In 2009, the 2 watt WA4FC/B 6 meter beacon was heard in eighteen states and three Canadian provinces. Fifty one spots were received via the DX cluster system reporting reception and several QSL cards were also received. We appreciate operators posting us to the DX cluster system.Florida led the state with most reports sent, which mirrors what we typically see on band openings to this area. Best report was from K5DNL in Shawnee, Oklahoma at 1079 miles.

States and provinces where we were heard in 2009 include: Oklahoma, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode island, Massachusetts, Vermont, Quebec, new Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

The beacon continues to operate from the same QTH in Dinwiddie, Virginia.

The 6 meter beacon has been operational from grid FM17 for a year on July 1, 2009. I'd like to thank Neil N4NI for his technical assistance with the keyer, George W4GNE for the antenna and for all of the stations on the map that have reported hearing the beacon and contributed to the study of propagation on 50 MHz. Please continue sending those reception reports! See you on the band.

We would like to thank the following amateur stations for their beacon reception reports of WA4FC/B 6 meter beacon on 50.079.5 mhz CW during the first summer of operation (7/1/08 to date of this posting). The most distant report was from K0GU in Colorado at a distance of 1,490 miles.

Thanks for posting us to the DX Cluster:

KE4WBO, AJ9K, N8UUP, K0GU, N3II, VE2XK, VE3EN, VE2TKH, K0KP, VE9AA, K9PPY, KW4RZ, K4AVO, WB2KWF, VE1SKY, N4US, KA9CFD, K0KP

Thanks for QSL cards:

AB5X, K4ECP

Thanks for the emails:

W4UVV, N4MW, K4CEC.

Special thanks to John Wilson (W4UVV) for all of his reports and for promoting the beacon while operating on six.

See www.fieldcomm.org/beacons for full station details and for the map of where all of these guys are located !

Please click here to submit your reception report. We appreciate each report that is sent along. Please be sure to include date, time, QTH, and your station details.

The beacon consists of the following hardware:

Yaesu FT-690R (2 watt output) - operating 50.079.5 mhz
Picokeyer (imbedded inside of radio)
M2 6 meter HO loop antenna at 25 feet
RG-213 feedline (apx 30 feet run)

The beacon is located at:
N 37 10.95 x W 77 30.18
FM17FE

The beacon is operational 24 hours a day. The message sent is VVV de WA4FC/B WA4FC/B WA4FC/B FM17 FM17. This is sent at 12wpm over a 46 second time period, followed by a 20 second pause to allow for reception of other beacons that may possibly be on the frequency.

The WA4FC 6 meter beacon officially became operational on July 1, 2008.

We had thought for several years about putting beacons on the air to help with the study of propagation, and things just started falling into place. Those responsible for the project include W4GNE, N4NI and KD4BPZ. More pictures can be found in the beacon photo gallery.