Hello K0NG !
Don't think we have worked on 75 or 40 but have heard you before.
Just able to listen for the last couple years since moving from PA to
MA and nowhere here to put the dipole or for that matter, any
tuned antenna up.
I have been a SWL since a kid in the 60s using an old console that
had the shortwave bands.
My life went other ways but finally got my General with code in 99
before the changes.
Don't have the gear for much vhf/uhf activity other than the usual 2
mtr mobile and really not much use for those bands down here in the
boxed valley. The northern direction is about a 250ft a mile rise up to
the Vermont line 10 min away.
Have been seriously thinking about going to the top of the westward
mt., where there is a public area and the Applachian trail runs along
the ridge, and string a wire up for the AF67 or 68 transmitter with an
inverter. Maybe even the FT101. On the other hand, a yagi or similiar
directional antenna would sure be interesting to rotate around.
This location is only 15 min away but never seem to have the time to
get up there.
The Tropo behavior is very familiar to me from a lot lower Frq
experience in outside live Sound reinfocement.
In this situation the thermal differences going into evening have
caused low frequencies to travel miles and be heard in a town 5 miles
down valley. At the same time the high frq energy is absorbed by the
cooler moist air.
A funny example of this was at a small Country Club show on the top
of a 500 ft or more hill directly across the Susquahanna
River from a high rise apt building. Once the late afternoon thermal
built up over the river the low frqs were skimming over this line of
sight
and rattling the windows of the hi rise maybe a mile away as the crow
flies . The town police who received the complaint could not handle
this and had to refer to the State Police who couldn't believe that
this was happening. It was funny ! The officer had difficulty
explaining the complaint to me. You could not hear anything at street
level below the hi rise even.
Anyway, have always wanted to live close to a mountain top and take
advantage of the natural hight advantage
Out in your area the unhindered 360 degree reception area must present
some interesting correlations with storms and other tropo influencing
conditions. Kind of like hearing a mirage.
73,
Bill KB3DKS/1
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