Do approaching storms affect scanning range?

[safetyobc]

I was just curious if an approaching storm affects the scanning distance(mainly talking about a storm with heavy lightening). Does it give you more range or less? What other things does it affect? I know not to hook up a scanner to an outdoor antenna while it is storming, but I am talking about a storm that is say 50 to 100 or more miles away. Thanks for any posts.

 

[ka3jjz]

The brief answer is yes, it most certainly can. Weather systems that involve a large clash between 2 different air masses can sometimes create a duct that can cause a signal to travel for hundreds of miles or more beyond where it would normally. Another form of skip occurs when a stationery air mass sits in a single position for long periods of time. During the summertime, this is referred to as a Bermuda High, and can also act as a duct for longer range transmission of signals.

There are many other mechanisms that can get involved; for example, one school of thought suggests that heavy lightning may create ionized patches in the ionosphere that can temporarily cause a V/UHF signal to travel great distances. Another school suggests that solar flare activity increases the chance for skip. There are several others as well.

Here is a very good site to read up all about it. Although it is geared to TV/FM DXers, it's just as applicable to scannists....

http://home.cogeco.ca/~dxinfo/tropo.html

To see other parts of the Earth, simply scroll down about 2/3 of the way past the maps, and you'll see several links, including some more detailed descriptiions of how DX in this spectrum can and does occur.

In closing, it's always a good idea to err on the side of caution; when a lightning storm approaches, seperate the antenna lead and scanner by as much distance as possible, and ground it if you can. Don't depend on a lightning arrestor; it can, and sometimes does, fail due to the enormous amount of energy unleashed. Remember, some bolts are quite literally hotter than the surface of the sun.

73s Mike

 

[safetyobc]

Thanks! That is a cool map. I will check it often and see if the theory holds true for me. Thanks for the info!

 

[radiolalaland]

Yes, very interesting things do happen when these systems collide. I've been lucky enough to hear some pretty far skip while scanning in the mobile.

After I enjoyed the brief skip period. I then drove right through the nasty storm that blew through. Lot's of wind/rain/thunder/lightning. Quite a site actually that it was.

Atleast I had all the fire depts in to hear where lines were down, that and I knew where the next taxi call was somewhere in the North East.

 

[OmensEdge]

Not that it has much of anything to do with your question, but I've been noticing that the clear skies we've had around here lately definately improve my reception. Needless to say, different atmospheric conditions can improve or worsen the qaulity and distance of your reception.

 

[RocketMan1]

Not that it has much of anything to do with your question, but I've been noticing that the clear skies we've had around here lately definately improve my reception. Needless to say, different atmospheric conditions can improve or worsen the qaulity and distance of your reception.

really? Mine is just the opposite, when the ski is clear, really distant frequencies come in scratchy at best, on cloudy, sometimes rainy days they come in alot clearer.

 

[mlevin]

Not that it has much of anything to do with your question, but I've been noticing that the clear skies we've had around here lately definately improve my reception. Needless to say, different atmospheric conditions can improve or worsen the qaulity and distance of your reception.

really? Mine is just the opposite, when the ski is clear, really distant frequencies come in scratchy at best, on cloudy, sometimes rainy days they come in alot clearer.

Same with me. On cold winter nights when it's snowing, is when I get the best reception.

 

[Joseph11]

really? Mine is just the opposite, when the ski is clear, really distant frequencies come in scratchy at best, on cloudy, sometimes rainy days they come in alot clearer.

Not here. When the sky is clear and the sun is bright, I can pick up some things more clearly.

 

[K5MAR]

As a point of information, why not include the frequencies or bands that get better or worse. Like 155.400, or VHF-high, something like that. I suspect some bands improve while others get worse. I know when things get warm around here in the springtime, we get some marvelous 2m (VHF-high) ducting, while UHF range goes to pieces. And UHF gets better when the atmosphere cools in the evening.

Mark S.

 

[twolf816]

i always seem to pick up skip the worst when the weather is bad

 

[mlevin]

As a point of information, why not include the frequencies or bands that get better or worse. Like 155.400, or VHF-high, something like that. I suspect some bands improve while others get worse. I know when things get warm around here in the springtime, we get some marvelous 2m (VHF-high) ducting, while UHF range goes to pieces. And UHF gets better when the atmosphere cools in the evening.

Mark S.

800 comes in nice and clear as well as the VHF Aircraft freqs when it's snowing. Don't listen to much UHF so don';t really notice a difference. When it's raining everything deteriorates unless it's a T-Storm. The last few days the weather has been between 60 and 70 with crystal clear skys and reception has decreased a bit, most noticeably on 800.

 

[Joseph11]

On a sunny day, 453.0500 MHz (Brick PD) comes in clearly. On that same day, 460.4500 MHz (Barnegat PD) comes in terrible.

 

[Voyager]

I was just curious if an approaching storm affects the scanning distance(mainly talking about a storm with heavy lightening). Does it give you more range or less? What other things does it affect? I know not to hook up a scanner to an outdoor antenna while it is storming, but I am talking about a storm that is say 50 to 100 or more miles away. Thanks for any posts.

I suppose it should be mentioned that storms are not the only thing that can affect the range. General atmospheric conditions can also affect propagation - sometimes enhancing it - sometimes diminishing it. This can be anything from a spring shower to tropospheric ducting to the ion contant in the aomosphere. On the lower bands (HF, VHF low) lightning static can be quite 'offensive'. Sometimes, it can even be heard on VHF high and UHF when it's close.

Rain and snow present at your location generally lower the range of communications due to the water content in the air - especially on the higher bands.

Joe M.

 

[dkalley]

storm propagation

two weeks ago i picked up noaa at hawthorne, nv while at work. this is seventy miles away to the south, amazingly i couldn't pick up either local tower at slide mtn or virginia peak, the later i rarely get clear twenty miles away. it didn't notice the scanner settled on 162.475 until hearing unfamiliar county weather reports. very cool and haven't heard it since.