airtraffic

Author Topic: Long Distance Reception  (Read 10537 times)

Offline captkel

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Long Distance Reception
« on: November 15, 2016, 07:40:15 AM »
Tuesday 11/15/2016   7:30 AM local time. I'm in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida (FLL) area. A cold front is making it's way through the area. My radio is full of ATIS transmissions, my antenna is directional and is facing south, i'm currently listening  to Tampa (TPA) tower which is around 170 miles north of me, i'm also hearing Miami Center on 133.9.  If I remember correctly it's out of Sarasota, Florida (SRQ), about 150 miles north of me :-D     



Offline captkel

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2016, 08:00:17 AM »
The frequencies south of me are starting to open up. By the way, the UHF air frequencies north and south of me are hot too. And now I must leave  :-( 

Online Fryy/Avocadoflight

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2016, 11:52:33 AM »
I thought I was crazy but I pick up KSFO ground once in a while on 121.8 KSUU feed. KSFO is about 70 miles away with lots of obstructions..

Offline captkel

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2016, 03:46:59 PM »
That's cool. This time of year in Florida when the cold fronts come through, the bands open up from temperature inversions. Enjoy it (if you do) while it lasts. 

Offline JetScan1

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2016, 04:16:46 PM »
Thanks for the report. Interesting.

I just started using this map to get an idea of what current VHF propagation conditions might be like.

http://aprs.mountainlake.k12.mn.us/

Not sure how accurate it is in the VHF airband as I have not come across good conditions in my area yet ?


Offline captkel

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2016, 08:03:59 AM »
Yes I've used that one too. I'm always checking out the Tropo site,

http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo_car.html

I find it to be accurate, at least for signal enhancement...i'll take all I can get  :lol:
The temperature is 64 degrees Fahrenheit as I type this and the reception is very good.
After sunset the reception improves...usually. I was up listening to the radios at 1:30 am this morning
and a RCAG about 60 miles north of me was loud and clear on VHF...off the back of my yagi antenna.
During the daylight hours, and normally at night, I can't receive that RCAG at all. I have a UHF airband
log periodic antenna setup (with a preamp and band pass filter) aimed to the north and it's pulling in the
UHF frequencies better then the VHF. Sometimes during the daylight hours I can pickup that RCAG on UHF only.     

Kel   

Offline MIAMIATC

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2016, 01:15:52 PM »
Need to take a drive down to the Middle Keys I guess with the handheld. Probably be able to get well into CENAMER AND KINGSTON AIRSPACE

Offline captkel

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2016, 07:24:55 AM »
Go fishing & check out the bars too :lol:  A couple of years ago I was able to pull in the ground side communications from Havana here in Fort Lauderdale.

Offline MIAMIATC

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #8 on: November 18, 2016, 08:51:09 AM »
Normal day when I go down there I can hear the checkins to CENAMAER 124.3 position reports on Kingston 125.4/128.1/128.35. Id go but the time change Id have to leave early and drive through darkness back home to West Palm in the dark as the eyes arent as they used to be .

Offline captkel

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2016, 08:04:26 AM »
the eyes arent as they used to be .

Tell me about it...me too. Well, if I ever move down there, i'll stream them for you :-D

Offline nycrich

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2016, 08:15:16 AM »
I'm surprised that no one is hearing Havana Mike.

Offline captkel

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #11 on: November 23, 2016, 06:06:07 PM »
I'm surprised that no one is hearing Havana Mike.

I'm not familiar with him

Offline MIAMIATC

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Re: Long Distance Reception
« Reply #12 on: November 24, 2016, 01:29:39 PM »
Rich here at home in Boynton I can get on FL 300 and above as far as the Northern part of 123.7,120.25,124.55/133.7, and 135.1 maybe about 30-40 miles south of the ZMA/HAVANNA border. When I am in the keys I can get about 60-100 miles South of the Southern Coast of Cuba . Again I can hear position reports on KINGSTON 128.1/125.4 and 128.35 about 70 north of the HAVANNA/KINGSTON FIR border from 120.25 and 124.55 and I can hear checkins on Cenamer 124.3 from 124.55 . 135.1 I lose reception about 60 north of the western tip of Cuba. have never heard position reports from 135.1 to MERIDA 128.2 . This is all from Marathon Key where I monitor with my handheld.