Californian scanner skip in Ireland

[misterpaul71]

Hi all,

had some spectacular Skip today with several signals being heard from Southern California - I wonder can anyone help identify the following which I think is

35.10000 103.5 PL KBO417 ACS Security Patrols, Los Angeles

recording here: https://www.box.com/s/mv0hldxkox7ltx6amukm

I also have another signal on 35.1 82.5 pl talking about "I'll load you for the border patrol station" - any ideas anyone?

The following was recorded on 35.36 D156 and seems to be making references to locations in Kingsburg, California - can anyone suggest what this is? Recording here:

https://www.box.com/s/5mrxnx63px8apldeqmrd

One that was identified straight off was 35.94000 173.8 PL WQGY539 Hollywood Club Tow

recording here: https://www.box.com/s/581b4u017wkxxbsyfiyo

First time I've heard California on Low VHF in perhaps 11 years so thrilled to get these.

Any info on the unid's would be very gratefully received

Good Dx to all!

Paul Logan
Lisnaskea, N. Ireland

Uniden BCT15X / Delta loop cut for 33.7 mhz.

[dnchlson]

Would probably be a direct result to the geomagnetic storm we had yesterday.

[inigo88]

That is so cool! Thank you for sharing!

[Exsmokey]

Did you try searching in the 42-45 MHz range? If you did and didn't receive anything then the Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF) must have been somewhere in the 36 MHz range. The MUF is affected by how strong the ionization of the atmosphere is and which layer is the strongest. That is a simplified explanation of the process. It is quite fascinating how the sun affects the MUF.

In the 1980 sunspot maximum I was picking up the mobile traffic of ambulances in Portland, Maine from southwestern New Mexico. Knowing it was so strong I tried a search of the lower VHF high band and received some very brief and weak signals that I believe were from Kansas. I could not confirm, but I heard the words "Lawrence" and "Manhattan", both cities in Kansas.

There is also a phenomena called "ducting" that occurs when air is formed into strong layers of higher and lower temperature, primarily in the summer. The MUF is then much higher. I've picked up 2m amateur radio on the west side of California's Sierra Nevada, a large mountain range of steep topography, from their east side that I would not otherwise been able to receive. The repeaters were located at 3,000-4,000 feet on the opposite side of a 12,000-13,000 foot ridge at . The ducting I've experienced is much shorter in duration than ionization. I've not been able to key up those repeaters during ducting so it has not been all that strong.

[scover5555]

My dad talked several times from an Indiana state police car in northern Indiana to CHP cars in southern California back in the 70's and early 80's. ISP used some 42 MHz freqs as did CHP. Spring and especially fall was alway good for hearing skip between these two states. Once we even heard a bank robbery dispatched in spanish from Puerto Rico. I know this is nothing compared to Ireland but just had to share.

[KMA367]

Originally Posted by misterpaul71

The following was recorded on 35.36 D156 and seems to be making references to locations in Kingsburg, California - can anyone suggest what this is? Recording here:

https://www.box.com/s/5mrxnx63px8apldeqmrd

Great catches! This one is no doubt "Outback Materials" - KOL682 in the San Joaquin Valley, with references as you mentioned to Kingsburg, Fresno County and a house on Corral Dr in Coarsegold (between Fresno & Yosemite), Madera County.
.

[misterpaul71]

Hi KMA367,

thanks so much for the positive ID on this. I had searched in Fresno county and found nothing, should have checked the surrounding ones.

A real thrill to nail this! Might even contact the company and let them know where they were being heard, I'm sure they'd be shocked!

again many many thanks!

Paul Logan
Lisnaskea, N. Ireland

[misterpaul71]

Hi Exsmokey,

the muf on that day seemed parked around 36 mhz. No CHP traffic was heard on 39 or 42 mhz. Last time I heard those here was 2001- 2002. F2 at the moment is seeing daily muf's here up to about 40 mhz but to my west in the afternoons 36 mhz seems about the norm.

On the subject of tropo ducting it sure can be an amazing phenomena to observe. One of my main interests is FM broadcast band DX'ing. Check this video out - its German radio being heard via ducting at a distance of about 620 miles - the signal even being there on the whip of a small portable radio. Very rare reception here :-)

[misterpaul71]

Link missing from the above is:

95.9 WDR3 Aachen Germany - 1002 km / 623 mile FM tropo in Ireland - YouTube

[misterpaul71]

Originally Posted by scover5555

My dad talked several times from an Indiana state police car in northern Indiana to CHP cars in southern California back in the 70's and early 80's. ISP used some 42 MHz freqs as did CHP. Spring and especially fall was alway good for hearing skip between these two states. Once we even heard a bank robbery dispatched in spanish from Puerto Rico. I know this is nothing compared to Ireland but just had to share.

Hi Scover, amazing things happen when the atmosphere allows :-) nice stories.

I think you might get a chuckle out of this recording I made back in 2002:

"Wheres that weird skip coming from?"
"Wheres that weird skip coming from?" - YouTube