interesting ... USCG 09-16-06 @ 2354

[ffemtbland]

hello all - and thanks for being a part of the forum! just thought some would be interested to know that while i was doing homework last night here in madison i heard the USCG Station MKE issue an alert about someone who had jumped in the lake or something ... i was pretty impressed as to range of their tx. i use a yaesu FT-60 handheld connected to a copper j-pole tuned to 146.52 ... just happend to have 156.8 tuned in (MARINE 16). the j-pole is even inside! pretty cool.
Later on,
KC9JMD
Lars

 

[OpSec]

Now that Group Milwaukee has become Sector Lake Michigan, they usually transmit from the "high" site next to the HQ or from the Sears Tower in Chicago. Both sites have very good inland coverage due to their height and ERP.

I routinely monitor channels 16 and 22A (all of the weather and safety broadcasts are done there) as part of the scan list in one of my VHF mobile radios. There is some interesting stuff that comes up there once in a while.

 

[ffemtbland]

any guesses on ERP?
KC9JMD
Lars

 

[OpSec]

The antennas that I've seen have been 4 bay folded dipole setup's, pointed out over the lake (east in our case). Even so, it should have a ~3db lobe to the rear. I'm not sure what the actual RF output power level is, but I'm guessing the feedline is rather short (transmitter room to antenna) and some type of hardline...so most of the RF should be making it to the antenna.

I can't imagine the high sites transmit more than 50-100w...that's more than sufficent for the sites to cover the nearshore lake from both sides. The Milwaukee high site is ~500 feet, and the Sears Tower is ~1000 feet so a lot of RF isn't needed to cover flat water at those heights.

 

[ffemtbland]

I suppose RF propagation over water is like that of sound propagation of water ... If it is, thats good! Thanks, stateboy, your posts are always appreciated.
Lars
KC9JMD

 

[OpSec]

For what it's worth, the USCG high level sites for our side of the lake are located near Escanaba, Sturgeon Bay, Two Rivers, Milwaukee and Chicago.

From the USCG, circa 1994:

North half

Soulf half

Note: the transmitter at Kenosha is a low level site at the small boat station located there.

 

[k9rzz]

For what it's worth, the USCG high level sites for our side of the lake are located near Escanaba, Sturgeon Bay, Two Rivers, Milwaukee and Chicago.

From the USCG, circa 1994:

North half

Soulf half

Note: the transmitter at Kenosha is a low level site at the small boat station located there.

Great resource ! More DX targets ... see how many USCG bases I can log.

Here's all the maps:

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/cgcomms/nds.htm

In the summer I can usually hear Grand Haven, MI better than Milwaukee. One night this summer I was listening to USCG Sturgeon Bay helping a stranded boater as a line of storms was approaching. Have also heard some of the bigger boats entering the Muskegon harbor as well.

John K9RZZ
Milwaukee - approx 6 miles from Lake Michigan
R7100 + 2m 5/8 wave whip in attic