That's another one I considered, and may yet add to my collection. How's it working out for you?My Anytone AT-6666 can take me many places I shouldn’t go. So I don’t. Well, maybe I do just a few.
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Freebanding for Beginners
- Thread starter Riverman
- Start date
S&W357
$upporting Member KO4RJD....WDX-556
AT-6666 is great. Don’t have anything bad to say about it. Original thought was to use as a mobile.
Hooked it up on a power supply to try it out. That was a year or so ago. I still use it as a base radio. Factory mic does great job.
Hooked it up on a power supply to try it out. That was a year or so ago. I still use it as a base radio. Factory mic does great job.
As a SSB 11m operator I made hundreds of contacts, if not thousands, on numerous continents. I occasionally ventured onto 27.555 USB to call or answer calls moving to other frequencies to talk. My purpose there was to connect with European operators, mostly UK.
I spent more than 95% of my time on 27.365-27.405, or on the zeros between. I cared very little for below 26.965. But I can say, at the height of the solar cycle every frequency loaded up with operators making contacts worldwide.
Even before I became a ham I lost interest in freebanding and lamented that many of the operators I liked seemed to operate out of band only.
I will say that there are still many very good operators working 11m SSB, and given the opportunity I will continue to be one of them.
I spent more than 95% of my time on 27.365-27.405, or on the zeros between. I cared very little for below 26.965. But I can say, at the height of the solar cycle every frequency loaded up with operators making contacts worldwide.
Even before I became a ham I lost interest in freebanding and lamented that many of the operators I liked seemed to operate out of band only.
I will say that there are still many very good operators working 11m SSB, and given the opportunity I will continue to be one of them.
27.555 usb is the frequency i like. Years ago during the other solar cycle i talked to italy, ireland, england, some little island around guam, samoa, amaong others. Sooo cool. Thats dx to me. Not state to state. I hope it all comes back with this new solar cycle. Its been waaaay to long already.
"Freebanding for Beginners"
We've had some good discussions about this before and Larry, 2SD178, is probably our resident expert. He's contributed a lot to other discussions on the topic.
Anyway, a couple of my own observations to go with the original topic...
1. CALL SIGNS: Using just a number as a call sign works for e-skip in the US, but in international dx the operator may well not know what you mean by "407 in the cornfields". The anatomy of a 11 meter call sign is XXYYZZZ - XX being the division (country) YY being the club and ZZZ being the unit number.
Using that format will get MUCH better responses.
2AB123, as an example. 2 = division (2=CONUS), "AB" for Alpha Bravo club and 123 being the unit number.
-The division is from 1-3 digits.
-The club is usually 2, but sometimes 3 letters.
-The unit number is usually 3 numbers.
Some clubs break down the unit number into different meanings, others are sequential and some mean nothing. For example, "001" may be the country coordinator for the respective club, or it may just be the first club operator within that division.
Without a club it’s just 2Unit123. Nothing wrong with that either, except the club affiliation will get better responses.
Several members here have substituted a state for the club letters, such as my username “NC”. So long as those letters aren’t in use by a club that seems to work also. If you do so and send/respond to QSLs you’ll likely find many clubs trying to recruit you. I can only say I would hold out for the one you want to stick with...even if it means waiting for a number of confirmed contacts. Confirmed = completed QSL card exchange.
There’s 11 meter division listings posted all over the net and they change periodically. EDIT: added to and deleted from is more accurate than “change”. You’ll quickly learn to listen for divisions you haven’t heard, at least if you’re wanting to confirm other countries. Larry (2SD178) has posted a nice map here: http://www.qrz11.com/upload/QRZ11-DXCC-MAP.jpg
So, to break down a couple call signs:
3RC001 = 3 division (Brazil), Romeo Charlie Club, unit 001.
350AT101 = 350 Division (Bonaire), Alpha Tango Club, unit 101.
2. CALLING FREQ: 27.555USB (and 5 up and down IMO), should be used only for making a call. 99% of the time when I hear a ragchew on this freq it's a couple US locals somewhere who don't realize the band is open.
If you respond to someone on this freq you'll usually find that you are very quickly urged to QSY. This is because stations are not allowed to log a contact on this frequency, according to the DX Clusters and their club rules.
Much better than trying to start a contact and then QSY is to call on the calling freq with a request to QSY. You'll often hear something like this: "CQ DX, CQ DX. 2AB123 calling DX, 2 Division listening on 27530, QSY 530. Thank you". In this case 530 should be checked for traffic before making this call.
Any station wanting to respond can then QSY and make the contact on the second frequency. If multiples respond, as is often the case, then the operator should identify one station, and ask others to stand by.
Also....you can narrow you call to a specific area like so:
27555: CQ Pacific, CQ Pacific, 2AB123 calling CQ Pacific. Please QSY 27570, QSY 570. Thank you"
I won't say I *never* try to make contact with a station that is not calling N America (because occasionally they are a rare contact) but I always let them make multiple attempts to contact their target area first, definitely yielding to anyone in their target area, then try to make a very quick contact and wish them luck. Often I find they had no idea they had propagation with N America.
3. WHAT MAKES A CONTACT: "I hear you in there Argentina. I can't quite make you out but you're definitely making the trip" - That's not a contact. Now I realize that not everyone cares and might just be happy to have had Argentina respond. But.....consider that you might be an important station to the operator in Argentina. Many operators like to collect US states.
It is much nicer to offer a few opportunities to the Argentina operator to try again, perhaps even finding a better frequency for him to make the contact.
I'm not sure the whole world would agree, but for me the absolute minimum is exchanging call signs, signal reports, and first name. If I can't copy all that, or they can't copy me....I don't log it. "Bonuses" as I like to think of them are city (or state or province), working conditions, and the like. Weather is also popularly exchanged, as is means for a QSL - manager, website, etc.
Call sign, signal report, first name, date and UTC time, and frequency should be logged...at least if you intend to respond to any QSLs.
We've had some good discussions about this before and Larry, 2SD178, is probably our resident expert. He's contributed a lot to other discussions on the topic.
Anyway, a couple of my own observations to go with the original topic...
1. CALL SIGNS: Using just a number as a call sign works for e-skip in the US, but in international dx the operator may well not know what you mean by "407 in the cornfields". The anatomy of a 11 meter call sign is XXYYZZZ - XX being the division (country) YY being the club and ZZZ being the unit number.
Using that format will get MUCH better responses.
2AB123, as an example. 2 = division (2=CONUS), "AB" for Alpha Bravo club and 123 being the unit number.
-The division is from 1-3 digits.
-The club is usually 2, but sometimes 3 letters.
-The unit number is usually 3 numbers.
Some clubs break down the unit number into different meanings, others are sequential and some mean nothing. For example, "001" may be the country coordinator for the respective club, or it may just be the first club operator within that division.
Without a club it’s just 2Unit123. Nothing wrong with that either, except the club affiliation will get better responses.
Several members here have substituted a state for the club letters, such as my username “NC”. So long as those letters aren’t in use by a club that seems to work also. If you do so and send/respond to QSLs you’ll likely find many clubs trying to recruit you. I can only say I would hold out for the one you want to stick with...even if it means waiting for a number of confirmed contacts. Confirmed = completed QSL card exchange.
There’s 11 meter division listings posted all over the net and they change periodically. EDIT: added to and deleted from is more accurate than “change”. You’ll quickly learn to listen for divisions you haven’t heard, at least if you’re wanting to confirm other countries. Larry (2SD178) has posted a nice map here: http://www.qrz11.com/upload/QRZ11-DXCC-MAP.jpg
So, to break down a couple call signs:
3RC001 = 3 division (Brazil), Romeo Charlie Club, unit 001.
350AT101 = 350 Division (Bonaire), Alpha Tango Club, unit 101.
2. CALLING FREQ: 27.555USB (and 5 up and down IMO), should be used only for making a call. 99% of the time when I hear a ragchew on this freq it's a couple US locals somewhere who don't realize the band is open.
If you respond to someone on this freq you'll usually find that you are very quickly urged to QSY. This is because stations are not allowed to log a contact on this frequency, according to the DX Clusters and their club rules.
Much better than trying to start a contact and then QSY is to call on the calling freq with a request to QSY. You'll often hear something like this: "CQ DX, CQ DX. 2AB123 calling DX, 2 Division listening on 27530, QSY 530. Thank you". In this case 530 should be checked for traffic before making this call.
Any station wanting to respond can then QSY and make the contact on the second frequency. If multiples respond, as is often the case, then the operator should identify one station, and ask others to stand by.
Also....you can narrow you call to a specific area like so:
27555: CQ Pacific, CQ Pacific, 2AB123 calling CQ Pacific. Please QSY 27570, QSY 570. Thank you"
I won't say I *never* try to make contact with a station that is not calling N America (because occasionally they are a rare contact) but I always let them make multiple attempts to contact their target area first, definitely yielding to anyone in their target area, then try to make a very quick contact and wish them luck. Often I find they had no idea they had propagation with N America.
3. WHAT MAKES A CONTACT: "I hear you in there Argentina. I can't quite make you out but you're definitely making the trip" - That's not a contact. Now I realize that not everyone cares and might just be happy to have had Argentina respond. But.....consider that you might be an important station to the operator in Argentina. Many operators like to collect US states.
It is much nicer to offer a few opportunities to the Argentina operator to try again, perhaps even finding a better frequency for him to make the contact.
I'm not sure the whole world would agree, but for me the absolute minimum is exchanging call signs, signal reports, and first name. If I can't copy all that, or they can't copy me....I don't log it. "Bonuses" as I like to think of them are city (or state or province), working conditions, and the like. Weather is also popularly exchanged, as is means for a QSL - manager, website, etc.
Call sign, signal report, first name, date and UTC time, and frequency should be logged...at least if you intend to respond to any QSLs.
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There has long time been a lot of disparaging of CB operators calling state to state contacts DX, especially by hams. In point of fact I once posted up several dozen in continent contacts on a European forum where I was derided for not having international true DX contacts on the list like their little list had.
My response was to do a scaled overlay map of the US and Europe. There was a clear picture of how most of my contacts from the central US to the Eastern and Western coasts and points in between were in fact farther than all of the contacts made from England to every other European nation.
Other than for the pursuit of a DXCC Award, in my so humble you have to dig a hole to find it opinion, most in country US contacts are long distance (DX).
London, England to Berlin, Germany 579 miles
Rogers, Arkansas to Baltimore, Maryland 976 miles
London England to Istanbul Turkey 1550 miles
Rogers AR to Seattle Washington 1632 miles
I have made some in country contacts that are not long distance. There's one guy 3 blocks away, and another one 4 blocks away...
My response was to do a scaled overlay map of the US and Europe. There was a clear picture of how most of my contacts from the central US to the Eastern and Western coasts and points in between were in fact farther than all of the contacts made from England to every other European nation.
Other than for the pursuit of a DXCC Award, in my so humble you have to dig a hole to find it opinion, most in country US contacts are long distance (DX).
London, England to Berlin, Germany 579 miles
Rogers, Arkansas to Baltimore, Maryland 976 miles
London England to Istanbul Turkey 1550 miles
Rogers AR to Seattle Washington 1632 miles
I have made some in country contacts that are not long distance. There's one guy 3 blocks away, and another one 4 blocks away...
I don’t care much about in-country DX either, except to say hello to folks I know and talk to forum members.
I won’t say it’s not DX, and Homer’s point is correct...much of what’s logged in Europe is e-skip. That’s no more or less “DX” than is talking around the US.
I won’t say it’s not DX, and Homer’s point is correct...much of what’s logged in Europe is e-skip. That’s no more or less “DX” than is talking around the US.
I agree. Talking around the country is "skip" but i think it's exciting talking to someone from another country and find out how they live, their job, etc. Its like a field trip without actually going there.
I covet international contacts.
I enjoy any in country contacts.
I dance a jig for any distant QRP contacts.
I enjoy any in country contacts.
I dance a jig for any distant QRP contacts.
Yes, that was my “foot in the door” callsign. Have since become an AT member.
When international DX is rolling i hit 27.555 and listen before calling usually and have had great luck there when conditions allow. There is several operators in Austrailia though that i do catch on 27.385 though. I use 2KY100 as my call sign or Kilo Yanyee 100 when its in the continental US. Really enjoy making those out of country contacts when possible.
I remember when the prefix was the US state number when they entered the Union, as in 17CPR123 - 17 for Ohio, CPR for Cobra President Radio Club and your unit number in the club. The state prefixes were listed in one of the Secret CB books, I forget which book though.
If one were to use a 17 prefix today, they’d likely be busy answering calls for a while...hahaha.