The six meters band: What fun!

The past few days in 50MHz were a prime example of what makes the ‘magic band’ a truly magic experience.

Spotlight and pipeline opening, massive needle-bending signals from Kansas, ‘now or never’ bursts, decodes coming from the most unexpected corners, never-before opened paths remaining open for hours.

Plus the usual: one-way propagation, signals literally popping up in a fraction of a second – then disappearing even faster. New grids, new countries, new states, new personal records. Post-contact email exchanges loaded with gratefulness, curtesy and true ‘chasers excitement’ reserved only for the deserving.

It is simple: if in 2024 you are not DXing on 6m then you are missing the most fun to be had in the most exciting hobby of all.

Getting on 6m band is super easy: a 100W transceiver and a lightweight 3 or 4 element Yagi mounted only a few meters above the ground. You will make some contacts even with a vertical antenna.

However, there are couple of important points to be made:

1. Location is everything! For us: being located as far north as possible! Yes, the band does open to VK2, and VK3, and even to VK7 but truly amazing openings are more frequent at higher latitudes. Darwin, Cairns, and Townsville are literally the Australian capitals of 6m DXing.

2. High gain directional antennas up on a tower will take you much further. Not just distance-wise, but enjoyment-wise.

Investing in a five element Yagi could be the best investment you’ll ever make.