RW rip: Armstrong Broadcast Returns to New Jersey in June, 42.800MHz FM.

[ThaDood]

https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/armstrong-broadcast-returns-to-new-jersey-in-june    I'm not likely to be able to hear that here in SW WV. Even with "E" skip, that FREQ will most likely skip over me. However, "E" skip to 600 - 1,000 miles could be the sweet-spot to hear this. Locally, NY, CT, NJ, and E. PA, could hear this with a scanner, or VHF TV, antenna, or even a 6M antenna, for like 100 miles out. With many companies and municipalities abandoning the VHF Low Band, you would be very likely to hear this station, even if it comes-in weak, where you are. What's nice about 42.800MHz is that it can penetrate into rough terrain and less affected by thick tree foliage. However, the reason it was abandoned for broadcasting in the first place was due to F2 and "E" skip. Those early broadcasts on 42MHz had reports from around the world. Anyway, sounds like fun. 

[NQC]

Hey Thadood,

WAY COOL.

I am wondering about a few things though:

They didn’t say much about a schedule, is it 24 hours and if so, for how many days?

Also, they are running Wide FM.I wonder if it would sound too crummy on a NFM scanner ( which is all I have for the low band).

250 watts is not a lot of juice either. But you really can’t expect a temporary/ experimental station to run 50 Kw .I get it.

I DID just find a couple of old / very short boom TV antennas. It would be nice to have a BIT of gain. But they are flat line ( 300 ohm ? ) fed.Not sure how I would get them down to 50/75 ohm ball park without messing with baluns , etc.( which I don’t have) .

I wonder if they still make high/low Z inline transformers , like the old “back of the TV “ type.

The other alternative is simply a Vee dipole, with the elements swung 45 and 45 degrees inwards. As I “ recall “ from my experiments many years ago, this gave around 75 ohms.

NO gain, but “ some “ directivity if mounted correctly.

Perhaps from the big hill.

Prop has been mostly kind of crummy lately, especially above 12 M.

Not sure if Alpine would experience nigh time ducting to Boston or not.

In general, I probably need more info, time and LUCK.

de NQC

[NQC]

Also :

If you believe the lore, ducting “ can” occur “as low as “ 40 MHz,
but is ( “ much “ ?) more “ likely “ above
90 MHz.

Hmmmm.

I also need to find out a sked.

If it’s just a quick historical Bcast at 250 W , even with the gain of the Ringo , it could be dicey this far away.

I might need a few DAYS running 24 hours to stand a better chance.



de NQC

[ChrisSmolinski]

Also :

If you believe the lore, ducting “ can” occur “as low as “ 40 MHz,
but is ( “ much “ ?) more “ likely “ above
90 MHz.

I'm of the heretical opinion that ducting (or something resembling it) can, and does, occur down on HF, and even MW and into the extreme upper end of LW.

[ThaDood]

300 ohm to 75 ohm matching TV transformers? Apparently, Wal-fart has them. https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/300-ohm-75-adapter   (Scroll-down for the outdoor ones.) Thought that the newer Aretronics would have them, but apparently not.  Amazon has them as well.  https://www.amazon.com/300-Ohm-UHF-Matching-Transformer/dp/B0002ZPIOG  Oh, BTW... Many TV preamps can work down that low in FREQ as well. Just, look at the spec's. That article was indeed kind of vague about specifics, like antenna polarization, duration of operation, and actual deviation, albeit it does mention a WFM, for Wide FM. Again, I'm not going to be able to hear it, unless there a nice Sporadic "E" Back-Scatter. Nope... To short for skip and too far for ground RX for my location. OFW...