We seek to understand and document all radio transmissions, legal and otherwise, as part of the radio listening hobby. We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations. Always consult with the appropriate authorities if you have questions concerning what is permissible in your locale.

Author Topic: FM translators and tropo skip / temp inversions interference.  (Read 3758 times)

Offline ThaDood

  • DX Legend
  • ******
  • Posts: 1203
  • Likely, not where you are.
    • View Profile
    • Extreme Part #15!
    • Email
One big problem with these new AM stationed FM translators is that they've put them on FREQ's where out of town stations have come in just fine. Oh sure, on paper with the 1mV/M contours they may seem fine and clear, but most of us know that FM stations go well beyond that. This morning, while listening to the WCHS 580AM Charleston, WV FM translator, that country bumpkin blow torch station from Williamson, WV was popping through this morning. A station well over 100 miles south of me, in my very bad FM direction geographically. So, you can't stop tropo propagation, even with a well crowded FM dial. Just more RF crap to skip over when conditions have it. Damn, I miss FM DX'ing some 30 years ago.
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

Offline pinto vortando

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 923
    • View Profile
Re: FM translators and tropo skip / temp inversions interference.
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2018, 1810 UTC »
With tropo season finally here, decided to give FM Dxing a try having been away from it for some years.  Didn't know what to make of it at first.  The band was jammed with strong signals on nearly every freq. Turns out that now there seems to be a low power FM station shoehorned in on every slot.  My only DX was WHBC FM "Mix 94.1" Canton OH, a 160 mi path largely over water.
Seems like the FM band is now as overcrowded as the AM band.  :(   
Das Radiobunker somewhere in Michigan

 

HFUnderground Mug
HFUnderground Mug
by MitchellTimeDesigns