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Old 30th Oct 2017, 8:58 pm   #1
Nymrod121
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Default Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

The last couple of days have seen a slow-moving area of high atmospheric pressure over much of the UK. I note this evening's forecast is predicting a steady fall in a.p. as this system moves slowly away to the south-east and wondered if there might be an enhancement of Band II broadcast signals from the Continent? Alas, my receiving facilities are temporarily out of use (shed-based workshop under construction).
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Old 30th Oct 2017, 9:31 pm   #2
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

When there's a big lift on you can hear DX FM on any domestic FM set. I normally realise there's something going on when R4 on 93.9 goes noisy and sibilant here in Oxford, despite the big regional transmitter only being 5 miles away and line of sight. I haven't heard the giveaway signs yet. Obviously it all depends where the high is located.
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 12:36 pm   #3
'LIVEWIRE?'
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

Yesterday Evening, 31 October 2017, between 10 & 11PM GMT, whilst listening to Radio 2, I found that reception on both 88.3(Sutton Coldfield) and 89.5(Oxford) was subject to interference. Normally, despite only having an indoor ribbon aerial in my flat, both give good steady stereo recption, so, at 11PM, I tuned around Band II on my Sony LBT-D505, to which said indoor aerial is connected, and picked up a few weakish FM stations I don't normally get. The Strongest of these was on an indicated frequency of 107.2Mhz, which was clear enough to listen to. When the station identified itself it turned out to be Newstalk in Ireland, presumably Dublin - I haven't checked their frequency list. This morning they weren't present, but a few other stations in the upper end of Band II which I don't normally receive, were audible at various strengths.
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 12:39 pm   #4
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

There are definitely some 'burblies' making themselves felt this morning.

One of the great things about FM transmitters having adopted RDS in the last few decades is that it makes identifying DX stations somewhat easier.
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 1:03 pm   #5
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

That accounts for the widespread disruption to Freeview in the South-East last night. We lost the mulitplexes on UHF channels 22 and 23 completely (~95% strength but zero quality between 8 PM last night and 1 AM this morning), while the channel 25 multiplexes were only viewable intermittently when the quality occasionally rose above 30%. No problems with the channel 26, 28 and 29 multiplexes. One poster on the reception problems web page reported that, on retuning his set, he was picking up French TV stations.
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 2:02 pm   #6
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

Quote:
Originally Posted by paulsherwin View Post
I normally realise there's something going on when R4 on 93.9 goes noisy and sibilant here in Oxford, despite the big regional transmitter only being 5 miles away and line of sight. I haven't heard the giveaway signs yet.
I've certainly heard the giveaway signs now! R4 is all over the place this morning. I wonder what the interfering signal is.
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 2:14 pm   #7
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

The Freeview reception site has a page with a regularly updated map showing the areas where reception is poor. This should be relevant to radio reception too. I note from the report log that the guy who got French TV stations on retuning lives in Swansea, so there should be plenty of scope for DX-ing continenatal radio stations.

http://downdetector.co.uk/problems/freeview/map/
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 2:58 pm   #8
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

http://mailchi.mp/e419def201d8/adver...5?e=7d437eab2e

Just put my Fuba UKA Stereo 8 back into service & will have a listen!
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 3:32 pm   #9
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

There's definitely a bit of a lift on: I just worked a station operating /P from near Manchester on 144MHz, which is most unusual given the VHF-hostile terrain here.
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 5:02 pm   #10
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

Lots of French around here on 144.300 last night.

gmb (Kent)
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 5:16 pm   #11
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

I lost Freeview last night. LBC on 97.3 has an interfering signal on 97.2! J.
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 6:37 pm   #12
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

FreeView down across the south according to "DownDetector".Found it on yahoo news.
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Old 1st Nov 2017, 7:26 pm   #13
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

I lost all my freeveiw last nite even the main MUXs eventually went off I really thought my digiboxhad died so I unplugged it and tried it again thismorning and the main MUXs were back but the minor ones were still off. I live in Weymouth and am watching stockland hill I know I'm at the edge of coverage area but when low pressures in charge receptions usually good
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Old 2nd Nov 2017, 10:18 am   #14
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

It was a very strong tropo lift caused by an area of high pressure drifting slowly south.
The FM band was full of strong French and more distant UK stations. Our local Radio 2 from Wenvoe on 89.90 was struggling against a very strong French signal. No effect noticed on the local and strong DAB and Freeview signals but I was picking up the local Berkshire DAB multiplex and I was receiving good strong Freeview signals from Crystal Palace.
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Old 2nd Nov 2017, 12:26 pm   #15
'LIVEWIRE?'
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Default Re: Band II: possible tropospheric enhancement?

DAB & Freview OK here, both yesterday evening and this morning, but FM, at least on the Roberts RD50 I'm using at the moment is a little below par, with some odd whistles on some frequencies, though main stations are OK as I type this. Air pressure here is around normal at 1000mB, though the High Pressure area may still be near enough to have some effect. Just checked my Sony HiFi Tuner, and Band II on that is working normally with all usual stations, including R. Oxford, R. Gloucester, Smooth R.. (Birmingham), CWR the nearest local radio transmitter at Lark Stoke, about 10-11 miles NW of here, all steady and at good strength. In fact the Sony, using my Indoor Ribbon FM aerial, is performing better than the RD50 with it's telescopic antenna!

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