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VHF DX From A Mist From The Smoke Of A Distant Fire

The technical side of broadcasting. Think IBOC is a sham? Talk about it here! How about HDTV? Post DX reports here as well.
CK-722
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VHF DX From A Mist From The Smoke Of A Distant Fire

Post by CK-722 » Mon Aug 24, 2020 6:31 pm

Any predictions about the effect of the smoke from the forest fires out West on VHF DX? In the past, volcanoes and fires have had an effect. The smoke particles alone may have an effect, and water condensation on the smoke particles probably enhance that signal reflection. It seems like I heard FM signals 500-600 miles away during the late Summer in the 1970s and 1980s.


Is THAT where they got the idea for the 486-SX?

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Deleted User 15342

Re: VHF DX From A Mist From The Smoke Of A Distant Fire

Post by Deleted User 15342 » Mon Aug 24, 2020 6:46 pm

Can you even imagine all the cell towers that are literally melting in these fires. No cell or data service for months.



CK-722
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Re: VHF DX From A Mist From The Smoke Of A Distant Fire

Post by CK-722 » Mon Aug 24, 2020 7:12 pm

Lucky615 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 6:46 pm
Can you even imagine all the cell towers that are literally melting in these fires. No cell or data service for months.
Kind of makes you long for having a landline again. And 2 meter walkie talkies. I'd say CB, but there always seems to be skip to interfere with anything further than a mile or so, and that's if it's LOS. Had trouble about 20 years ago trying to use CB 2 miles across a lake because of skip. It was long distance to call across the lake, and had 20 cent per minute charges. Same with the cell phone after a 100 minute monthly limit.


Is THAT where they got the idea for the 486-SX?

Same (x, y, z), different (t)

Your bullet missed my trial balloon.

RTN Price. Not guaranteed. As of 12:30, 157.71 Down 0.22.

Artificial Intelligence is a Child that needs a Parent to guide it through.

Deleted User 15342

Re: VHF DX From A Mist From The Smoke Of A Distant Fire

Post by Deleted User 15342 » Mon Aug 24, 2020 7:29 pm

CK-722 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 7:12 pm
Lucky615 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 6:46 pm
Can you even imagine all the cell towers that are literally melting in these fires. No cell or data service for months.
Kind of makes you long for having a landline again. And 2 meter walkie talkies. I'd say CB, but there always seems to be skip to interfere with anything further than a mile or so, and that's if it's LOS. Had trouble about 20 years ago trying to use CB 2 miles across a lake because of skip. It was long distance to call across the lake, and had 20 cent per minute charges. Same with the cell phone after a 100 minute monthly limit.
Those were the days. Although I still have a landline and use fax for my business. I do still have the old 49 MHz walkie talkies in the attic somewhere with my AM Stereo receiver from Radio Shack and my AM deskcube.



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Turkeytop
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Re: VHF DX From A Mist From The Smoke Of A Distant Fire

Post by Turkeytop » Mon Aug 24, 2020 9:46 pm

Lucky615 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 7:29 pm
CK-722 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 7:12 pm
Lucky615 wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 6:46 pm
Can you even imagine all the cell towers that are literally melting in these fires. No cell or data service for months.
Kind of makes you long for having a landline again. And 2 meter walkie talkies. I'd say CB, but there always seems to be skip to interfere with anything further than a mile or so, and that's if it's LOS. Had trouble about 20 years ago trying to use CB 2 miles across a lake because of skip. It was long distance to call across the lake, and had 20 cent per minute charges. Same with the cell phone after a 100 minute monthly limit.
Those were the days. Although I still have a landline and use fax for my business. I do still have the old 49 MHz walkie talkies in the attic somewhere with my AM Stereo receiver from Radio Shack and my AM deskcube.

My only phone is a land line. I have the Radio Shack time cube. Found it at a yard sale in Florida. Now, i'd love to get my hands on one of the Time Cubes they had to pick up WWV. I don't remember the AM deskcube.

When those things were available at Radio Shack I was dirt poor and had no money for frivolous gadgets. When pocket calculators first came out, I wanted one so badly. Then I won $20 on a lottery ticket and got my calculator. I still have it.


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.

CK-722
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Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:53 pm

Re: VHF DX From A Mist From The Smoke Of A Distant Fire

Post by CK-722 » Tue Aug 25, 2020 12:45 pm

Can you think of a way to get a pair of old 46/49 phones to work as a Walkie Talkie? Probably easy enough to page with it. Does it have to be connected to a phone line, or could you just put the DC voltage on the old landline wires to make it work? Pretty sure that would work for wired phones. Is it correct that when the line is being used, the DC phone line voltage falls to around 9 volts? Just looking for a way to use what's already there to communicate.


Is THAT where they got the idea for the 486-SX?

Same (x, y, z), different (t)

Your bullet missed my trial balloon.

RTN Price. Not guaranteed. As of 12:30, 157.71 Down 0.22.

Artificial Intelligence is a Child that needs a Parent to guide it through.

k8jd
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Location: Commerce, MI

Re: VHF DX From A Mist From The Smoke Of A Distant Fire

Post by k8jd » Thu Aug 27, 2020 2:39 pm

It just may be possible for the smoke particles to start water condensing around them and forming some kind of refractive layer or ducting for VHF and uHF RF signals to go out unusual distances.



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audiophile
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Re: VHF DX From A Mist From The Smoke Of A Distant Fire

Post by audiophile » Sat Aug 29, 2020 7:29 am

Would this be be like Sporadic-E but a lower height?

http://www.pnwvhfs.org/conference/2006/ ... adic-E.ppt


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