Introduction to 5 MHz / 60 Meters: Why a How (Radio KD8TTE Ep 060)

[@KO4VNX]

This is organized and presented in a very fluid, easy-to-understand way! The best video I've ever seen on this topic!!!

[@davep6977]

What I found was the easiest was listen first. I've been told radio's vary. Some display actual frequency and some out of trying to be helpful vary the vfo display to account for center frequency. Luckily my Icom and I'd suspect most Icom's display true frequency and let the operator be the operator. I'm new to 60, but have made good contact in US and Canada. Kinda fun. I gave a "contact" and next thing I knew I had a pile up. Everybody wanted to log an Indiana station. 73 W9DLP

[@metroatlantahamradio334]

This is needed! Thank you so much .

[@reidtillery2856]

Excellent video. Great info. Thanks.

[@bill-2018]

I wish there was more activity on this band. i hear G and close European stations. furthest 280 miles so far to GM, 2 Watts c.w. using modified Wireless 19 Set, xtalled tx on 5.262 MHz. G4GHB.

[@kybollweevil7540]

Thanks for this. Not sure how my Icom 7100 deals with this.

[@KD8TTE]

Good morning! I found the Icom 7100 manual online. It seems to have options to support 60m with USB data mode, which will probably show the same dial freq as USB on the display. You'll need to take care then to center your transmit frequency in FLDIGI at 1500 Hz, so that the "Freq" box in the top-center reads the center of the 60m channel, e.g., channel 4 will show rig is at 5371.5 kHz USB Data, window in the FLDIGI waterfall is centered at 1500, and Freq reading in FLDIGI will show 5373.000. www.icomjapan.com/support/manual/2288/

[@kybollweevil7540]

@@KD8TTE Thanks for taking the time to look at this issue. Would it work to assign the frequencies to memories for easy set up or is there not always just one frequency for a particular channel? Thanks again

[@KD8TTE]

I don't know if the IC-7100 specifically has factory channel settings already or whether you would set them. I don't have that rig here so you might need to try it to see how it works compared to what the manual says. You can get manuals and other downloads for that rig from Icom directly. www.icomjapan.com/lineup/products/IC-7100USA/?open=4#manual On other rigs that I have worked for 60m, there has been a kind of memory for 60m programmed in and switching among channels would get the rig in the right frequency for the mode that it's in. (Channel 4, for example, would read 5371.5 if in USB mode, but 5373 if in CW mode. Of course if you're using a "soundcard modem" like with FLDIGI the rig can get you only on the correctly tuned sideband but it's up to you to make the sound that FLDIGI modem emits center at 1500 Hz.) If you need to set the memory for the channels manually you'll probably need to have the memory for the combination of frequency and mode (and power, and whatever other variables the rig stores there). Conceivably that could mean that you wind up with three memories for each of the 5 MHz interop channels: one for USB voice, one for USB data, and another for CW if you use all of those modes. I personally control my primary HF rig with FLRIG most of the time. (It's not running when something else needs to control the rig like hamlib for Pat (Winlink), WSJT-X, or something similar.) That way I can use FLRIG's memory feature rather than the rig's. That's much easier for me to manage; I've got 196 entries in the FLRIG memory, which includes amateur and other HF radio services I'm in, plus settings for things I only listen to, e.g., WWV, CHU, and commercial shortwave stations.

[@kybollweevil7540]

@@KD8TTE Well I am not familiar with that suite of programs so sounds like there is a steep learning curve between where I am and where I need to be.. Thanks again for your help.

[@davep6977]

@@kybollweevil7540 That's what I did. I didn't want to see another station on my waterfall and tune into a gov freq. Set the freq to memory and keep thou fingers off the VFO :)

[@Lugeix]

Its way too much an effort for such limited space. I never bother to try that ban, nor ever want to. I rather waist time building a 2200 meter station. Thanks for the info.