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[WU6R]

I'm relatively new to all things HF, but I've noticed that there is a lot SSB voice activity on 80m, 40m and 20m bands, but in three years of casual operating, I've yet to hear any SSB voice on 17m - 6m. 

I'm using a 40m - 10m end fed HW antenna, a DX Commander 80m - 6m vertical and for transceivers, the ICOM 7300 and Elecraft K3S.  If this is really obvious to everyone but me, I apologize in advance. 

I look forward to everyone's insight and guidance.

73,
Mark WU6R

[W1VT]

I only get on 17 SSB to work DX.

Details   W1VT   ZK3A   2019-10-04 20:48:11   17M   SSB   18.13500   TOKELAU ISLANDS
Details   W1VT   4B4B   2018-03-24 20:31:00   17M   SSB   18.14000   

I'm often busy working on the rose garden after work unless there is some DX I need to work.  Zak W1VT

[K9RJ]

Hi Mark,
From time to time there is activity on the 17 - 6 meter bands. However, we are in a very low spot in the sunspot cycle so propagation on these bands is infrequent. This will change dramatically in a year or two when we have a greater number of sunspots. At a high point in the 11 year solar cycle, it is possible to get long range DX on 6 meter SSB.
Since you use eHam please look at the Propagation section of the home page, it looks like this:
"Issued 2020 Oct 05 1505 UTC
Flux: 71 A-Index:4.
K-Index:2
Actv: No space wx storms observed.
Fcst: No space wx storms expected."

Below that you can look at Spots. Notice it lists time, frequency and callsign. If you click on the Spots link, you will see a screen that gives you more options. E.g. Under options you can select one or more bands between 160 meters and microwave frequencies. As I write this I have selected the bands from 17 - 6 meters. I can see there has been some activity recently on these bands in NA but it is CW or digital rather than SSB. Once the sunspots increase you will also see SSB activity on these bands.
Harris K9RJ

[WA6BJH]

Well, we are in the depths of the sunspot cycle and there’s not a whole lot of propagation or activity on the upper bands.  Hams all over the world and anxiously waiting for the sun to do something—anything—but, of course, it’s like the weather, you just have to live with it.  In a couple of years things will be better. 

You can occasionally hear some activity on the upper bands these days.  Usually the bands occasionally open to South America.  As far as six meters, well, just keep listening.  Sometimes things just pop open.

[K0UA]

I'm relatively new to all things HF, but I've noticed that there is a lot SSB voice activity on 80m, 40m and 20m bands, but in three years of casual operating, I've yet to hear any SSB voice on 17m - 6m. 

I'm using a 40m - 10m end fed HW antenna, a DX Commander 80m - 6m vertical and for transceivers, the ICOM 7300 and Elecraft K3S.  If this is really obvious to everyone but me, I apologize in advance. 

I look forward to everyone's insight and guidance.

73,
Mark WU6R

Well, lets just say, for the time you have been on, propagation conditions for our upper bands 17 and up have been fairly poor. Now that said, you have limited the discussion to SSB operation. Ok.  Well SSB is THE worst of the 3 common modes in use Data, CW and SSB.  AND furthermore you mention casual operation. Just casually listening when YOU want to in poor conditions with the WORST mode for hearing anything at all equals out to a very low success rate.

Lets go over these three concepts.  If you had been operating the most popular digital mode of all time FT8, you would have heard activity each and every day on all of these bands to one degree or another, yes even 6 meters, during the summer, and a few stray signals even this fall. But you are not on FT8 or CW. You are on SSB the absolute worst mode to hear anyone in these scarce propagation/sunspot less times.

 Now lets talk about casual operation vs. being Johnny on the spot on the right frequency's when DX stations HAVE been spotted even on SSB. The openings for these upper bands are very time/place/directional specific. In other words you have to be on the right band at the right time, with an antenna looking in the right direction (your vertical listens in all directions with less gain at all times) to hear someone, AND you have to know that someone is on the frequency for you to find them. Of course with your 7300 you have the luxury of a band scope to make use of to help find signals, but if you will also keep an eye glued to the spotting networks, you have the advantage of lots of help to find these signals.

These openings for these upper bands in a sunspot drought, can be very short, very directional and you can easily miss them. You cannot expect to casually operate and make contacts in these times.  Now all of that will change soon. As soon as sunspots come back and solar flux rises, you will be able to casually just tune around and find good DX contacts.

One of the huge advantages of FT8 and why people have gravitated toward it the way they have is because of the difficulty making contacts on our upper bands on SSB, with CW being quite a bit more advantageous than SSB but still not as advantageous as FT8, or even FT4.  If the only fact that FT8 activity is all on ONE frequency worldwide, that alone would guarantee more success, but the fact that contacts can be made as low as -24 dB below the noise level in a 2.5khz bandwidth makes it so that contact can be made when even a CW signal could not be discerned by the most skilled CW operator. And SSB signals would be so weak as to be totally undetectable.

So, bottom line, There have been plenty of SSB voice signals on 17, 15, 12, 10 and 6 meters in the last three years, and I and thousands of others have made contacts using this mode. BUT, you are not going to just casually tune across the bands and find them every day.

 One advantage we have is using directional antennas, the second advantage is using our band scopes and scanning for signals, and also using spotting networks to utilize the work of others also looking for these signals and third having a knowledge of when each band is open to where and is likely to support SSB voice communications. We use the internet in our ham radio activities to find out these things, we don't just casually tune around. The end result is we make contacts by being on the right frequency at the right time with our antennas pointed at the right place.

The good news is all of this will change in a couple of years, for our upper bands, and your band scope will be so full of signals, and you will be scrambling to figure out what to work first.

[K0UA]

All that being said, I would bet (a small amount  )if we tried 17 meter SSB this afternoon between us with me here in Branson, Mo and you in Virginia, we could likely make it. I wouldn't guarantee it, and the solar flux right now is 72 and no visible sunspots, kinda sucks, but it IS possible.

[W6QW]

Hi Mark - as you know, we're at the bottom of the (so called) 11 year sunspot cycle so you will see occasional openings on the upper HF frequencies but those openings are more sporadic than the patience quotient of most of us.  As we progress further into this current sunspot cycle, the current sporadic openings will gravitate to more consistent, predictable occurrences.

I would suggest that you do a web search on 'solar cycle and HF communications', or words to that effect, and you'll find lots of information.  There are some favorite sites that others will articulate, I'm sure, but take a look at some of the basics before getting consumed by the more in-depth information.

Have fun...

[K6AER]

The end fed half wave on 6 meters is only one step away from a dummy load. For this band make a 6 meter beam of at least 3 elements sy get it above 20 feet/ Look at the cluster to see who is on and point the antenna in that direction. Call CW are tail end a QSO for a contact. Most of the activity is in the 50.100 to 50.250 MHz. Calling frequency is 50.125 MHz.

17 meters had stations almost every night between 6-8 PM mostly on the East coast with a little activity on the West coast.

Most folks will be on 20 & 40 meters and when the 20M band closes they move to 40 meters. 80 meters is on most of the time at dark until people go to bed. Most of the activity is above 3.800 MHz.

People's bio rhythms come into play. Don't call CQ Australia when it is 3 PM their time...they are sleeping just like the rest of the world at that time.

What is your noise floor in S units? There might be lots of signals and they are being covered up my local noise.

Impressive Career. Thank you and your wife for your service

[WS7X]

I can't speak to 6 meters because I don't operate that band.  But I can speak to 17 meters.  Bottom line is you need a better antenna.  Plain and simple.  There is activity on 17 meters almost every day. Maybe not as often as 20 meters but almost.  Get a dipole or yagi up 30 plus ft and you'll start hearing signals you just wont hear with an antenna that is low.  Also depends on your noise floor.  If you've got S5 noise levels in these poor band conditions, you'll have a hard time hearing anyone who isn't running some power.  Just put up a good antenna as high as you can, and you'll start hearing signals you didn't know existed.
 

[WU6R]

Hi Mark,
From time to time there is activity on the 17 - 6 meter bands. However, we are in a very low spot in the sunspot cycle so propagation on these bands is infrequent. This will change dramatically in a year or two when we have a greater number of sunspots. At a high point in the 11 year solar cycle, it is possible to get long range DX on 6 meter SSB.
Since you use eHam please look at the Propagation section of the home page, it looks like this:
"Issued 2020 Oct 05 1505 UTC
Flux: 71 A-Index:4.
K-Index:2
Actv: No space wx storms observed.
Fcst: No space wx storms expected."

Below that you can look at Spots. Notice it lists time, frequency and callsign. If you click on the Spots link, you will see a screen that gives you more options. E.g. Under options you can select one or more bands between 160 meters and microwave frequencies. As I write this I have selected the bands from 17 - 6 meters. I can see there has been some activity recently on these bands in NA but it is CW or digital rather than SSB. Once the sunspots increase you will also see SSB activity on these bands.
Harris K9RJ

Very helpful.  Thanks!

[WU6R]

I'm relatively new to all things HF, but I've noticed that there is a lot SSB voice activity on 80m, 40m and 20m bands, but in three years of casual operating, I've yet to hear any SSB voice on 17m - 6m. 

I'm using a 40m - 10m end fed HW antenna, a DX Commander 80m - 6m vertical and for transceivers, the ICOM 7300 and Elecraft K3S.  If this is really obvious to everyone but me, I apologize in advance. 

I look forward to everyone's insight and guidance.

73,
Mark WU6R

Well, lets just say, for the time you have been on, propagation conditions for our upper bands 17 and up have been fairly poor. Now that said, you have limited the discussion to SSB operation. Ok.  Well SSB is THE worst of the 3 common modes in use Data, CW and SSB.  AND furthermore you mention casual operation. Just casually listening when YOU want to in poor conditions with the WORST mode for hearing anything at all equals out to a very low success rate.

Lets go over these three concepts.  If you had been operating the most popular digital mode of all time FT8, you would have heard activity each and every day on all of these bands to one degree or another, yes even 6 meters, during the summer, and a few stray signals even this fall. But you are not on FT8 or CW. You are on SSB the absolute worst mode to hear anyone in these scarce propagation/sunspot less times.

 Now lets talk about casual operation vs. being Johnny on the spot on the right frequency's when DX stations HAVE been spotted even on SSB. The openings for these upper bands are very time/place/directional specific. In other words you have to be on the right band at the right time, with an antenna looking in the right direction (your vertical listens in all directions with less gain at all times) to hear someone, AND you have to know that someone is on the frequency for you to find them. Of course with your 7300 you have the luxury of a band scope to make use of to help find signals, but if you will also keep an eye glued to the spotting networks, you have the advantage of lots of help to find these signals.

These openings for these upper bands in a sunspot drought, can be very short, very directional and you can easily miss them. You cannot expect to casually operate and make contacts in these times.  Now all of that will change soon. As soon as sunspots come back and solar flux rises, you will be able to casually just tune around and find good DX contacts.

One of the huge advantages of FT8 and why people have gravitated toward it the way they have is because of the difficulty making contacts on our upper bands on SSB, with CW being quite a bit more advantageous than SSB but still not as advantageous as FT8, or even FT4.  If the only fact that FT8 activity is all on ONE frequency worldwide, that alone would guarantee more success, but the fact that contacts can be made as low as -24 dB below the noise level in a 2.5khz bandwidth makes it so that contact can be made when even a CW signal could not be discerned by the most skilled CW operator. And SSB signals would be so weak as to be totally undetectable.

So, bottom line, There have been plenty of SSB voice signals on 17, 15, 12, 10 and 6 meters in the last three years, and I and thousands of others have made contacts using this mode. BUT, you are not going to just casually tune across the bands and find them every day.

 One advantage we have is using directional antennas, the second advantage is using our band scopes and scanning for signals, and also using spotting networks to utilize the work of others also looking for these signals and third having a knowledge of when each band is open to where and is likely to support SSB voice communications. We use the internet in our ham radio activities to find out these things, we don't just casually tune around. The end result is we make contacts by being on the right frequency at the right time with our antennas pointed at the right place.

The good news is all of this will change in a couple of years, for our upper bands, and your band scope will be so full of signals, and you will be scrambling to figure out what to work first.

Thanks for the insight.  Looks like it is time for me to try out FT8 or FT4.

[WU6R]

Hi Mark - as you know, we're at the bottom of the (so called) 11 year sunspot cycle so you will see occasional openings on the upper HF frequencies but those openings are more sporadic than the patience quotient of most of us.  As we progress further into this current sunspot cycle, the current sporadic openings will gravitate to more consistent, predictable occurrences.

I would suggest that you do a web search on 'solar cycle and HF communications', or words to that effect, and you'll find lots of information.  There are some favorite sites that others will articulate, I'm sure, but take a look at some of the basics before getting consumed by the more in-depth information.

Have fun...

Will do.  Thanks.

[WU6R]

The end fed half wave on 6 meters is only one step away from a dummy load. For this band make a 6 meter beam of at least 3 elements sy get it above 20 feet/ Look at the cluster to see who is on and point the antenna in that direction. Call CW are tail end a QSO for a contact. Most of the activity is in the 50.100 to 50.250 MHz. Calling frequency is 50.125 MHz.

17 meters had stations almost every night between 6-8 PM mostly on the East coast with a little activity on the West coast.

Most folks will be on 20 & 40 meters and when the 20M band closes they move to 40 meters. 80 meters is on most of the time at dark until people go to bed. Most of the activity is above 3.800 MHz.

People's bio rhythms come into play. Don't call CQ Australia when it is 3 PM their time...they are sleeping just like the rest of the world at that time.

What is your noise floor in S units? There might be lots of signals and they are being covered up my local noise.

I'll remember your quote about my EFHW antenna... my noise floor is S7-S9... I know I need to try to figure out how to improve it. 

Thanks for your feedback.

[WU6R]

I can't speak to 6 meters because I don't operate that band.  But I can speak to 17 meters.  Bottom line is you need a better antenna.  Plain and simple.  There is activity on 17 meters almost every day. Maybe not as often as 20 meters but almost.  Get a dipole or yagi up 30 plus ft and you'll start hearing signals you just wont hear with an antenna that is low.  Also depends on your noise floor.  If you've got S5 noise levels in these poor band conditions, you'll have a hard time hearing anyone who isn't running some power.  Just put up a good antenna as high as you can, and you'll start hearing signals you didn't know existed.

I'll work on it.  Thanks.

[K0UA]

Ok so I am in the mobile now parked.  I would have lost the bdt for a couple of reasons. On the way over here to the pharmacy. I only heard two ssb stations on 17 meters. One ve6. And one ve7.  So propagation has already moved west. So we would Not likely made it if we tried. Plus your local. Noise level is pretty high.

If you ever need any assistance with your 7300 let me know, I have two of them.  And I can get you on digital .o
Modes quickly.  You will need a usb cable and some software. Send me a message or email and you can be on FT8 Tonite

73. James K0UA