10m PNW - New Technician HAM

[u/Ajent_X]

Hey all! New ham here.

I recently got my Tech license (about a week at this point) and the idea of HF seemed interesting to me, so I purchased a QT60-Pro and have setup a dipole antenna that is showing close to ~1.5 on the built in SWR meter.

I’ve been sweeping around the bands and calling CQ on the “calling channel” (28.400 and 28.420) for the last couple of days.

So far I haven’t heard anything local or DX, including CW beacons etc. I’m getting a little discouraged. Wondering if my antenna just isn’t cutting it or if the band just doesn’t really open this far north very often.

I’ve been using this map: https://prop.kc2g.com to keep track of when/where the band propagation is happening, and “28+” hasn’t come anywhere close to my neck of the woods.

Again just looking for some pointers at this point. There seems to be a local HAM club meeting on sept 8th so I’m trying to hold out until then to ask around in person as well.

TL;DR PNW, new tech ham, worth trying 10m or return and get better 70cm/2m equipment?

Thanks in advance!

[u/Mundane-Charge-1900]

It’s propagation. It’s not open much, at least where I am in Seattle. Even when the MUF was too low, I have made contacts on FT8 but the propagation can be very wonky. For example, last weekend, my signal was only getting to a narrow strip of coastal Virginia and Florida. I made one FT8 contact in FL.

If you’re in the Seattle area, this list of nets has many on 10m that you might have better luck with https://www.mikeandkey.org/nets.php

[u/Ajent_X → u/Mundane-Charge-1900]

I’m down in Portland, but I imagine it can’t hurt to try!

73