Not Always Line of Sight

[EEL]

Just turned on radio to listen to marine forecast from Portsmouth NOAA station and instead heard marine forecast for downeast area. Amazing. It was the Jonesboro station loud and clear. Great example of propagation variances on VHF and capture ratio at work. Jonesboro and Portsmouth are both on 162.450. or CH5. Due to something going on in atmosphere tonight the Jonesboro station is stronger than Portsmouth at my location.

Not using a handheld, of course, but antenna nothing special either.

Ed Lawson

[leong]

Just turned on radio to listen to marine forecast from Portsmouth NOAA station and instead heard marine forecast for downeast area. Amazing. It was the Jonesboro station loud and clear. Great example of propagation variances on VHF and capture ratio at work. Jonesboro and Portsmouth are both on 162.450. or CH5. Due to something going on in atmosphere tonight the Jonesboro station is stronger than Portsmouth at my location.

Not using a handheld, of course, but antenna nothing special either.

Ed Lawson

Hmm, this reminds me. Many years ago when I was an active radio amateur, I occasionally made long distance (greater than 500 miles) contacts on the 2-meter band (just a little lower in frequency than the marine wx band). I don’t know whether it was via tropospheric ducting or sporadic E propagation. Of course, I was using a higher power transmitter (100 watts, I think), SSB or AM modulation and a 6-element Yagi array about 30 feet high.

I wonder if long distance like above is ever noticed on the VHF marine band?

-Leon

[EEL]

I wonder if long distance like above is ever noticed on the VHF marine band?

-Leon

Makes sense since the bands are close in freq., but have never experienced it. This morning back to hearing Portsmouth station.

I suspect it was a ducting situation given the weather.

Ed Lawson