Our normally poor FM radio reception is even worse than usual at the
moment - we're picking up some Spanish stations quite well where Radio 2
ought to be. Something to do with the weather?
--
Steve Loft, Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire. 1417ft ASL
Weather and webcam: http://www.wanlockhead.org.uk/

Steve Loft wrote:
Our normally poor FM radio reception is even worse than usual at the
moment - we're picking up some Spanish stations quite well where Radio 2
ought to be. Something to do with the weather?

Could be trophospheric ducting (anaprop - which is) or Sporadic - E
(which isn't) Steve.

I don't know if phases of the moon, alien invasions or earthquake
activity have anything to do with it though...

==

In the days before the Internet I used to take advantage of the earth's
shadow at this time of year to capture fax broadcasts from Australia
there was a period for an hour around dusk when AXI / AXM used to come
hammering in around 7MHz. It was so good some nights I could recieve fax
broadcasts on my hf150 in wideband synchronous AM mode (from Australia!)
and got some cracking images.. Shadow / grey line (??) propogation I
think it was called...

Les
--
Les Crossan,
Wallsend, Tyne & Wear
54.95N 1.5W
Home of the Wallsend StormCam and the Backup USW FAQ -
www.uksevereweather.org.uk

Les Crossan wrote:

Could be trophospheric ducting (anaprop - which is) or Sporadic - E
(which isn't) Steve.

Thanks, Les, I shall have to go and read up on those now.


I don't know if phases of the moon, alien invasions or earthquake
activity have anything to do with it though...

I've just realised that I think I read recently that there is currently
increased sunspot activity at the moment - so I guess that could have
something to do with it?
--
Steve Loft, Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire. 1417ft ASL
Weather and webcam: http://www.wanlockhead.org.uk/

Steve Loft wrote:
Our normally poor FM radio reception is even worse than usual at the
moment - we're picking up some Spanish stations quite well where Radio 2
ought to be. Something to do with the weather?

Could be trophospheric ducting (anaprop - which is) or Sporadic - E
(which isn't) Steve.

I don't know if phases of the moon, alien invasions or earthquake
activity have anything to do with it though...


Hi,

Well I was trying desperately to listen to the Shipping Forecast on BBC
Radio 4 longwave 198 and all I picked up at the time was the sound of my
windscreen wipers and car engine on the broadcast? What on earth causes
that! I was on the downs at the time where I've had no problems with
reception before.

My mother thinks some outside party is attacking the BBC airwaves as BBC
News 24 has had recent reception problems as well. We would never know.

Any thoughts.

Tony
Another dismal cool wettish day not rising above 17c, I do hope Will's right
for later this week?

Sporadic E (Es), Steve.
There have also been reports of very long distances covered by radio
amateurs on 144Mhz sporadic E today, so this is almost certainly the cause
of your reception of Spanish stations.

Sunspot activity is nowhere near solar maximum levels, though there has been
a little increase in activity over the past few days. Even so, solar
activity will not have an effect on VHF (80+Mhz ) signals (other than
aurora). Also, high solar activity tends to disrupt temperate zone Sporadic
E... the summer Es season runs from roughly mid-May to mid-August and tends
to be better in solar minimum years.

Jim
Bournemouth


"Steve Loft" wrote in message
...
Les Crossan wrote:

Could be trophospheric ducting (anaprop - which is) or Sporadic - E
(which isn't) Steve.

Thanks, Les, I shall have to go and read up on those now.


I don't know if phases of the moon, alien invasions or earthquake
activity have anything to do with it though...

I've just realised that I think I read recently that there is currently
increased sunspot activity at the moment - so I guess that could have
something to do with it?
--
Steve Loft, Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire. 1417ft ASL
Weather and webcam: http://www.wanlockhead.org.uk/

Steve Loft wrote:
Les Crossan wrote:

Could be trophospheric ducting (anaprop - which is) or Sporadic - E
(which isn't) Steve.


Thanks, Les, I shall have to go and read up on those now.


I don't know if phases of the moon, alien invasions or earthquake
activity have anything to do with it though...


I've just realised that I think I read recently that there is currently
increased sunspot activity at the moment - so I guess that could have
something to do with it?

That'll be Sporadic E then. If it is it'll fade after sunset. Else you
might get spanish all night (:

Les
--
Les Crossan,
Wallsend, Tyne & Wear
54.95N 1.5W
Home of the Wallsend StormCam and the Backup USW FAQ -
www.uksevereweather.org.uk

"Les Crossan" wrote in
message . uk


Steve Loft wrote:
Our normally poor FM radio reception is even worse than usual at the
moment - we're picking up some Spanish stations quite well where Radio 2
ought to be. Something to do with the weather?

Could be trophospheric ducting (anaprop - which is) or Sporadic - E
(which isn't) Steve.

I don't know if phases of the moon, alien invasions or earthquake
activity have anything to do with it though...

I can't say that it is a good job I do then, as I can't.

It's almost twenty past thundery, so I am not sure. Still learning I
suppose.

Aircraft noise is noticeable -or was yesterday. So it is radical in some
way. (No barrier to the noise from a direct channel? Or upper air
instability causing the controllers to bring them in lower?)

The thundery activity will increase after the fifth, when the lunar
phase is nearer bang-on.

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/MoonPhase.html


In the days before the Internet I used to take advantage of the earth's
shadow at this time of year to capture fax broadcasts from Australia
there was a period for an hour around dusk when AXI / AXM used to come
hammering in around 7MHz. It was so good some nights I could recieve fax
broadcasts on my hf150 in wideband synchronous AM mode (from Australia!)
and got some cracking images.. Shadow / grey line (??) propogation I
think it was called...

How would one go about getting those?




--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

Les Crossan wrote:

That'll be Sporadic E then. If it is it'll fade after sunset. Else you
might get spanish all night (:

It did improve later. I informed Mrs L that it was "Sporadic E" - she
thought I was telling her the name of the Spanish radio station we were
hearing!
--
Steve Loft, Wanlockhead, Dumfriesshire. 1417ft ASL
Weather and webcam: http://www.wanlockhead.org.uk/

Not a lot of people know that the bbc is no longer responsible for the
transmission of radio and tv output it is a company called crowncastle
linked to an AMERICAN company

http://www.crowncastle.com/website_index.shtml

crowncastle uk has been acquired by national grid

http://www.crowncastle.co.uk/aboutus/index.shtml for all the gen

they have complete control of the airwaves and are looking forward to full
dab read into that what you will

all transmissions are controlled by the level of power input . power costs
money . hey lets save money .......


"tony_powell" wrote in message
...

Steve Loft wrote:
Our normally poor FM radio reception is even worse than usual at the
moment - we're picking up some Spanish stations quite well where Radio
2
ought to be. Something to do with the weather?

Could be trophospheric ducting (anaprop - which is) or Sporadic - E
(which isn't) Steve.

I don't know if phases of the moon, alien invasions or earthquake
activity have anything to do with it though...


Hi,

Well I was trying desperately to listen to the Shipping Forecast on BBC
Radio 4 longwave 198 and all I picked up at the time was the sound of my
windscreen wipers and car engine on the broadcast? What on earth causes
that! I was on the downs at the time where I've had no problems with
reception before.

My mother thinks some outside party is attacking the BBC airwaves as BBC
News 24 has had recent reception problems as well. We would never know.

Any thoughts.

Tony
Another dismal cool wettish day not rising above 17c, I do hope Will's
right
for later this week?