Six meters is probably one of the most interesting bands we amateurs have to operate and experiment with. It provides local contacts quite easily, state to state contacts every summer and every solar cycle maximum we get to experience world wide F2 DX. All of this is from a VHF band! The excitement of working more than half way around the world on a VHF band is one of the biggest I have ever experienced. I don't know many hams who would ever turn down a QSO with an African DX station 11,000 miles away on a VHF band, especially if he was over S9 on your receiver and it only happened every eleven years or so.

This upcoming cycle, which looks to be a relatively good one, will provide operating problems which have never been seen before on six meters. Band population is at record levels especially in Europe.

It's going to be fun but completely different than it has been for the past several years. As an example, on the West coast we get JA openings where 50.100 to above 50.300 is full with S9 +20 db Ssb stations. There will be many such openings like this from the East coast to Europe in this upcoming cycle and may start early next year.

Six meters doesn't always require a high performance station to work some of this world wide DX but it certainly is much easier 95% of the time if you are equipped to do so. Being equipped means your antenna, your radio and your operating should be in top performance.

Stateside sporatic E contacts are generally very loud and are quite easy to make with almost any type of antenna and very low power. I worked 29 grids out to 1300 miles with less than 10 milliwatts this past summer on my way to VUCC with that power level. I suspect I will even work Japan, Australia and Argentina as well....but it takes a good antenna. Last cycle I did it with 100 milliwatts just for fun.

The antenna:

The real key to F2 DXing is to put up a good antenna and get it as high as possible. As we all know from HF operation there are always guys who work Europe and Africa when you can hardly hear it. Ever wonder why? Simple, just look at all of the antenna pattern plots that have been around for several decades in the handbooks...the higher your antenna the lower your radiation angle. Why are there so many antenna designs for HF where all they talk about is a low radiation angle? The lower your radiation angle the louder the DX and the higher your MUF. The big guns are running antennas that are 80 to 100 feet up or more, not just 35 or 40 feet. Let's face it a three element yagi only gives you 6 or 7 db of gain. So it's not the antenna gain that gives them the advantage, it's the antenna height. I firmly believe a 3 or 4 element yagi at 80 feet will easily out perform a 9 element 50 foot long yagi at 40 feet any day. You can see the antnnas I use at: (http://www.ham-radio.com/n6ca/50MHz/50appnotes/50ants.html)

There are different antennas for different conditions and operating requirements. June VHF contesting is not DXing, it's contesting.......... and that requires several antennas a different heights to adjust your radiation angle for all single & double hop distances, so you can get more Qs. Double (2) hop sporatic E propagation can also be worked easily with a small antenna at lower heights. On multi-hop sporatic E, 3 or 4 or more hops, can be exciting but you need to lower your radiation angle to really work it reliably. That means one thing........get your antenna up as high as possible.

Stacking antennas is great as long as you get them both as high as possible. Remember, an antenna at 50 feet has a different radiation angle than the same antenna at 70 feet. That means they are pointed in slightly different directions. That means they don't stack correctly so you won't get the 3 db gain by stacking. Better off using only the upper antenna. All of these rules apply only to lowering your radiation angle to work low angle long haul F2 DX. Hillside antennnas are different ....most of us don't live on a hill side we live on flat ground. We also have TVI for channel 2. The higher your antenna the less TVI you will have...you are farther away from the TV sets.

Do yourself a favor and put your 50 MHz antenna above your tri-bander this cycle instead of below it. Anyone can work the world on HF or the internet....add the challenge of 50 MHz and give yourself a better chance by implementing the single most important thing you can do.....antenna as high as possible. Operating in a prime DX area of the band with a 80 Zepp for an antenna isn't going to get you any DX. You won't be able to hear them let alone work them so get that six meter antenna up where it belongs, above all other antennas!

The radios:

There are many nicely designed radios now on the market which include six meters. This was not true up until just a few years ago. Since the most radios made today have a very high dynamic range for HF operation and a 70 MHz first IF the inclusion of 50 MHz mixed up to this high IF is a good next step in radio design. It is now possible to acquire a high quality HF radio which has sustained that same quality on six meters.

Recent surveys of Alinco, ICOM, Kenwood & Yaesu indicate that more than 30,000 radios which also have six meters have been sold in the past few years alone. This means the band is going to be very crowded this F2 cycle.

That brings us to operating six meters:

Now that you have your antenna where it will do you some good....you will be able to hear the DX. That means you won't have to call CQ in hopes of working it. The United States is blessed with so many hams we don't know what to do with them. Unfortunately there are many who really believe the only way to work DX is by calling CQ. That is one way, but you will find that listening on the band in the area where DX is known to operate will generally give many more DX contacts. You will also not be QRMing those who are listening for the weak signal DX, you don't know what other stations are doing. 28.885 MHz is the international liason frequency for 50 MHx DX. Listen there to find out what is going on on six in the way of DX. Even now there are many stations on 28.885, all ready for the cycle to really take off.

I have operated forty meter CW DX for most of my 39 years in amateur radio and you might even try this sometime.....set your receiver on 7006.5MHz with a 500 Hz filter and listen. Eventually you will hear even the most remote parts of the world....on your frequency. The point being if you are patient, the DX will show up. Yes, I improved my chances by being in the lower part of the band where the DX stations operate and at the right time and where there is usually no local stateside QSOs and the broadcast interference is minimal. It's a DX window.......by gentlemans agreement. The people who operate there understand this and don't usually rag chew. Those who do are asked to move if they are interfering with DX.

Commom sense says operate the band like those who have established the operating band plan, by gentlemans agreement or otherwise. Good operating practices are important. Asking someone to move off a DX stations frequency is not out of line especially if it is in a DX operating area or DX window. Better off letting everyone know where the DX window is and what it is for....working DX. If all you do is rag chew then it can best be done where DX plie-ups won't interfere with you...they can be a real mess, it works both ways.

If all you want to do is run grid squares on six meters or work states then better off doing it where the DX stations pile ups won't interfere with your operating. And in a part of the band where everyone else is looking for state side contacts also.

50.110 MHz will always be the world wide DX calling frequency. It started many years ago and will be the primary place where most six meter DX stations will start calling. It's a place to go when the band isn't open yet and you are looking for DX. Listening will yield many more DX contacts than calling CQ.

If you hear someone on 50.110, find out who they are before you call them or QRZ. It might just be someone stateside calling a DX station and all you will do is make it harder for them to hear. There are many people who mostly listen for DX rather than calling CQ.

I recently purchased a No Code Technician Class Exam Course for my son and grandson.....many low band DXers and six meter DXers would re-learn quite a bit if they were to do the same and actually watch the portion of this tape on how to operate.

A wider DX window and a new domestic calling frequency:

Let's first define what is DX and what is not. For a new ham on twenty meters, anything outside of the country is DX. After he has been on for a year or two only countries he hasen't worked are DX. Anything in the US is domestic. Six meters is similar to that. If you come on six meters since the last cycle all you probably have experienced is working locals or stateside grid squares. To you that might be DX, it was to me when I started out. To the experienced six meter DXer and HF DXer working the rest of the world is DX. Working all states is fun and everyone should strive for WAS on six meters. It's a challenge all by itself and will probably take you several years. Incidently, Alaska and Hawaii are counted as DXCC countries, zones and continents as well as states.....DX in my book. Domestic contacts for six meters were defined back in the early 80s as any United States North American (lower 48) stations and lower tier Canidian province stations. It was agreeded that the DX window was to be 50.100 to 50.125 and that all domestic contacts would take place out of the DX window.

Since I originally took a stance of support on a new wider DX window for six meters I have changed my opinion in many ways. In response to many comments, opinions and many hours of learning from others, there are a many things to consider when thinking about the new DX window and domestic calling frequency:

There have been many articles lately on the history of the six meter DX window and it's need for expansion for the upcoming F2 cycle. W3XO wrote a great one which appeared in the CQ VHF magazine for October 1998. You might check it out. W3EP from the World Above 50 MHz column has put forth many fine comments and ideas in support of the new expanded window. His best idea was for the new domestic calling frequency to be at 50.200 MHz. This would allow for domestic contacts to be made above and below the calling frequency. This would then motivate stations to spread out during openings.

One of the major problems with the old present domestic calling frequency is it's right on the edge of the DX window. If a local station was operating on 50.125 then he would literally obliterate better than 5 kHz of the DX window. This would also disable anyones noise blanker within 7 to 8 kHz of the calling frequency. The only direction one could QSY was up.

The 14th harmonic of all color burst crystals in every inexpensive appliance we own ends up at 50.114 MHz. They are used because they are cheap and their exact frequency may vary consuming 50.112 to 50.115 MHz typically. Some of them may get pretty strong. That portion of the band is useless for DX, anytime. Computers and all of their radiated signals can be even worse than the color burst problem but at least they aren't all in one area of the window.

Most people who operate the HF bands don't usually have to contend with signals which are 70 to 90 db above the noise floor unless they are within a couple of miles of another station. On six meters one can easily get that level of signal from local stations more than 50 miles away. When a loud station (S9 +50db) operates on 50.125 they are generally occupying more than 10 kHz of bandwidth. This means that any weak signal use of 50.120 to 50.125 is absolutely out of the question.

In light of the above two facts, how much DX window do we have left?.....50.100 to 50.111 and 50.116 to 50.120 at best. That 15 kHz. Now couple that with domestic CW operating at 50.100 and you certainly cannot run your noise blanker except at 50.105. The present DX window is too narrow to accomodate present operating and most assuredly will not be adequate for the next cycle. Yes we could all get with the DSP program and get rid of all these burdies. Of course we would then miss all of the CW DX. You will find there is still a large quantity of weak DX contacts made on six meters using CW. I would guess that the CW segment of the band will be pretty full during some of the upcoming Europe to North America openings.

Some of the other countries in the world have long established wider DX windows:

Japan and New Zealand have a DX window from 50.100 to 50.150 MHz.

Australia has an intercontinental DX window from 50.000 to 50.200 but uses it only up to 50.150. These countries represent several thousand six meter operators.

If you want to see how it's really done take a closer look at the JA clusters (see: http://www.hitnet.or.jp/JAC/50.html) and the type of QSOs & openings they post and the frequencies. There are never any postings for JA to JA contacts. All they post are real DX contacts. If there are any unusual postings for JA contacts they are up higher in the band away from the DX. Take a close look at the clusters frequented by North American six meter operators (See: http://oh2aq.kolumbus.com/dxs/50.html) & (http://www.uksmg.org/dxboard.htm). Mostly grid square postings and on the European clusters. I really wonder how they tolerate us. Why don't we get a North American only grid square only cluster and give the world some relief from us............ hopefully this will change as world wide F2 kicks in and more guys get the real DX bug.

Europe has a DX window from 50.100 to 50.130 and a domestic calling frequency at 50.150. They also have several thousand six meter operators now. I wouldn't be suprised to see Europe expanding its DX window to 50.150 in the near future....after the first East coast to Europe F2 opening.....we''ll see. Having a US domestic calling frequency (50.200) different from Europe (50.150) will allow monitoring without interference for each others stations.

Other comments:

The Central States VHF Society, the grand daddy of all VHF societies, by a vote of attendees (about 200), has stongly supported the 50.200 MHz domestic calling frequency and an expanded DX window from 50.100 to 50.150 MHz at its annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri this past summer. The CSVHF Society represents all areas of the country in its membership.

This was preceeded by SMIRK, the Six Meter International Radio Klub, coming out with a statement of support for a wider DX window and a new domestic calling frequency. See: http://www.smirk.org. Smirk now supports the 50 KHz DX window and 50.200 domestic calling frequency.

The editor of CQ VHF magazine, W2VU has looked at all of the arguments and has given his support to the new DX window and calling frequency to help solve the problem the congestion at 50.125.

N6CL, writer of the "VHF-Plus" VHF column in CQ magazine has stated the new DX window-calling frequency "makes a lot of sense".

W3EP of "The World Above 50 MHz" column in QST has supported the concept of a new DX window and calling frequency from the start. Emil's comments and discussions on the subject are excellent and should be seriously considered by all.

Support for the new DX window and domestic calling is growing rapidly. It will put North America in line with the rest of the world.

In a recent informal vote, the northeast VHF conference expressed it's support for the new calling frequency of 50.200 to help solve the problem of over crowding at 50.125

The Western States Weak Signal Society has had some un-official votes and they have shown approval for a new window. We have one local small club in Southern California doesn't even support the present DX window inspite of the fact they originally voted for it.

Transverter operation and common IFs (I have 11 of them which have a 28 MHz IF) has never been a problem. Build everything with good shielding and remember you can only transmit on one of them at a time. Can you concentrate on a CW signal 1 db out of the noise while you are talking?...I can't.

The advantages of a 50.200 domestic calling frequency are many and they solve all of the above problems as well. Working grids is fun but it's completely different from working 12,000 miles on F2 propagation.

Sporatic E & F2 propagation (MUF) doesn't cut off in just a few kiloHertz so moving up 75 kHz won't affect domestic contacts. Pat, WA5IYX has published some really interesting information on sporatic E & F2 MUF (Maximum UseableFrequency). See: http://home.swbell.net/pjdyer/index.html

To base an opinion on sporatic E operating alone, all that most of the new comers have experienced, is not looking at what's ahead for us.....world wide F2.

It is for the above reasons that I strongly support the widening of the DX window to 50 kHz. It is a good compromise and solves all of the above technical problems.

73 Chip N6CA