WQ5W

WQ5W's 6M Page

I purchased a Kenwood TS-2000 in October 2003 and decided to give 6M a try using my TH-7 and the built-in antenna tuner. I had been a ham for 18 years and had never once tried 6M. My first week on the band I worked KH6SX and since then I have been hooked. In December I put up a 3 element MFJ beam on the roof and got in on some great winter Es openings. I then decided to go full-throttle and put up 2 towers specifically for 6M, 2M and 70cm. Early May 2004 saw completion of a 75' tower with a M2 6M7JHV (7 elements 30' boom) right at the top and a M2 2M9SSB (9 element 2M) @ 85' plus a 40' tower with another 6M7JHV right at the top and a 440-18 (18 element 432Mhz) beam @ 55'. I completed 6M Worked All States in July 2004 with QSO's on the same night with W1JJ in Rhode Island and KL7NO in Alaska!

6M earns it's nickname "the magic band". DX can pop in and out in a matter of seconds or minutes. At other times, E-skip propagation will allow loud signals from all over the U.S. for hours at a time. I have worked well over a hundred stations an hour rate on 6M and for someone who loves contesting like me that's a blast!

Click here for details on the incredible JA opening on June 4-5, 2006

6M Audio

Here are some recordings I have made of QSO's on 6M. All are in Windows Media Player .wav format. I suggest you right click and save these before playing for best results:

EH7RM Spain July 9, 2004 12:23Z: Nino calls CQ right after our QSO-he is very loud Part 1

CT1HZE Portugal First CT, 2nd EU: Part 1

CT3FT Madeira Is.: My first Africa QSO-Cedric was very loud here:

Part 1 Part 2

EH7KW July 5, 2004 21:33Z Spain: My first EU QSO!! Very difficult and quick opening, but Jose and I make it:

Part 1 Part 2

PJ7M July 5, 2004 17:10Z Saint Maarten

VP9/W3CMP July 3, 2004 01:23Z Bermuda SSB

FG/AI5P July 2, 2004 23:02Z Guadeloupe

J79KV July 2, 2004 16:36Z: Jimmy in Dominica

W1JJ June 27, 2004 01:01Z: State #49 Rhode Island

KL7NO June 27,2004 05:08Z: State #50!! Alaska 1/3