Topics

421

Propagation / HF sucks??? Try VHF / UHF this heat wave!

« on: September 27, 2019, 1725 UTC »

Today, starts a big Fall heatwave in the USA Northeast, and already I've noticed some nice VHF / UHF enhancement from Temperature Inversions late at night and early morning. Last night, about 2AM, the Athens, OH NOAA WX station on 162.550MHz was 1/2 scale on an HT I checked it on. (Normally, barely there at around 100 miles from me.) This morning, S9! That, and local FM Translators were getting covered over by out of area FM stations. So, when it reaches +90 degrees in the day, and night dips down to the lower 60's, that temperature swing could mean some nice propagation on the FM, TV, MURS, GMRS, Marine, EMS, Weather, Amateur Radio,  whatever's on the VHF / UHF bands. (Even 6M could be game.)  Don't forget to check for those propagational beacons on 2M, 222MHz, and 432MHz, in CW mode. So, while the lower HF bands are still too noisy, and the upper HF bands still suck, those VHF / UHF bands should be game! Will we see the conditions of late September 2004? That would be nice.

422

For Sale / Wanted / Barter / Greenland up for sale? Um, NO!!!!!!

« on: September 21, 2019, 1847 UTC »

I guess that Trump won't get this,    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/19/why-does-donald-trump-want-to-buy-greenland

Kindda' too bad, could have been the last possibilities for, not just raping for minerals, but tourism, ultimate winter sports, radio super quiet telescope station locations, and starting up radio stations. Hey, can't be any worst that Alaska, where the FCC up there has a ravage reputation of going gung-ho onto practically anything reported to be unlicensed up there.

423

Amateur Radio / Hurricane Watch Net Set to Activate as Caribbean Prepares for Dorian.

« on: August 28, 2019, 1844 UTC »

Now they're finally getting serious about this storm? Anyway, look for Hurricane Nets,      http://www.arrl.org/news/hurricane-watch-net-set-to-activate-as-caribbean-prepares-for-dorian

424

Huh? / Another alternative browser? Brave

« on: August 22, 2019, 2105 UTC »

Anyone ever browse with Brave before?   https://www.brave.com/
If so, what do you think???

425

10/11 meters / Very late "E" opening on CH 38LSB 8/18/2019, twice!

« on: August 19, 2019, 0446 UTC »

Woke up to Boston stations CQ'ing at 9AM EST, followed by E. NY, then Quebec, Canadian stations. Gone by noon. And "E" opening again at 10:30PM EST from Dallas and Lonesome, TX, then several Arkansas stations. Pretty much gone by 11PM. Still, nice late, late, season openings.

426

10/11 meters / Late E's for 11M, then 10M!

« on: August 05, 2019, 0241 UTC »

Around my neck of the woods, local HAM's on lightning free weekend evenings chit-chat on 10M, 28.415MHz USB. And, since this was a nice dry, storm free, Sunday evening, the weather must have keep any local ops outside today. However, I did hear from 23:25UTC - 01:30UTC stations from N. MI, NJ, then the swamps of LA. Scanned 11M CB, and sure enough, that was hopping mad with E skip. So, still some E's this late.

427

MW Loggings / Classic Rock, WQTT 1270AM caught and finally ID'ed.

« on: July 21, 2019, 0601 UTC »

I've recently brought back from the dead a 1967 Arvin #87R59 Leather Cased Radio, then repaired the DC jack and and replenished missing hardware. FM and the MB (Marine Band), sucks on it, as I remembered that they did, even in their hey days. However, AM is a different story. On 1270kHz it was pulling in a pretty progressive classic rock station with much flutter fades. Getting an ID was about damned near impossible, and no other radio that I had here seemed to really get this. Not even the C-Crane Plus radio. Best direction was North / South. Boomer went onto an on-line SDR, with great AM receive, and finally caught the ID as WQTT,   Marysville, OH,   https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=wqtt&nav=
That night pattern is pointed right at me, but it's short skip, which would enplane the rapid fluttering fading. Hmmmmmmmmmm, I wonder what else I'll catch with that portable?

428

General Radio Discussion / We’re Running Out of Spectrum for Both New and Old Technologies?

« on: June 25, 2019, 1904 UTC »

“The iron laws of physics being what they are, we are simply not making more,” says FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel.

https://slate.com/technology/2019/05/spectrum-auction-bandwidth-weather-forecasting-fcc-noaa.html

429

Huh? / Anyone ever try Opera browser?

« on: June 20, 2019, 1843 UTC »

Yeah, has anyone ever tried this on a WIN PC, Mac, or Linux based, computer? If so, what do ya think? Better, worst, than Firefox?  https://www.opera.com/

430

Amateur Radio / Field Day 2019, this weekend june 22 - 23.

« on: June 20, 2019, 1803 UTC »

                 Field Day 2019,   http://www.arrl.org/Field-Day   , so all, but the WARC Bands and 60M, will be hopping. Even a PSA for it. Now, if only the T-storms can stay away.

431

Amateur Radio / ARRL June VHF Contest this weekend, 6/8 - 6/10/2019.

« on: June 05, 2019, 2106 UTC »

 If we can ever get a weekend break in T-storms, there's the VHF, on up, Contests this weekend,   http://www.arrl.org/june-vhf
          Even if you don't have CW / SSB capabilities, check the following simplex FM FREQ's of 52.525MHz, 52.540MHz, 146.550MHz, 146.580MHz, the 147MHz simplex FREQ's, 223.500MHz, 446.000MHz, 446.050MHz, and 446.100MHz. The exchange here is mainly for the grid square and if you have other bands to work points from. And, any licensed amateur worked is a point to any serious contester. Good practice for Field Day. Now, wish these T-storms away!

432

General Radio Discussion / That '70s gadget, the CB, hangs on! Chicago Tribune article.

« on: June 02, 2019, 1932 UTC »

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2008-08-25-0808230026-story.html       CB is still alive and well where I am.

433

Amateur Radio / The northern lights, aka 'aurora borealis,' could be coming to a sky near you?

« on: May 14, 2019, 2244 UTC »

Could this mean good Aurora Propagation on 10M and 6M?   https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/the-northern-lights-aka-aurora-borealis-could-be-coming-to-a-sky-near-you-this-week/ar-AABmuze?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout
This also might mean that most of MW and HF propagation will just suck.

434

General Radio Discussion / All Digital AM Band? Um, maybe not.

« on: May 10, 2019, 1743 UTC »

Boomer found this one on the proposal of making the AM broadcast band in the USA all digital. https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/business-and-law/few-broadcasters-show-interest      Yeah, the idea doesn't excite me either.

435

Amateur Radio / Sporadic E on 10M last night!

« on: April 29, 2019, 1657 UTC »

           Nice QSO to Fayetteville and Tommyville, AR on 28.420USB at 03:15UTC, 4/29/2019 from WV. Signals peaked to S7. I 1st heard it on 11M CB CH 38LSB and the Superbowl CH 6 going nuts. Hey, I'll take it, with the lower bands crammed with lightning crashes. Both were about 100W coming back to me, and I was around 62W going back. I'm now using a 10M Ringo tuned to 1:1 VSWR at 28.400MHz.