Flex 3000 Doesn't Like 6 Meters

Mike Carletta Sr

Flex 3000 6 meter concern. I have a 3 element beam and yet I make almost no contacts.Rig is serial #1611-0626. It was last serviced by Flex on 10/12. Rig is wonderful on rest of ham bands. Very happy with 4000 contacts over three years.digital, cw, ssb etc Can anyone tell me what I missed or need to make contacts? Perhaps I need a pre amp on antenna ? What have other Flex 3000 owners done to be successful? Mike

Ken - NM9P

How high is your antenna, how long and what kind of feedline? Where are you located and what time of day are you trying to make contacts? (and on what frequency?) 6 Meters is called the Magic Band because it is so unpredictable. Sometime it is only line of sight for locals. Other times, Sporadic E opens the band for great DX and even occasionally F-layer hits it for a while. But often it appears dead, as it was here during the latest January VHF contest. I made one or two contacts here in SW Indiana. From what I have heard, the preamp in the 3000 is very strong and shouldn't need more added. As far as 6 meters goes... you can't work what isn't there! Good luck, Ken - NM9P