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General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: Static_Mantra on April 23, 2017, 2025 UTC

Title: question about ham radio
Post by: Static_Mantra on April 23, 2017, 2025 UTC
I live in ontario Canada, and I'm wondering why I can hear all these euro-hams, but can't hear the stations they are talking to in usa/canada ?

example just now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPrwOvSdaMw&feature=youtu.be
Title: Re: question about ham radio
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on April 23, 2017, 2110 UTC
Often the higher frequencies only support propagation for longer distances. They don't work for "short skip", the radio waves from the US/Canadian stations pass through the ionosphere, instead of being reflected to your location, because you are too close to them.

This even happens on the lower bands, like 40 meters, or our 43 meter pirate band, at night.

Some background info here http://www.radiohobbyist.org/blog/?p=214
Title: Re: question about ham radio
Post by: Static_Mantra on April 23, 2017, 2155 UTC
ok, thanks for the webpage, I'll be going through it all in the future! this was bugging me for awhile, only hearing one sided conversations.
Title: Re: question about ham radio
Post by: BoomboxDX on April 28, 2017, 1759 UTC
It could also be this: because you're in North America, where the Euro hams are aiming their beams, you are in the target area of their signals, so naturally you may hear them.

But because the US and Canadian hams are aiming their beams at Europe (and possibly away from you, if they're in the NE or Mid Atlantic US, or Atlantic Canada) you can't hear them because you're in back of their beam antenna, or off the side of their beam where the signal is reduced.

The signals may also be skipping over you, as Chris S said.

I'm here in the NW US and half the time I hear Europe on the ham bands I don't hear the US or Canadian stations talking back at them.