question about ham radio

[Static_Mantra]

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

[ChrisSmolinski]

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

[Static_Mantra]

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.

[BoomboxDX]

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.