Overview

The Magic Bands

The Six Meter (50MHz) and Four Meter (70MHz) bands are known as the 'Magic bands' by radio amateurs across the world. Written by the well-known 6m enthusiast Don Field, G3XTT, this book provides a comprehensive guide to these fascinating bands and lets you into the secrets that make them so popular. They attract a special kind of enthusiast, someone who is prepared to put in long hours on a seemingly dead band, waiting for a fleeting opening or finding ways to make QSOs by means of meteors or even by reflecting signals off the moon. Propagation on these bands, especially 6m, lies between that of the HF bands and that of the higher VHF/UHF bands, and often brings surprises to those who are prepared. As such, these bands attract enthusiasts from both the HF and VHF worlds.

"The Magic Bands" builds on Fields' earlier books "The 6 Meter Handbook" and "Six and Four" by adding lots of material on data modes operation, which has grown enormously in popularity in recent years with the advent of FT8. There's detail of the many of the new radios that have appeared in recent years with 6m and, increasingly, 4m capabilities. Readers will find two new antenna designs from Justin Johnson, G0KSC, of InnovAntennas especially produced for this book. Software is also discussed, not just for data modes but for remote operation, tracking of achievements, and much more. You'll see material highlighting the achievements of several of the leading operators on the 6m band.

The 6m band is now almost universally available across the amateur radio world, while in recent years 4m access has been granted to many more countries, often on a permanent basis. Why miss out? "The Magic Bands" is recommended for anyone who wants to try out these bands—and is a comprehensive guide for those already hooked on these fascinating pieces of spectrum.

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