• 6m

    From Andy Ball@1:124/5009 to All on Sat Jan 13 05:34:18 2001
    Hello!

    I passed the Technician (no code) exam back in November and I'm saving up for my first transceiver now. An obvious first move would be to buy a 2m, or possibly 70cm handheld, but both bands are very quiet in my neck of the woods (East central Illinois). I can't help wondering whether 6m might have more potential for me, locally and possibly even DX on occasion. I would welcome any comments or observations people might have on this subject.

    73,
    - Andy KB9YLW

    * SLMR 2.1a *

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  • From Andy Ball@1:124/5009 to Roy Witt on Sat Jan 20 12:32:24 2001
    Hello Roy!

    RW> Congratulations.

    Thanks!

    AB> ...both bands are very quiet in my neck of the woods
    > (East central Illinois).

    RW> Do you have a 'repeater' guide for the area?

    Yes, and I can easily hear local repeaters on 2m and 70cm, but it's a special event if they transmit anything other than their idents.

    RW> Depends on whether there is 6m activity in the area.

    Good point, I'll have to see what I can find out.

    RW> Otherwise, I'd opt for one of the 10m rigs with AM,
    > SSB,CW,FM capability (HR2510s sell for $75 and up,
    > have 25 watts of power and cover 26MHz to 30MHz).

    I don't have HF privilage, hopefully this year I'll make time to learn CW and reach the blistering speed of 5WPM
    <grin> Seriously though, I'd like to wrap my head around
    the relevent regulations and sit the General exam.

    73,
    - Andy KB9YLW

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  • From Andy Ball@1:124/5009 to Dave Oldridge on Sat Jan 20 12:32:24 2001
    Hello!

    DO> ...last time I drove through Illinois I was following
    > I90 from the west coast to the east.

    I'll have to dig out a map, see where that goes.

    DO> I found my dual band FM rig (an old Kenwood TW4000A to
    > be fairly adequate for mobile communications.

    Were its two bands 2m and 70cm?

    DO> In today's congestion you might want a rig that had
    > sub audible tones as well.

    I'd welcome some congestion, at least it would be radio traffic! =o) If at some point I move to a larger city I might find more activity.

    DO> But 6M would be a good alternate choice, especially
    > if you can afford a base station with SSB and a good
    > beam antenna...

    Sadly a beam is out of the question at my present location. I can't afford a base station either. I was pleasantly surprised to find brand new 6m HTs for around $100 in one of the catalogues I was sent. I'm rather taken with the Yaesu VX-110 or VX-150 actually, at least from what I've seen and read so far -
    they're both 2m though.

    73,
    - Andy KB9YLW

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  • From Roy Witt@1:10/22 to Andy Ball on Sun Jan 21 00:10:46 2001
    Hello Andy.

    20 Jan 01 20:32, you wrote to me:

    Do you have a 'repeater' guide for the area?

    Yes, and I can easily hear local repeaters on 2m and 70cm, but it's a special event if they transmit anything other than their idents.

    My folks live up North of you in Freeport. Last time I visited, there
    wasn't much activity on either 2m or 70cm. That's not to say there aren't
    any HAMs in the area, just that they're probably busy with life. I didn't
    have any 2m transmitter at the time, just a scanner. Wish I had my dual
    bander there, as I heard an old friend from my CB days. Recognized his
    voice right off the bat and as I listened to the conversation, the content confirmed that it was my friend, Russ. I'll be visiting there again this spring, and I plan on taking a 2m walkie talkie this time.

    Depends on whether there is 6m activity in the area.

    Good point, I'll have to see what I can find out.

    6m is sporadically used around the country. Not very popular, somewhat
    like 220Mhz...

    Otherwise, I'd opt for one of the 10m rigs with AM,
    SSB,CW,FM capability (HR2510s sell for $75 and up,
    have 25 watts of power and cover 26MHz to 30MHz).

    I don't have HF privilage, hopefully this year I'll make time to
    learn CW and reach the blistering speed of 5WPM <grin>

    I haven't looked at license privileges lately, but I was under the
    impression that Tech's were allowed to use voice on 10m... Perhaps I'm
    thinking of Tech's using a remote base with 10m band usage.

    Seriously though, I'd like to wrap my head around the relevent regulations and sit the General exam.

    It's been 20+ years since I took that test. As I recall, it wasn't much different than the Tech test. In fact, back then, one could take the Tech
    test and upgrade their Novice license, getting credit for the 5wpm. All
    it took then, was to pass the 13wpm test and upgrade the Tech license to General. I know that's been changed significantly over the years and most recently, CW tests have been relaxed.


    ... Real radios glow in the dark!
    --- Twit(t) Filter v2.1 (C) 2000
    * Origin: Kicking Back, Six Paydays Included (1:10/22)
  • From Roy Witt@1:10/22 to Andy Ball on Sun Jan 21 00:22:32 2001
    Hello Andy.

    20 Jan 01 20:32, you wrote to Dave Oldridge:

    In today's congestion you might want a rig that had
    sub audible tones as well.

    I'd welcome some congestion, at least it would be radio traffic! =o)
    If at some point I move to a larger city I might find more activity.

    Moving nearer Chicago or St Louis, you'll find that the area is congested enough that a sub-audible tone is required to access all but the open
    machines that have the most traffic on them. Most large cities have
    enough repeaters to go around that most of them are always quiet.

    Sadly a beam is out of the question at my present location. I can't
    afford a base station either. I was pleasantly surprised to find
    brand new 6m HTs for around $100 in one of the catalogues I was sent.
    I'm rather taken with the Yaesu VX-110 or VX-150 actually, at least
    from what I've seen and read so far - they're both 2m though.

    There are a few publications around the Amateur community that have 'used' equipment for sale. Reading them, you should be able to find most
    anything you desire.


    ... Pioneer HAMs built their own gear and sparked themselves to death.
    --- Twit(t) Filter v2.1 (C) 2000
    * Origin: KB6PI's Cantina * Santa Ysabel, CA (1:10/22)
  • From Andy Ball@1:124/5009 to Roy Witt on Mon Jan 22 03:20:14 2001
    Hello Roy!

    RW> My folks live up North of you in Freeport.

    I think I've spoken to a ham in Freeport, but that was via the Internet, not over the air.

    RW> That's not to say there aren't any HAMs in the area,
    > just that they're probably busy with life.

    That's probably the case, QRZ.com threw up a fair old list of hams in my town.
    I've even met some of them, but for the most part 2m and 70cm are pretty silent.

    RW> I didn't have any 2m transmitter at the time, just a
    > scanner.

    That's my situation now. I think I've picked out a 2m HT, but it's not like there's anyone to talk to if I buy the thing! =o(

    RW> I'll be visiting there again this spring, and I plan
    > on taking a 2m walkie talkie this time.

    Will you be coming through (past?) Charleston, IL? =o)

    RW> 6m is sporadically used around the country. Not very
    > popular, somewhat like 220Mhz...

    Understood, thanks for the info.

    RW> I haven't looked at license privileges lately, but I
    > was under the impression that Tech's were allowed to
    > use voice on 10m...

    Probably once we pass the 5WPM Morse test.

    RW> ... Real radios glow in the dark!

    You'd best read my web site before I demolish it. It can be found at...

    http://grex.cyberspace.org/~ball/

    73,
    - Andy KB9YLW

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  • From Sean Dennis@1:115/776 to Andy Ball on Mon Jan 22 07:54:04 2001
    Hello Andy.

    22 Jan 01 11:20, you wrote to Roy Witt:

    Will you be coming through (past?) Charleston, IL? =o)

    Where's Charleston at? I live down here in Carbondale. :)

    73 DE KD5COL,
    Sean

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  • From DAVE OLDRIDGE@2:252/171 to ANDY BALL on Mon Jan 22 09:39:00 2001
    Hello!

    DO> ...last time I drove through Illinois I was following
    > I90 from the west coast to the east.

    I'll have to dig out a map, see where that goes.

    DO> I found my dual band FM rig (an old Kenwood TW4000A to
    > be fairly adequate for mobile communications.

    Were its two bands 2m and 70cm?

    Yes...I still use it. GaAsFET preamps on each band.

    DO> In today's congestion you might want a rig that had
    > sub audible tones as well.

    I'd welcome some congestion, at least it would be radio traffic! =o) If
    at
    some point I move to a larger city I might find more activity.

    DO> But 6M would be a good alternate choice, especially
    > if you can afford a base station with SSB and a good
    > beam antenna...

    Sadly a beam is out of the question at my present location. I can't afford
    a
    base station either. I was pleasantly surprised to find brand new 6m HTs
    for
    around $100 in one of the catalogues I was sent. I'm rather taken with the Yaesu VX-110 or VX-150 actually, at least from what I've seen and read so
    far -
    they're both 2m though.

    2M is generally more populated with repeaters than any of the other
    bands. 6M is good for DX but mostly on SSB or CW. FM repeaters are not really good DX devices and FM simplex, while it works still eats a bit of bandwidth and is not that good for weak signal work.

    ---
    ■ MM 1.1 #0357 ■ GPF - the Microsoft Award for Programming Excellence..
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  • From Roy Witt@1:10/22 to Andy Ball on Fri Jan 26 08:14:53 2001
    Hello Andy.

    24 Jan 01 13:44, you wrote to Dave Oldridge:

    FM repeaters are not really good DX devices and FM
    simplex, while it works still eats a bit of bandwidth
    and is not that good for weak signal work.

    I agree entirely.

    There are FM repeaters on 10m. During a skip cycle, it's not unheard of
    to use them, even though they're a thousand miles from nowhere...




    ... Grampa Witt's Sparkware T-Shirt had a walkie talkie mic holder.
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  • From Roy Witt@1:10/22 to Andy Ball on Fri Jan 26 08:16:45 2001
    Hello Andy.

    22 Jan 01 11:20, you wrote to me:

    My folks live up North of you in Freeport.

    I think I've spoken to a ham in Freeport, but that was via the
    Internet, not over the air.

    My middle school best friend introduced me to radio back in the 50s with
    his Novice license. He moved to Missouri after graduation, and I moved to California just before he moved. I had just gotten my Advanced license
    and mentioned it one time in a letter to him and his wife. Up until this
    time, he hadn't been active in radio, although he owned a TV/Radio repair
    shop. A few weeks later, I got a letter back that he had gone to Kansas
    City and had passed the exams and now held an Extra Class license. That
    was sometime in the early 80s, and we've yet to meet each other on the
    air.

    That's not to say there aren't any HAMs in the area,
    just that they're probably busy with life.

    That's probably the case, QRZ.com threw up a fair old list of hams in
    my town. I've even met some of them, but for the most part 2m and
    70cm are pretty silent.

    Just the opposite here. There's a waiting list for repeater coordination
    space on every band, 6m through 1.2Ghz. 10m is open...

    I didn't have any 2m transmitter at the time, just a
    scanner.

    That's my situation now. I think I've picked out a 2m HT, but it's
    not like there's anyone to talk to if I buy the thing! =o(

    I'll be visiting there again this spring, and I plan
    on taking a 2m walkie talkie this time.

    Will you be coming through (past?) Charleston, IL? =o)

    Hmmmm, I don't think so. If we take the train, it enters Illinois
    and it's first stop is Galesburg. A wee bit NW of you. If I decide to
    drive, I may enter Illinois through St Louis, but the closest I'd come to
    you would be due West, just south of Springfield on I-55 and that'd be
    only if I decide to stop off and see my friend that I mentioned above. Otherwise, I'll enter Illinois at Davenport/Rock Island on I-80...

    6m is sporadically used around the country. Not very
    popular, somewhat like 220Mhz...

    Understood, thanks for the info.

    I haven't looked at license privileges lately, but I
    was under the impression that Tech's were allowed to
    use voice on 10m...

    Probably once we pass the 5WPM Morse test.

    ... Real radios glow in the dark!

    You'd best read my web site before I demolish it. It can be found
    at...

    Read it...

    http://grex.cyberspace.org/~ball/



    ... Keynotes Beat Six Phonetic Imitations...
    --- Twit(t) Filter v2.1 (C) 2000
    * Origin: KB6PI's Antenna Farm * Santa Ysabel, CA * (1:10/22)
  • From Andy Ball@1:124/5009 to Roy Witt on Sat Jan 27 04:32:56 2001
    Hello Roy!

    RW> There are FM repeaters on 10m. During a skip cycle,
    > it's not unheard of to use them, even though they're a
    > thousand miles from nowhere...

    I think /I'm/ a thousand miles from nowhere! <g> I didn't mean to suggest that
    FM repeaters /shouldn't/ be used for DX, but I wouldn't want to have to rely on
    them. I think CW (and perhaps SSB) is probably better suited to DX. Of course, there are satellite FM repeaters that have quite a broad footprint, but
    they're a special case ;o)

    73, Andy KB9YLW

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  • From DAVE OLDRIDGE@2:252/171 to ANDY BALL on Fri Jan 26 05:34:00 2001
    Hello Dave!

    DO> ...I still use it. GaAsFET preamps on each band.

    Is low noise the primary benefit of that?

    Low noise figure and good dynamic range (resistant to intermod and
    desens).

    DO> 2M is generally more populated with repeaters than any
    > of the other bands.

    I returned this evening from Chicago. Naturally I took my scanning
    receiver
    with me. I heard a few people on 2m repeaters. I think I've heard one conversation on our local 70cm repeater, but I've only heard a handful on
    2m so
    that may not mean much. Is 2m an older band than 70cm, generally or in
    terms
    of repeaters?

    Yes...repeaters more or less got going on 2M at first and then spread
    to other bands.

    Also, you might want to get together with the operator of your local repeater(s) and investigate the possibility of linking them to the IRLP system. See http://www.irlp.net for details. Our local 146.94 machine is
    on there and I can talk to people all over the place...there are nodes
    in Alaska, Hawaii, Yellowknife, St. John's Newfoundland and points in
    between. There's even a German repeater gearing up to be on the link.

    The system uses internet connections to provide linking repeater to
    repeater (and reflectors to assemble nets of several repeaters).

    ---
    ■ MM 1.1 #0357 ■ Want your coffee black? - Are there other colors?
    * Origin: FONiX Info Systems * Berkshire UK * +44 1344 641625 (2:252/171)
  • From Roy Witt@1:10/22 to Andy Ball on Sun Jan 28 05:16:54 2001
    Hello Andy.

    27 Jan 01 12:32, you wrote to me:

    There are FM repeaters on 10m. During a skip cycle,
    it's not unheard of to use them, even though they're a
    thousand miles from nowhere...

    I think /I'm/ a thousand miles from nowhere! <g> I didn't mean to
    suggest that FM repeaters /shouldn't/ be used for DX, but I wouldn't
    want to have to rely on them.

    Most of us don't.

    I think CW (and perhaps SSB) is probably better suited to DX.

    No doubt. But then; working an FM repeater during skip conditions is
    more rare than any CW or SSB work.

    Of course, there are satellite FM repeaters that have quite a broad footprint, but they're a special case ;o)

    Most of those are cross-banded and are very hard to use. I've yet to find
    one even.


    ... Keynotes Beat Six Phonetic Imitations...
    --- Twit(t) Filter v2.1 (C) 2000
    * Origin: Kicking Back, Six Paydays Included (1:10/22)
  • From DAVE OLDRIDGE@2:252/171 to ROY WITT on Mon Jan 29 06:38:00 2001
    Hello Andy.

    24 Jan 01 13:44, you wrote to Dave Oldridge:

    FM repeaters are not really good DX devices and FM
    simplex, while it works still eats a bit of bandwidth
    and is not that good for weak signal work.

    I agree entirely.

    There are FM repeaters on 10m. During a skip cycle, it's not unheard of
    to use them, even though they're a thousand miles from nowhere...

    That's true, but in my experience, there are just too few frequencies
    to make 10M a useful repeater band during openings. Locally, they're
    fine, though, having good coverage.

    ---
    ■ MM 1.1 #0357 ■ Can I blame all of my spelling on line noise?
    * Origin: FONiX Info Systems * Berkshire UK * +44 1344 641625 (2:252/171)
  • From Roy Witt@1:10/22 to DAVE OLDRIDGE on Thu Feb 1 08:56:30 2001
    Hello DAVE.

    29 Jan 01 14:38, you wrote to me:

    FM repeaters are not really good DX devices and FM
    simplex, while it works still eats a bit of bandwidth
    and is not that good for weak signal work.

    I agree entirely.

    There are FM repeaters on 10m. During a skip cycle, it's not
    unheard of to use them, even though they're a thousand miles from
    nowhere...

    That's true, but in my experience, there are just too few frequencies
    to make 10M a useful repeater band during openings.

    I wasn't advocating using them for anything useful in terms of
    communications that might require a schedule. I think it's kind of neat
    to find one and talk to somebody who's locally using a remote base to
    connect to the repeater with; say a walkie talkie on 2m, 220 or 440...

    Locally, they're fine, though, having good coverage.

    We've got a few around here; even have some on 6m.



    ... Royal Order of the Wouff Hong, amateur radio secret society?
    --- Twit(t) Filter v2.1 (C) 2000
    * Origin: (1:10/22)
  • From DAVE OLDRIDGE@2:252/171 to ROY WITT on Sat Feb 3 09:46:00 2001
    Hello DAVE.

    29 Jan 01 14:38, you wrote to me:

    FM repeaters are not really good DX devices and FM
    simplex, while it works still eats a bit of bandwidth
    and is not that good for weak signal work.

    I agree entirely.

    There are FM repeaters on 10m. During a skip cycle, it's not
    unheard of to use them, even though they're a thousand miles from
    nowhere...

    That's true, but in my experience, there are just too few frequencies to make 10M a useful repeater band during openings.

    I wasn't advocating using them for anything useful in terms of communications that might require a schedule. I think it's kind of neat
    to find one and talk to somebody who's locally using a remote base to connect to the repeater with; say a walkie talkie on 2m, 220 or 440...

    Locally, they're fine, though, having good coverage.

    We've got a few around here; even have some on 6m.

    6M is actually likely to yield better DX than 10 during sunspot peaks
    because, once the band opens, the signals are usually very good and the openings are apt to be more selective. Plus there are more channels on
    6M for repeaters to exist in.

    ---
    ■ MM 1.1 #0357 ■ IF YOU GET PAST THE DOG, YOU *AND* THE DOG ARE IN TROUBLE
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