In article ,
Dave Oldridge wrote:

"Caveat Lector" wrote in
:

I need to write up a brief description of the propagation
characteristics of this band.
Being it is between the 40 Meter and 80 meter band, I assume the 60
meter band is local or very poor during the day. At night in the
winter months, propagation should offer characteristics similar to the
40 meter and 80 meter bands. Have read some reports of NVIS being used
successfully for local day communications.

The only time I've used it extensively was years ago in the high arctic.
We had a point-to-point circuit with a place about 800 miles to our south
(most places were to our south!) using 5597.5 CW and later, SSB. Most of
the time it was fine, day or night (and the days and nights are six
months up there). Occasionally conditions would black it out and we
would be forced to revert to LF.

Of course we were using power levels a tad higher than amateurs are being
permitted on the band. Our CW transmitter was 200w (though we had the
loan of an 8KW transmitter and a rhombic for a while) and the antenna was
a dipole. The SSB that replaced the CW was about 2KW. The LF was 2KW on
170.5 and eventually was changed from CW to RTTY.

Another frequency in wide use at that time was 5680. It was used for AM
air/ground comms. I remember one day working an RCAF Herc below the
equator on a run from Peru to Australia. He was calling Honolulu and
they couldn't hear him for some reason and since I knew the aircraft and
the pilot, I called him and got his position report for air traffic
control. They were a little taken aback by where the report came from,
but hey, if the path works, use it! This was in daytime and, if I
remember, a daylight path all the way! (Though I could be wrong about
that, it was more than 40 years ago).

We up here in Alaska have used the 60 Meter Band for many years. We also
have a State Emergency Calling Frequency of 5167.5 Khz that is available
to ALL Radio Services located inside the State of Alaska. With the NEW
Rules that became active on Dec.15th, we are now allowed to hold
Preparedness Drills as well as Nets on this frequency, and communicated
with the Alaska Private Fixed Stations, and Public Safety Stations thru
out the State. I have many years of experience using the Alaska Private
Fixed Frequency 5164.5 Khz (Working Frequency associated with 5157.5 Khz
Calling and Emergency Frequency) Also note that Stations using
5167.5 Khz are allowed 150 Watts PEP Tx Power, including Ham Stations.

Bruce in alaska AL7AQ
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