I hope to meet you on the bands
and most likely on the 50 MHz, the 6 meters band
First a kind word of advise:
Never start operating on 6 meters - it is addictive!
If you still want to try operating on 6 meters you will soon find out that you will have to rethink a lot when it comes to propagation. If you come from higher frequecies the propagation modes from the short wave bands will hit you. If you come from the short wave bands the VHF propagation modes will be added. As a result of this, it is sometimes very hard to define which propagation mode that is present. It can be anything from a single mode to a mix of two or more propagation modes. One example is when working a station in Argentina with the antenna pointed to northwest. The received signal is destorted by aurora (reflected on the polar light curtains) and then picked up by the F layer bringing the signal down to South America. Propagation via the E layer, called spradic E, is often the first link for us operators living in northern Europe. A further jump can be achived with help of for example Trans Equatorial Propagation, TEP, making it possible to work with stations in sothern Africa.
The more you operate, the more you will enjoy the thrill and the surprises on 6m. You will also find out, that many openings can be only one or a few minutes long (or even shorter), while other openings can be running for hours. One thing is sure - very little is predictable on this band.
When there is no propagation moonbounce, EME, is also a option that I enjoy. If you dive deeper into this site you will learn more.
Communicating with the world and receiving a QSL card as a confirmation of the two way radio contact.
Below you can see examples of QSL cards received.
