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Vertical or horizontal polarization on 6?

Dear Elmer,

After getting some information on repeaters in my area, I find they use 6 meter repeaters also. Is most traffic in that band in a vertical polarization? If so, a vertical center-fed dipole or quarter wave vertical seems to make the most sense. If horizontal, then a center-fed dipole is logical. So which polarization is more predominant?

Signed: Potential 6 meter user

Elmer says:

Repeater operation on any band will be vertically polarized. This includes 6 meter repeater operation. Vertical polarization is used because the repeater antenna will need to be omnidirectional, and this is easy with a vertical antenna. Also, vertical antennas are the only practical installation for mobile operation. It would be pretty difficult to mount dipoles, Yagis, or quads on a car, but a vertical can easily be added with a magnetic mount or other mechanically-sound antenna support. The vertical design is low in wind resistance and can survive mobile operation. Likely users of repeaters also include those operators who use handheld radios. A handheld radio uses a vertically-polarized antenna and operates in FM mode, which you will find on 6 meter repeaters.

Of course there are plenty of other ways to enjoy 6 meters, or what we call "the magic band". If you enjoy working stations that are far away and doing so directly without a repeater system, you would use another mode of operation, like CW or SSB phone. This kind of operation will be more effective with a horizontally-polarized antenna, such as a beam, or even a dipole. The 6 meter band can open suddenly, providing lots of DX fun. On the other hand, you can have long dry spells where the band is dead, and those are good times to get on a 6 meter repeater.

Whether you install a vertical antenna or a horizontal one, a 6 meter antenna will take less room than a typical HF antenna, which can be an advantage for those who have limited space.

To really get the most out of the 6 meter band, you need an all-mode transceiver. A blind-accessible rig is the Kenwood TS-480SAT, which covers 160 meters through 6 meters with all-mode operation on 6. That means you can enjoy FM, CW, or SSB operation on 6 meters.

You will have fun on "the magic band"!