Okay, Newbies, Let's Hear You on Ten Meters!

Steve Katz, WB2WIK/6

Everybody knows, but here it is

Early this year (2007), a large number of “no code Tech” licensees were granted privileges on the ten meter band, using the frequency allocations and restrictions previously granted to Novices and Tech+ licensees; also, since the elimination of the Element 1 code test requirement for amateurs in the U.S., a lot of General class licenses have been issued, both as upgrades for previous Techs and also to new hams.

This is pretty much what everyone figured would happen, and it did!

I'll call all the new hams, as well as all the recent upgrades, “Newbies.” Now, some have been licensed 20+ years and just upgraded because the code element was dropped. So, they're not really “newbies” as hams, but they do have new privileges and may be operating bands they never used before. So, they're sorta new.

Put this together with the fact that the ten meter amateur band is experiencing almost daily Sporadic-E ionospheric propagation, so many “newbies” are experiencing their first real opportunity to work “skip” on the ham bands, and it's pretty exciting stuff. The E season peaks around the Summer Solstice (June 21), with a smaller peak around the Winter Solstice (December 22), and the summer E season is often quite long, from early May through late July. It's already happening.

As I write this on May 22, 2007, the ten meter band was quite “open” last evening. In fact, I understand it was open all day long, I just wasn't home to hear it. But around 2330 UTC, I listened on ten meters, found a lot of E-skip signals, and called CQ on 28.400. I got a lot of answers.

What happened

Without mentioning the callsigns or operator names, I can tell you that it was very apparent that the first few stations who responded to my CQ were “Newbies.” The first caller didn't use my callsign when calling me, and included his name (“Joe”) along with his call. As such, I couldn't really tell if he was calling me or somebody else - maybe someone I couldn't hear. Obviously, this confusion could be easily avoided by using proper protocol, but none was used.

When I determined “Joe” was calling me, I made my usual brief first transmission which included my name, location and a comment about how I was hearing his station, and turned it over to him. No answer. “Joe, are you still there?” “Oh, yeah…” He was there, he just didn't realize it was his turn to transmit, since I signed it over to him with full callsigns.

He told me I was “59,” and then went silent. “Joe, where are you located?” “Oh, I'm in…” and then he gave me the information.

My feeling is, if you really don't want to talk to someone, why get on the air and answer a CQ? This guy probably had zero previous experience in ham radio, at least on ten meter SSB, but even listening to a few contacts reveals what the norms are. This contact was going nowhere, so I signed with the station and said, “Anybody else? WB2WIK.”

And I got more answers.

The next answer was from someone who gave me his “personal.” Arrgh. I strongly recommend using “name” instead. If you meet someone in a business conference, do you say, “My personal is Ralph?”

Amongst the callers yesterday late afternoon were a few seasoned hams, and I had 30-minute long rag chews with each of them. A pleasure. But I really wanted to work more “Newbies,” figuring this was a great opportunity to put it out there, as it were.

The “working Newbies” experience wasn't so great. During my dozen-plus contacts, both coinciding with my contact's transmissions and also in between transmissions I heard announcements of “whew,” and “geesh” and all sorts of stuff. The ham radio equivalent of catcalls. No place for this in amateur radio.

Now, I'll admit there are old-time, very experienced hams who are guilty of bad operating. No doubt about it. But those aren't the guys I normally call, and if they call me, I dispose of the contact quickly.

With the “Newbies,” I can tell a very distinct difference between a ham who's never used a transmitter before and one who comes from the CB ranks. It's obvious. And it's not pretty. Despite what they might think, and a lot of rhetoric I've read on the web, CB operators, by and large, are lousy operators. They've acquired some very bad habits, sometimes over several years, and are very used to breaking - and completely ignoring - rules.

Leave that baggage at the door, guys. Right now, ten meters is only “open” for Sporadic-E “skip” and the m.u.f. is too low for real long-haul F2-layer propagation. But the sunspots will return, and by 2011 it's likely that ten meters will once again demonstrate the kind of conditions we had 1999-2002 (the Cycle 23 peak), where the band might be “open” 18 hours a day, to the whole world. When that happens, using CB operating techniques will get you absolutely nowhere.

This is the perfect time to practice improved operating techniques, and to not resent practical advice. We were all “Newbies,” once.

Operating

Everybody thinks they can operate. But good operators have a lot of things in common that separates them from the rest of the pack. It pays to be good, if you're going to bother doing it. This all assumes “phone” operation, primarily SSB.

Speak clearly and distinctly. When you call a station, use his callsign, then your callsign, and maybe your location - briefly. “F6ABC, KE7XYZ in Nevada calling” is pretty good. Provides needed data in an efficient manner.

Speak directly into the microphone, “close talking” the mike, which allows you to use the minimum possible mike gain and still have lots of “punch.” This isn't just what works sometimes, this is what always works. Minimum gain minimizes background noise and improves your transmitted signal-to-noise ratio. Close talking maximizes “punch” and, generally, clarity.

Keep your “calling” transmission brief, but once engaged in a QSO, follow the other operator's lead and keep the QSO going. Make comments, ask questions, get to know the other operator. “How's the weather there?” may be kind of trite, but it gets things rolling, and will hopefully open the door to a real conversation. If you've ever been to where the other operator is from, talk about that. If you've never been there, ask about it. Rigs, antennas, family activities, job, school - whatever. Make a conversation!

Don't break into an ongoing QSO unless you really have something to contribute, which means you already know what the parties are discussing.

If you don't find someone calling CQ, call one yourself. Always include your complete callsign and location as part of the CQ. “This is KG6ZYX near Santa Barbara calling CQ…” isn't a bad format. There's no “rules,” but good enunciation and including relevant information like your location help a lot.

Always remember the other station - the one you're trying to contact, or are in contact with - hears different stuff than you do. They may hear a neighbor of yours much stronger than they hear you, and you may not hear that neighbor at all. Propagation can cause confusion.

Be aware that really good, experienced operators are able to “hear” stuff better than you will. You'll be able to, one day. A lot of this has nothing to do with equipment and everything to do with “good ears,” developed by years of operating, and pulling weak signals out of the noise and static. I work stations who are about “33” in readability and signal strength all the time. I might even tell them they're “59” if it makes them feel better. The point is: Make the contact, and even better, enjoy making the contact.

When working E-skip, which will be the predominant ionospheric mode on 10m (as well as 6m, and sometimes 12m) for the next couple of years, remember propagation “changes direction” pretty often. It can go away altogether, and then come back. When it does return, propagation may favor an entirely different region than it just did ten minutes ago. Also be aware of the rarer double and triple-hop Sporadic-E, which allows propagation of double and triple the normal distances of single-hop E. Last evening, amongst several “single hop” callers on 28.400, I received a call from Don, WV4X in Virginia, via double-hop E. Each “hop” gets a bit weaker, so when we have single and double hop (or even triple hop) occurring at the same time, you may have to listen more carefully for the longer-haul DX - but it's often there.

Beams work. Yes, A99s and G5RVs and all sorts of antennas work, too - but if you haven't tried a beam, you're in for a big surprise when you finally do try one.

CW works. If you're a die-hard no-coder, you probably don't know code anyway, so ignore this. But hams of every license class (at least in the U.S.) are entitled to use CW and there's interesting stuff, including a lot of DX, on ten meters (and also on 6m and 12m) that can be worked via Sporadic-E, some of which almost never shows up on “phone.” Understanding code also helps a great deal in interpreting beacons which are all over 10m (and 6m), and all sending their data using CW. A quick spin of the dial usually reveals a lot of beacons if there's any propagation, and if you can decipher code, you'll know where those beacons are, and what directions the band's open to. It's cool.

Also try 6m and 12m

Techs don't have privileges on 12m, but Generals do - the whole band. 12m hasn't had much F2-layer propagation in a long time, but does experience E-skip and can be open when 10m is. It's a cool band with little QRM and a lot of DX activity (outside North America). Techs always had 6m privileges, but many never used the band (yet). Try it! 6m is often open when 10m is, and I find signals come from the same places with about the same signal strength, generally speaking. Last evening when I was working 10m as described, I was also using 6m (separate rig), and made several contacts “in between” my 10m QSOs.

I often ask my 10m contacts (via Sporadic-E), “Do you have six meters?” and if they say, “Yes,” I ask them to give it a quick try on 50.150 or wherever (pick a clear spot). Sometimes we make it, sometimes we don't -- but if we do, it's another good contact on another band; could even be a new “grid,” or county, or something! It only takes ten seconds to try.

If you have a rig that covers HF and 6m all in one box (no separate 6m rig), become familiar with how to change bands quickly and efficiently. Maybe store a few 6m SSB frequencies in memories you can punch up in a second or two to change bands fast. E-skip is fun, but can be very brief. Sometimes the band's open to a particular location for all of two minutes, and then closes or shifts to somewhere else. If it takes you the whole two minutes to “QSY,” you've lost an opportunity.

Let's hear you!

Get on, and now's the time. 10m may well be quite “dead” from August 1 to December 1, and then may be quite “dead” again from February 1 to May 1, as these are quiet times in between E seasons. If you want to have some fun, do it right now.

But leave the CB habits at the door. Listen to what good operators are doing, and do the same thing. It's efficient, and you'll be “welcomed” with open arms.

Happy DXing.