Tuning across the SSB portion of 10m doesn't always reveal if the band is open, especially on weekdays.?However, there is a better way.
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Between roughly 28.200 and 28.290 MHz quite a few mostly low-power beacon stations transmit 24/7. It's surprising how often I find no signals above 28.300 MHz, yet tuning down, there are the beacons! The band IS open. They also show how QRP with a basic antenna can go a long way.?The only catch is they identify with CW (maybe a reason to learn code!). They usually have their location or grid square, so you know where they are, and are not limited to the U.S.
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Here are the beacons I heard today in 5 minutes of tuning despite finding no signals otherwise:
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28.250? KC5SQD? ?grid square EL29 (Missouri)
28.255? WI5V? ?Oklahoma
28.260? W1LSU? Minden, LA running 4w into a Hamstick dipole at 35ft
28.273? N0KP? grid square EN34 (Minnesota) running 1w into a "chain link fence vertical"
28.280? K5AB? Goldwaith in Central Texas with a booming signal running 50w into a ground plane
28.289? WB5DXZ? Oklahoma City running 5w into a vertical?
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This is what the K5AB beacon sounds like: ?
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73,
Mark KC9C
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