewsbury. Annoying thing is, from my QTH at 600′ asl in North Yorkshire and with an excellent takeoff to the south, I can always copy GB3VHF in Kent on 2m JT65B! Admittedly on a 7 ele yagi whereas on 6m it’s a horizontal rod dipole.

  • Charlie G4EST:

    Roger. Each New Year I attempt to work a station on each band I am QRV on. 6m is usually the hardest. This year I was calling CQ JT65 one morning on 6m and no responses received. Checked psk reporter and found that I was heard in Ukraine.Thought it may be wrong band being reported but the frequency and timing agreed with my calls.
    Freak propagation perhaps but encouraging.

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