mf/lf operating: Life Below the AM Broadcast Band

Plus a successful test for the “Lowdown 630” antenna, wildfires in New Mexico impact a community member, and the VK4MSC club station adds a Hustler vertical that works on 2200 meters

Ever since 630 and 2200 meters opened to amateurs in the U.S., one could argue that the primary inclination for a majority of operators was determining the full capabilities of their stations. For some, that meant WSPR beacons and for others, it meant two-way contacts using a variety of modes. Skywave activity was and remains king and talk of point-to-point communications using the so-called ground-wave propagation mode, at least on 630 meters, has been somewhat limited. Truthfully, the obsession with sky-waves and DX openings started about 10 years earlier with a growing number of Part 5 experimental stations that began testing the waters on 630 meters and still others that were conducting tests on 2200 meters a few years prior to that. No one really knew the full extent of what was possible for low-power stations as most of the data and modeling were based on military research using very large antennas and megawatt power levels.

In the spring of 2022, Clark Ackison, AA8SH, of Huntington, West Virginia, created a stir by joining the community on 630 meters and adding West Virginia to the roster of states that had active stations. West Virginia was a hot commodity prior to Clark’s arrival on the scene as it was one of just three remaining states that had forum, the process began. Clark was seeking HFcapable amateur stations that could listen for his and other signals on Saturday and Sunday mornings a few hours after sunrise and using whatever equipment was already available in their stations. It did not matter if they had a proper 630-meter antenna. A 160-meter dipole might be good enough for receiving local signals.