Oh yes Larry!
We have a 25W ERP and horizontal polarisation here in DL on 6m, so 'often' I only use my FT-817, first generation made 2000, for that prupose. Most of the time its my only radio, i used, to make my 6m work!?
I don't need more power, and it 'frees' the other rigs, to do the rest of the SW-work!?
You should use, a short Yagi-typ antenna!
Here I use a 6-element Konni-antenna, more then enough, ...? I did work every station that I receive here! The 'balance' is more than adequate.
Best is, I can 'mute', most half of the world, with the Yagi-antenna, and listen to the prefered stations.
Have a lot of 'luck' with it!
You may always 'missed' the openings, or something else must happened!
(Go dancing with the XYL, or fishing?)
The 'open 6m Magic-Band' is less "open" then 10m, ... because of the wave-lenghts of 6m. There are about 'half' the acticity of 10m. But when open, the 'crowd' will be amazing and 'loud' and everywhere! - Like a shortwave 40m contest! - especialy the signal strengs of the stations. (9+10 to 20dB and more)
Listen to 10m and 2m. If there is some 'activity', go to 6m, and you will not missed the opening again!?
It is a real 'macig' band! Most of the times, only local 'backgroung noise', but when open, "der Punk geht ab!", as we say in DL! (The 'dude' will turn arround in circles!)
Watch some more times, and do a little more 'selective' search on 6m, when the higher band will work!
Now we are in the 'beginning' of a new strong sun-circle, in the up-comming part, and it will be a good one! (For the next 3 to 5 years)
Sorry for my bad English, it's not my native tounge!?
73 de Markus - db9pz?
Markus