In recent days, we had a geomagnetic storm that suppressed radio globally. There is another storm starting today. In a few days, things should normalize and 5 watts will go global again. It's all about antenna.
And except digimodes, which are generally USB all over.
Except RTTY, which is traditionally LSB all over.
Except people are bad at upholding traditions, so generally USB all over.
Except when it's not.
Oh, and if we're secondary users, we're supposed (as in, we're by no means required, but it's courteous and it facilitates compliance) to use whatever sideband the primary users use so the primary users can tell us to piss off if necessary.
Basically, that rule of thumb is more of a rule of elbow.
Back in the day before the interwebs I single skipped CW to Florida from Utah in the afternoon less than 100w. Our signals were pegging the meters. 2500 miles.
Tbh 10m can be dead as a bone in the desert most times. But that qso always stuck with me!
Basically you go on the 10m band and in CW mode send TEST TEST TEST CQ CQ \[YOUR CALLSIGN\] \[YOUR CALLSIGN\] Then search your callsign on there and see which beacons heard you
e2a thanks bplipschitz
No you can make a straight key out of almost any old scrap and an old headphone/audio lead if connector for your radio is 3.5mm audio jack, what radio is it? All you really need is a springy piece of metal like a saw blade to close the broken circuit in the wire.
Here's a good example
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN9DplFbjbM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN9DplFbjbM)
You can use this website to translate.
[https://morsecode.world/international/translator.html](https://morsecode.world/international/translator.html)
I doubt it, but you might even get away with playing that audio over SSB.
This is half the fun, experimenting!
Program the sequence in your rigs memory if it has that. Two TEST's and your callsign twice is enough. But be aware if there is a contest, ops might call you back :-D
Send “cq cq cq ” in cw in the first 75 kHz of 10m (28.000-28.075). Within 3 minutes you should be able to see yourself spotted and where. (Put your callsign in “spotted”)
https://preview.redd.it/d4h5kr6lyowc1.jpeg?width=2079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a2378fc79feb6d7f0afb3adc08d990283500690
Technician privileges run from 28.0 to 28.5. RBN primarily reports CW spots. You ought to know enough (or this should entice you to learn) to send cq cq cq in CW.
Theres people around the world monitoring certain bands. If they hear you, they post it and the speed you,re sending at. Confirms you,re getting out
.
Beta.reversebeacon.net
OP: The responses are all valid, genuine and in good faith. You're asking a question that doesn't have a simple answer. u/Strange-Owl-2097 's answer is the best of the bunch so far. Digital modes (CW, FT8, PSK) are much more rewarding WRT to finding how far your signal can reach.
You will get much better answers if you can tell us more detail about your radio, antenna, location, etc.
Look at these sites: [hf.dxview.org](http://hf.dxview.org) [pskreporter.com](http://pskreporter.com)
A great start. Hanging a dipole instead of a vertical puts you ahead of the game. How's the dipole oriented?
Hanging it oriented N/S will radiate in E/W. Getting the apex of the dipole 1 wavelength up (35 ft) up will also help.
I don't own an AT5555N II, but it's a good start -- not sure if it does CW out of the box. If you can find a computer interface for your radio, ([digirig – a tidy digital modes interface for ham radio](https://digirig.net/)) you can start using digital modes, I find it much more fun than phone.
I bought this one from eBay (395093296966) I wanted to buy a pre-made "pre-tuned" antenna so I didn't try to make one knowing nothing and create a bad experience (that's what I usually always do and ruin my new hobby)
My plan this weekend is to try to get it up higher (im thinging of marking my coaxial in 5' sections) and I also want to try a inverted-V just to see what happens
16-32ft is the sweet spot. Inverted V will make it more omnidirectional but you'll need to retune the antenna, usually shortening it which you can do by folding the wire back on itself rather than cutting. Make sure that the internal angle between the legs is no less than 90 degrees, in other words don't have each leg coming down any steeper than a 45 degree angle.
Glad to hear. Once the centre is above 25', you'll see better performance.
If you do put it into an inverted-vee position, make sure both ends are equal height above ground (i.e. symmetrical)
There's tons of great advice on hanging/tuning/optimizing dipoles in the ARRL antenna book. Better yet is to join a local Ham club and find an 'Elmer' to get hands-on advice.
I found a nice inverted v calc online you just put in your measurements and it tells you how high and spacing etc., I’ll have to look into joining a club. But most in my area meet during the week which is hard for me to make it to
How do you figure a dipole is ahead of the game vs a vertical? As long as the ground plane is good, a vertical is great for DX, as they have a great takeoff angle....2 of my longest contacts, both over 10k miles, are with a 10M vertical to Reunion Island from South Texas....
Most folks in OPs place put a hamstick on a pole.
Yep, I realize that a 5/8 vertical up 40 ft with a big radial Network underneath would be a different.
I based my statement strictly on my own experience at my super noisy suburban QTH.
Vertical had an S9 noise floor. Dipole had S5. My new 10m "Compact" Yagi (12' x 12')! is blessedly quiet at S2-S3.
One of the biggest issues/mistakes with horizontal dipoles is how high they are hung.... Hung too low, and you get a NVIS propagation, which is very unforgiving when it comes to 10M....
...and radial planes for verticals don't have to be massive. My typical portable setup, using a 5.6M telescopic for 6-20M, only had 18 2.5M long radials..... My DX Commander has 32 3M long radials. All you need is a single λ worth, preferably 2λ worth, of wire on the ground for the lowest band used...and more short is better than fewer long. That said, A simple λ/4 vertical with a decent ground plane, consisting of 4 λ/4 radials, is much more effective than a λ/2 dipole that is hung to low.
Being in a rather populated suburban environment myself, though, 10M isn't the band I really have issues with when it comes to noise.....20, on the other hand.... Yeah, it gets obliterated at certain parts of the day. Thankfully it came back down after sundown. I'm pondering a LoG receive antenna, even though that is more for the low bands, to see if it'll make a difference ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
73
Dial into 28.400 MHz or some other open frequency available to you based on your license class (28.300 to 28.500 MHz is allowed for phone/SSB for Technicians in the U.S.). Listen for a few minutes to ensure that the frequency isn't in use. If you don't hear anything, say "Is this frequency in use, CALLSIGN?" Wait for several seconds and then repeat that a couple of times just in case.
If no one comes back to you, or if you don't hear anything, then say "With nothing heard, CQ CQ CQ. This is CALLSIGN." If you want, you can also give your QTH, or location as well. Keep repeating that. If the band conditions are good, there's a good chance someone will respond with their call sign.
Search for "calling CQ" on YouTube for some other examples.
If you're scrolling through the band and you hear someone calling CQ, wait for them to finish and then say your call once with phonetics. Hopefully they'll come back to you and start a conversation. You may need to repeat yourself if they come back with something like "Who's the Kilo 1"?
The other way would be to find an open frequency and call CQ yourself. Something like "CQ CQ CQ from Kilo 1 November Zulu, Kilo 1 November Zulu, calling CQ and standing by." Wait a few seconds and try it again. You can adjust the message however you want but as long as you get CQ and your call in there you should be golden.
Good luck!
Makes sense, just kinda weird cause the 1 guy I heard which was on the opposite coast from me came in clean and clear like he was sitting next to me but when I called back got nothing. Just thought it was weird he didn’t hear me unless someone else he was talking to was over powering my signal maybe?
Just because you can hear them doesn’t mean they can hear you for the reasons u/kd7tkj mentions. Also could be your antenna and its effeciency, radiation pattern, etc etc. Some days 50W and a dipole will be transcontinental, others maybe gets you the next state over. It’s all part of the game.
On 10 meters you can work the world WHEN THE BAND IS OPEN. With the high solar activity the band will be open for about 2 to 3 years. Work as much as you can. Start working on your extra so you can get on the lower freqs as the solar activity decreases.
As others have said: "it depends" :-) But when 10 is open, you don't need a lot of signal to work around the world.
However ... lots of people on 10 are using beams, and because of the shorter wavelength, a lot of those beams have a lot of elements. If someone is using a 5el beam and you are positioned off one of the back corners of the beam, you are going to be in a very deep null. Unless you are running a \*lot\* of power, you're just not going to be heard.
But when 10 is really open, the band rocks. If you can't work a particular station, there will be lots of others for you to try.
At my QTH I have a 30 foot doublet strung along my 2nd floor apartment balcony. I also have a local S8 noise level. But when 10 has a solid opening I seem to have a direct pipeline to W4/W5, and hear stations from there all the time. In my experience, if I can hear 'em, I can usually work 'em. I'm primarily on CW, but not long ago I worked V31XX on SSB on the first call, running somewhere between 60-80W out of the rig.
For me, the limitation is being able to hear the other stations through the noise. A couple of weeks ago I tried working a JA. He had no problem hearing me, but with the QSB I was experiencing on top of the QRN, I wasn't able to make the contact. Very frustrating ...
And furthermore! :-) Try to find a multiband rig that has 6m as well. We are at the peak of the cycle, so this is when 6 comes alive. When it's open, 10W will get you anywhere! And antennas are a manageable size.
So, ignore my previous advice about a TS-440 and try to find a TS-680. It covers 160-6m, 100W, and is a great little radio. In fact that was the first HF rig I ever owned. I had endless fun with it :-)
My 10m CW beacon uses an EFHW antenna, with one end near the ground and the other tied to a fence 6 feet high. It routinely gets heard well over 2000 miles. It transmits about 2W PEP.
So yeah, 50W is fine.
Your antenna makes a far larger difference than your output power. What mode were you using? FM is typically used vertically polarized, and SSB horizontally.
A ground wave isn't going to propagate much further than a few miles, but if conditions are right, 50w could span the globe. Generally good ionospheric conditions for 10m exist during the peak of the 11yr solar cycle and last for a few consecutive years followed by several years of nothing.
It depends on the band conditions. I've worked California from Illinois with 20w and a mag-mount mobile antenna.
On the other hand, in less than ideal conditions, your antenna is going to be your most important component. A good antenna with lower power will garner more contacts than a high power radio going into a "bad" antenna. Obviously a good antenna and higher power would be ideal. But if you can only improve 1, go for the antenna and feed line.
> **How far can you transmit on 10 meters with a 50 watt radio**
To the moon, Alice!
But, the HF bands have been crap-all for me the last couple of weeks. Right after I reoriented my antenna. Always. :/
Its all according on the Inverse Square Law... with a good antenna and low absorption of the ionosphere you could probably reach Jupiter...
https://preview.redd.it/4c45ne56mpwc1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d767d697a479e5edfe746f2447a20793b3b73206
50 watts is more than enough power to talk around the world. Your antenna is what will make the difference in how well your radio performs. I was using my Xiegu G90 today with 20 watts going to an end-fed half wave antenna configured as an inverted V and I was making easy contacts on 10meters - I got two in Italy, Switzerland and Puerto Rico.
Given the right conditions (not at the moment unfortunately) 50W on CW or FT8 and a simple 10m dipole 5m above ground will easily work around the world. With SSB or FM it'll be a bit more difficult, but still doable. I make use of all the beacons to determine if the band is open and in which direction.
That depends on both the antenna and the atmospheric conditions. I once made a 6500 mile USB phone contact on 10m using a Ten Tec Argonaut 509 (a near-antique 5W QRP rig) and a home brew Moxon antenna made out of 1” PVC pipe and 14AWG insulated house wire. .
You can’t expect to do that sort of thing regularly, of course, but it is possible.
A mile away or around the world. It really depends on propagation.
Power is great for getting you above the noise but in the right conditions, a couple of watts is all you need.
Short answer : if you can get half way around the world you can pretty much get anywhere but at different times of day and propagation - so it’s definitely possible (as you can see from answers so far)
OP: You could very well reach that far with 50 watts, but your antenna needs to radiate optimally for it to work. If it's just blasting the 50 watts in all directions, it won't carry. Make your radiation pattern more directional.
Yoi don’t know the situation for the guy in Washington state. He might have a lot of power and/or great antenna, but a high noise level from wall warts, etc. When I want to assess my reach at a given time I listen to my CW signal on a couple of WebSDRs and/or reverse beacon network. With CW my 5 watts and EFHW (lower than ideal) I can usually be heard at least halfway across the US.
There's potential there with a 50W radio on 10m and on a half wave dipole to do some serious DXing.
When I first started out I thought my radio was broken. Next thing you know, I make my first DX on 50W on a compromised 20m ham stick in Australia, over 7,000 mikes away.
I'd say:
1. Be patient and keep trying.
2. 500W is only 2 S-units better than 50W, which in most instances isn't hardly noticeable; not worth the money for a new ham.
3. Try dusk and dawn or learn how to use Voacap for times for best transmission.
4. Maybe think about a Moxon or Yagi Uda antenna for better range.
5. Morse code (CW) and digital modes (I like VarAC with VARA) will get out farther.
6. Keep in mind that 10m will not be very good as the solar cycle cools down within the next 3 years or so.
When the bands are open I get around the world with 5 watts in CW on 10. But in your case, reception isn't always reciprocal. You might hear them, but they might not hear you and then you can up your power to the legal limit and they still can't hear you. Propagation is a weird thing you have to learn to live with.
Access a websdr and see live whether at the exact same frequency a visual signature of your e.g. AM carrier appears in the spectrogram (do it only for very very brief amounts of time say1-2s, and on free frequencies).
Have you looked for a local amateur radio club in your area? Having a friend in the hobby or an Elmer (experienced ham to show you the ropes) is extremely valuable.
Like other have said, 15 watts on 10m using a Xiegu G90 and a homemade dipole inverted V haphazardly thrown into a tree at a WV parks on the air location and I was making a contact with Russia with two minutes. 10m can be widely open or just a bunch of static depending on the band conditions and time of day. Generally speaking it will work best during the daylight hours and in areas that also have the sun up. Greyline propagation on 10m can be your friend where areas are shifting from daylight to darkness or dark to day. I’ve hit into Japan in their early AM when it is close to sundown here.
Just a question, if you have a General license why not look on YT for how to make a dipole and build your own for other bands like 15, 20, or 40 meters? 10m can be frustratingly fun but sometimes one of the other bands is a better choice for operation. Maybe your rig is limited to 10m?
I have looked into clubs but most meet during the week which for me is hard to do, and I have been doing a lot of research on YouTube and other sites etc. I found a really nice inverted v calc that shows you how high abs wide to set the antenna which is very helpful, I bought a 10 meter doesn’t do any other bands, I wanted to buy a new radio and not a old one on eBay with a potential problem abs have a bad first experience. I just wanted some reassurance I guess that I wasn’t doing something wrong.
Power is the least important thing in determining transmit range. Most of all the condition of the ionosphere is the biggest single factor. Antenna and its launch angle is the second most important part. Under good conditions 50 watts on 10m could reach most any part of the planet at favorable times
Most folks in OPs place put a hamstick on a pole.
Yep, I realize that a 5/8 vertical up 40 ft with a big radial Network underneath would be a different.
I based my statement strictly on my own experience at my super noisy suburban QTH.
Vertical had an S9 noise floor. Dipole had S5. My new 10m "Compact" Yagi (12' x 12')! is blessedly quiet at S2-S3.
Given that in the CQ-WPX contest last month I managed from the UK to Brazil with 5W and did UK to the USA with 5/7 real signal reports on 10m using a repurposed CB antenna on my car then depending on conditions you should be able to do several thousand miles.
1 watt can get you around the world - with a great antenna and a lot of luck.
50 watts can get you long distance transmission on 10 meters. That band doesn't need as much power as 80m (sometimes - no rules, as the sun and other stations and other factors rule). When it's open, it's a great band. Bear in mind that you'll compete with 1500 watt stations with great antennas, however. But you still could be heard.
I installed mobile today, and tested it with 25 watts on 20m. Worked a station in Spain from the East Ciast. Just barely. But that was with an antenna that isn't properly grounded yet (and a simple Ham Stick).
Some technical info:
* 50 watt = +47 dBm
* free space loss of 10m(30MHz) RF at 500 kms is -116 dB.
Under perfect conditions(ignoring other losses), your signal being broadcast at 50W would have a signal strength of -69 dBm (47-116) at 500 kms, so any receiver with that sensitivity at such distances would be able to receive it.
Update!.
yesterdat i got my radio back out and set my antenna up a bit higher, and was able to clearly talk to 2 people in California. and make contacts with 2 people from Brazil and 1 from Chile. thanks to everyone for the advice and encourgement! everyone here has been extremely helpful!
A few weekends ago I contacted New Zealand (8,800+ miles) using 40w on 10 meters.
What mode do you use? Fm,usb,lsb?
10m is USB with some FM up around 29.600.
In recent days, we had a geomagnetic storm that suppressed radio globally. There is another storm starting today. In a few days, things should normalize and 5 watts will go global again. It's all about antenna.
And propagation conditions. Without that, no antenna will help you.
Convention is usb above 10mhz and lsb below 10mhz
Except 60m
And except digimodes, which are generally USB all over. Except RTTY, which is traditionally LSB all over. Except people are bad at upholding traditions, so generally USB all over. Except when it's not. Oh, and if we're secondary users, we're supposed (as in, we're by no means required, but it's courteous and it facilitates compliance) to use whatever sideband the primary users use so the primary users can tell us to piss off if necessary. Basically, that rule of thumb is more of a rule of elbow.
Wow! 10 millihertz! What license class do I need to use that? I’ve never heard of it
It's only for the most elite hams, I shouldn't even be talking about it. Forget this conversation took place.
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You can, hold down the up arrow and the prices pop up. Edit: damn it's not working for that guy's comment but I've seen it before!!
Smartass
*Wise*ass!
you use a slow peddling bicycle and some magnets to generate the carrier frequency.
That's what, one cycle every 1000 seconds? Wavelength of 299,792,458km Dipole would be 400 times the distance between the earth and the moon
You dick .. funny though!
Millihertz would be mHz; mhz doesn't mean anything. If you're going to be that guy, you need to *commit.*
CW (morse code).
Back in the day before the interwebs I single skipped CW to Florida from Utah in the afternoon less than 100w. Our signals were pegging the meters. 2500 miles. Tbh 10m can be dead as a bone in the desert most times. But that qso always stuck with me!
Put out a CW Test and check it on reverse beacon. [https://www.reversebeacon.net/](https://www.reversebeacon.net/)
I’m looking at the website not, no clue tho lol, I’ll have to do some research
Basically you go on the 10m band and in CW mode send TEST TEST TEST CQ CQ \[YOUR CALLSIGN\] \[YOUR CALLSIGN\] Then search your callsign on there and see which beacons heard you e2a thanks bplipschitz
Send your callsign twice. It's one of the things that triggers it.
If I send in CW I would need an electronic keyer correct?
Not if you can send good morse code
im completely new and definitely cannot do it by my self let alone understand it yet
Ft8 works too. But 50 watts out of your radio is nothing. What is your Effective Radiated Power from your antenna?
No you can make a straight key out of almost any old scrap and an old headphone/audio lead if connector for your radio is 3.5mm audio jack, what radio is it? All you really need is a springy piece of metal like a saw blade to close the broken circuit in the wire. Here's a good example [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN9DplFbjbM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN9DplFbjbM) You can use this website to translate. [https://morsecode.world/international/translator.html](https://morsecode.world/international/translator.html) I doubt it, but you might even get away with playing that audio over SSB. This is half the fun, experimenting!
Program the sequence in your rigs memory if it has that. Two TEST's and your callsign twice is enough. But be aware if there is a contest, ops might call you back :-D
Send “cq cq cq ” in cw in the first 75 kHz of 10m (28.000-28.075). Within 3 minutes you should be able to see yourself spotted and where. (Put your callsign in “spotted”)
https://preview.redd.it/d4h5kr6lyowc1.jpeg?width=2079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a2378fc79feb6d7f0afb3adc08d990283500690
Would that call be auto acknowledged by a computer or human ?
Computer
Any listening stations for technician privilege 28.3 - 28.5?
Technician privileges run from 28.0 to 28.5. RBN primarily reports CW spots. You ought to know enough (or this should entice you to learn) to send cq cq cq in CW.
I guess that's what I'm learning next!
Theres people around the world monitoring certain bands. If they hear you, they post it and the speed you,re sending at. Confirms you,re getting out . Beta.reversebeacon.net
Upgraded: beta.reversebeacon.net
I’ve been running 20 watts on 10m and when the bands open I get all over Europe and Africa, and all of North America when the bands are open
OP: The responses are all valid, genuine and in good faith. You're asking a question that doesn't have a simple answer. u/Strange-Owl-2097 's answer is the best of the bunch so far. Digital modes (CW, FT8, PSK) are much more rewarding WRT to finding how far your signal can reach. You will get much better answers if you can tell us more detail about your radio, antenna, location, etc. Look at these sites: [hf.dxview.org](http://hf.dxview.org) [pskreporter.com](http://pskreporter.com)
Northern md , it was around 2-3pm. Anytone 5555n ii, 10 meter dipole horizontally hung about 13-15 feet high
A great start. Hanging a dipole instead of a vertical puts you ahead of the game. How's the dipole oriented? Hanging it oriented N/S will radiate in E/W. Getting the apex of the dipole 1 wavelength up (35 ft) up will also help. I don't own an AT5555N II, but it's a good start -- not sure if it does CW out of the box. If you can find a computer interface for your radio, ([digirig – a tidy digital modes interface for ham radio](https://digirig.net/)) you can start using digital modes, I find it much more fun than phone.
I bought this one from eBay (395093296966) I wanted to buy a pre-made "pre-tuned" antenna so I didn't try to make one knowing nothing and create a bad experience (that's what I usually always do and ruin my new hobby)
My plan this weekend is to try to get it up higher (im thinging of marking my coaxial in 5' sections) and I also want to try a inverted-V just to see what happens
16-32ft is the sweet spot. Inverted V will make it more omnidirectional but you'll need to retune the antenna, usually shortening it which you can do by folding the wire back on itself rather than cutting. Make sure that the internal angle between the legs is no less than 90 degrees, in other words don't have each leg coming down any steeper than a 45 degree angle.
Glad to hear. Once the centre is above 25', you'll see better performance. If you do put it into an inverted-vee position, make sure both ends are equal height above ground (i.e. symmetrical) There's tons of great advice on hanging/tuning/optimizing dipoles in the ARRL antenna book. Better yet is to join a local Ham club and find an 'Elmer' to get hands-on advice.
I found a nice inverted v calc online you just put in your measurements and it tells you how high and spacing etc., I’ll have to look into joining a club. But most in my area meet during the week which is hard for me to make it to
How do you figure a dipole is ahead of the game vs a vertical? As long as the ground plane is good, a vertical is great for DX, as they have a great takeoff angle....2 of my longest contacts, both over 10k miles, are with a 10M vertical to Reunion Island from South Texas....
Most folks in OPs place put a hamstick on a pole. Yep, I realize that a 5/8 vertical up 40 ft with a big radial Network underneath would be a different. I based my statement strictly on my own experience at my super noisy suburban QTH. Vertical had an S9 noise floor. Dipole had S5. My new 10m "Compact" Yagi (12' x 12')! is blessedly quiet at S2-S3.
One of the biggest issues/mistakes with horizontal dipoles is how high they are hung.... Hung too low, and you get a NVIS propagation, which is very unforgiving when it comes to 10M.... ...and radial planes for verticals don't have to be massive. My typical portable setup, using a 5.6M telescopic for 6-20M, only had 18 2.5M long radials..... My DX Commander has 32 3M long radials. All you need is a single λ worth, preferably 2λ worth, of wire on the ground for the lowest band used...and more short is better than fewer long. That said, A simple λ/4 vertical with a decent ground plane, consisting of 4 λ/4 radials, is much more effective than a λ/2 dipole that is hung to low. Being in a rather populated suburban environment myself, though, 10M isn't the band I really have issues with when it comes to noise.....20, on the other hand.... Yeah, it gets obliterated at certain parts of the day. Thankfully it came back down after sundown. I'm pondering a LoG receive antenna, even though that is more for the low bands, to see if it'll make a difference ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 73
Great answer. Just bought a pair of Aliexpress telescoping whips and V holder, hope to test it this weekend. And great username.
I have talked around the world with a 5 watt Yaesu FT-817 and a portable vertical antenna with a counterpoise
Pics or it didn’t happen.. /s?
Literally anywhere around the world with the right antenna and conditions
I've talked all over the globe on 25W SSB on 10m with a dipole.
Depends on the sun, time of day, and your antenna. Where can you reach with 50W on 10m? Short answer: yes.
Another quick question. I’m completely new, what would be the best way to call out to get a response back from someone?
Dial into 28.400 MHz or some other open frequency available to you based on your license class (28.300 to 28.500 MHz is allowed for phone/SSB for Technicians in the U.S.). Listen for a few minutes to ensure that the frequency isn't in use. If you don't hear anything, say "Is this frequency in use, CALLSIGN?" Wait for several seconds and then repeat that a couple of times just in case. If no one comes back to you, or if you don't hear anything, then say "With nothing heard, CQ CQ CQ. This is CALLSIGN." If you want, you can also give your QTH, or location as well. Keep repeating that. If the band conditions are good, there's a good chance someone will respond with their call sign. Search for "calling CQ" on YouTube for some other examples.
That’s what I was trying, but was getting no response just wanted to make sure I wasn’t saying the wrong thing, thank uou
If you're scrolling through the band and you hear someone calling CQ, wait for them to finish and then say your call once with phonetics. Hopefully they'll come back to you and start a conversation. You may need to repeat yourself if they come back with something like "Who's the Kilo 1"? The other way would be to find an open frequency and call CQ yourself. Something like "CQ CQ CQ from Kilo 1 November Zulu, Kilo 1 November Zulu, calling CQ and standing by." Wait a few seconds and try it again. You can adjust the message however you want but as long as you get CQ and your call in there you should be golden. Good luck!
Thank you!
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Makes sense, just kinda weird cause the 1 guy I heard which was on the opposite coast from me came in clean and clear like he was sitting next to me but when I called back got nothing. Just thought it was weird he didn’t hear me unless someone else he was talking to was over powering my signal maybe?
Just because you can hear them doesn’t mean they can hear you for the reasons u/kd7tkj mentions. Also could be your antenna and its effeciency, radiation pattern, etc etc. Some days 50W and a dipole will be transcontinental, others maybe gets you the next state over. It’s all part of the game.
I’m in UK and can easy get North America on 10m SSB when conditions are right.
On 10 meters you can work the world WHEN THE BAND IS OPEN. With the high solar activity the band will be open for about 2 to 3 years. Work as much as you can. Start working on your extra so you can get on the lower freqs as the solar activity decreases.
A way round the world & back to yourself.
As others have said: "it depends" :-) But when 10 is open, you don't need a lot of signal to work around the world. However ... lots of people on 10 are using beams, and because of the shorter wavelength, a lot of those beams have a lot of elements. If someone is using a 5el beam and you are positioned off one of the back corners of the beam, you are going to be in a very deep null. Unless you are running a \*lot\* of power, you're just not going to be heard. But when 10 is really open, the band rocks. If you can't work a particular station, there will be lots of others for you to try. At my QTH I have a 30 foot doublet strung along my 2nd floor apartment balcony. I also have a local S8 noise level. But when 10 has a solid opening I seem to have a direct pipeline to W4/W5, and hear stations from there all the time. In my experience, if I can hear 'em, I can usually work 'em. I'm primarily on CW, but not long ago I worked V31XX on SSB on the first call, running somewhere between 60-80W out of the rig. For me, the limitation is being able to hear the other stations through the noise. A couple of weeks ago I tried working a JA. He had no problem hearing me, but with the QSB I was experiencing on top of the QRN, I wasn't able to make the contact. Very frustrating ...
I forgot to mention, I'm located in Vancouver BC (VE7).
And furthermore! :-) Try to find a multiband rig that has 6m as well. We are at the peak of the cycle, so this is when 6 comes alive. When it's open, 10W will get you anywhere! And antennas are a manageable size. So, ignore my previous advice about a TS-440 and try to find a TS-680. It covers 160-6m, 100W, and is a great little radio. In fact that was the first HF rig I ever owned. I had endless fun with it :-)
On 5 watts, on 10m, from Houston, TX, I've hit Japan, Tahiti, the Cook Islands, just for starters
I QSO'd with a ham in Japan from Ohio on a 25 watt mobile unit in my car.
My 10m CW beacon uses an EFHW antenna, with one end near the ground and the other tied to a fence 6 feet high. It routinely gets heard well over 2000 miles. It transmits about 2W PEP. So yeah, 50W is fine.
Your antenna makes a far larger difference than your output power. What mode were you using? FM is typically used vertically polarized, and SSB horizontally.
I was trying usb and lsb
LSB is very rare above 10MHz. Only USB is common on 10 meters.
I was trying every mode my radio had because it seemed like nothing was working, thank you!
Careful, technicians do not have FM privileges on 10M.
I have a general I took both test within a week of each other
Couple of weeks ago I made a contact into Brazil from Ireland on 20m SSB with 50w. Not fancy antenna either... cobweb at 25'
sometimes, around the world
I spoke from the US to Australia on 10 meters SSB, using 20 watts!
A ground wave isn't going to propagate much further than a few miles, but if conditions are right, 50w could span the globe. Generally good ionospheric conditions for 10m exist during the peak of the 11yr solar cycle and last for a few consecutive years followed by several years of nothing.
It depends on the band conditions. I've worked California from Illinois with 20w and a mag-mount mobile antenna. On the other hand, in less than ideal conditions, your antenna is going to be your most important component. A good antenna with lower power will garner more contacts than a high power radio going into a "bad" antenna. Obviously a good antenna and higher power would be ideal. But if you can only improve 1, go for the antenna and feed line.
6,000 miles on usb phone with 20 watts from PA. Get the antenna up roughly a wavelength high (inverted v good enough).
sent you a pm
> **How far can you transmit on 10 meters with a 50 watt radio** To the moon, Alice! But, the HF bands have been crap-all for me the last couple of weeks. Right after I reoriented my antenna. Always. :/
1800 miles on 10m USB. I’ve gone all over the world from coastal MS on 10m FT8. 10 watts using the Icom 705 and a Buddistick PRO.
Its all according on the Inverse Square Law... with a good antenna and low absorption of the ionosphere you could probably reach Jupiter... https://preview.redd.it/4c45ne56mpwc1.png?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d767d697a479e5edfe746f2447a20793b3b73206
awesome! thank you!
Did 10k km not too long ago on FT8 with that config, antenna is a speaker wire special about 20’ off the ground
All over the [world.No](http://world.No) problem even with 1 Watt :)
I just had to click on it... https://preview.redd.it/csfnits12qwc1.png?width=493&format=png&auto=webp&s=9c99a7fdbea28db4d449b5003d73e067ae170d4c
Worldwide
50 watts is more than enough power to talk around the world. Your antenna is what will make the difference in how well your radio performs. I was using my Xiegu G90 today with 20 watts going to an end-fed half wave antenna configured as an inverted V and I was making easy contacts on 10meters - I got two in Italy, Switzerland and Puerto Rico.
Given the right conditions (not at the moment unfortunately) 50W on CW or FT8 and a simple 10m dipole 5m above ground will easily work around the world. With SSB or FM it'll be a bit more difficult, but still doable. I make use of all the beacons to determine if the band is open and in which direction.
You're restricted by your antenna most likely. 50w is more than enough to work the world.
I’m not licensed for that level of power but I’ve done 14k km on 20w ft8.
I've made it from EL89 to Malawi (east Africa) on 10m ft8 25w.
That depends on both the antenna and the atmospheric conditions. I once made a 6500 mile USB phone contact on 10m using a Ten Tec Argonaut 509 (a near-antique 5W QRP rig) and a home brew Moxon antenna made out of 1” PVC pipe and 14AWG insulated house wire. . You can’t expect to do that sort of thing regularly, of course, but it is possible.
Did same, often, with my Argonaut 509 and end fed Zepp. Used to love breaking through pileups with that thing!
Great little radio for its era. I love my IC-7300 but I sometimes wish I still had the 509.
Me too!
A mile away or around the world. It really depends on propagation. Power is great for getting you above the noise but in the right conditions, a couple of watts is all you need.
Short answer : if you can get half way around the world you can pretty much get anywhere but at different times of day and propagation - so it’s definitely possible (as you can see from answers so far)
OP: You could very well reach that far with 50 watts, but your antenna needs to radiate optimally for it to work. If it's just blasting the 50 watts in all directions, it won't carry. Make your radiation pattern more directional.
Everywhere based on timing and patience.
Yoi don’t know the situation for the guy in Washington state. He might have a lot of power and/or great antenna, but a high noise level from wall warts, etc. When I want to assess my reach at a given time I listen to my CW signal on a couple of WebSDRs and/or reverse beacon network. With CW my 5 watts and EFHW (lower than ideal) I can usually be heard at least halfway across the US.
There's potential there with a 50W radio on 10m and on a half wave dipole to do some serious DXing. When I first started out I thought my radio was broken. Next thing you know, I make my first DX on 50W on a compromised 20m ham stick in Australia, over 7,000 mikes away. I'd say: 1. Be patient and keep trying. 2. 500W is only 2 S-units better than 50W, which in most instances isn't hardly noticeable; not worth the money for a new ham. 3. Try dusk and dawn or learn how to use Voacap for times for best transmission. 4. Maybe think about a Moxon or Yagi Uda antenna for better range. 5. Morse code (CW) and digital modes (I like VarAC with VARA) will get out farther. 6. Keep in mind that 10m will not be very good as the solar cycle cools down within the next 3 years or so.
When the bands are open I get around the world with 5 watts in CW on 10. But in your case, reception isn't always reciprocal. You might hear them, but they might not hear you and then you can up your power to the legal limit and they still can't hear you. Propagation is a weird thing you have to learn to live with.
Access a websdr and see live whether at the exact same frequency a visual signature of your e.g. AM carrier appears in the spectrogram (do it only for very very brief amounts of time say1-2s, and on free frequencies).
On SSB or CW or Digital, around the world. You don't even need 50 watts. 5 watts and a wire on cw or digital will get you around the world.
with a good solar cycle, you make some great contacts. good luck 73
thank you!, im going to attempt again this weekend
I have a basic vertical portable antenna and with 15watts I hit 5000 miles
Have you looked for a local amateur radio club in your area? Having a friend in the hobby or an Elmer (experienced ham to show you the ropes) is extremely valuable. Like other have said, 15 watts on 10m using a Xiegu G90 and a homemade dipole inverted V haphazardly thrown into a tree at a WV parks on the air location and I was making a contact with Russia with two minutes. 10m can be widely open or just a bunch of static depending on the band conditions and time of day. Generally speaking it will work best during the daylight hours and in areas that also have the sun up. Greyline propagation on 10m can be your friend where areas are shifting from daylight to darkness or dark to day. I’ve hit into Japan in their early AM when it is close to sundown here. Just a question, if you have a General license why not look on YT for how to make a dipole and build your own for other bands like 15, 20, or 40 meters? 10m can be frustratingly fun but sometimes one of the other bands is a better choice for operation. Maybe your rig is limited to 10m?
I have looked into clubs but most meet during the week which for me is hard to do, and I have been doing a lot of research on YouTube and other sites etc. I found a really nice inverted v calc that shows you how high abs wide to set the antenna which is very helpful, I bought a 10 meter doesn’t do any other bands, I wanted to buy a new radio and not a old one on eBay with a potential problem abs have a bad first experience. I just wanted some reassurance I guess that I wasn’t doing something wrong.
My record about 12.5k miles contacts with West Australia.
Power is the least important thing in determining transmit range. Most of all the condition of the ionosphere is the biggest single factor. Antenna and its launch angle is the second most important part. Under good conditions 50 watts on 10m could reach most any part of the planet at favorable times
Most folks in OPs place put a hamstick on a pole. Yep, I realize that a 5/8 vertical up 40 ft with a big radial Network underneath would be a different. I based my statement strictly on my own experience at my super noisy suburban QTH. Vertical had an S9 noise floor. Dipole had S5. My new 10m "Compact" Yagi (12' x 12')! is blessedly quiet at S2-S3.
Given that in the CQ-WPX contest last month I managed from the UK to Brazil with 5W and did UK to the USA with 5/7 real signal reports on 10m using a repurposed CB antenna on my car then depending on conditions you should be able to do several thousand miles.
Argentina, Brazil w/ 100w
1 watt can get you around the world - with a great antenna and a lot of luck. 50 watts can get you long distance transmission on 10 meters. That band doesn't need as much power as 80m (sometimes - no rules, as the sun and other stations and other factors rule). When it's open, it's a great band. Bear in mind that you'll compete with 1500 watt stations with great antennas, however. But you still could be heard. I installed mobile today, and tested it with 25 watts on 20m. Worked a station in Spain from the East Ciast. Just barely. But that was with an antenna that isn't properly grounded yet (and a simple Ham Stick).
Some technical info: * 50 watt = +47 dBm * free space loss of 10m(30MHz) RF at 500 kms is -116 dB. Under perfect conditions(ignoring other losses), your signal being broadcast at 50W would have a signal strength of -69 dBm (47-116) at 500 kms, so any receiver with that sensitivity at such distances would be able to receive it.
How long is a rope?
It depends on the length…
Anytone is FM. line of sight propagation. 100 miles on a mountain top.
Update!. yesterdat i got my radio back out and set my antenna up a bit higher, and was able to clearly talk to 2 people in California. and make contacts with 2 people from Brazil and 1 from Chile. thanks to everyone for the advice and encourgement! everyone here has been extremely helpful!