Northern Lights Affect On Radios

[Opossum214]

Has the Aurora borealis had any affect on radio transmissions for anyone? Last night (8-17) I was able to pick up two different statewide P25 sites that are 70 plus miles away on my g4s. One G4 with an external outside antenna at 30' and the other with just the internal stubby and to my surprise I was getting 4 to 5 bars on the stubby as well. Not sure what was happening last night but, it has my wondering had something to do with the Northern Lights? Just for reference I can only receive the one statewide site with only one or two bars on the outside antenna when the weather is clear and sometimes not even then.

 

[KL5LD]

Where do you live?

 

[Opossum214]

NW Indiana on the border next to Chicago.

 

[trentbob]

There have been recent solar flares causing aurora borealis. Apparently it's been mostly in the northern part of the country. The solar cycle has been affecting reception positively and negatively.

 

[iMONITOR]

Northern lights might be visible in Michigan sky until Friday night

Northern lights might be visible in Michigan sky until Friday night

The northern lights are predicted to be visible as far south as Ohio and Pennsylvania.

www.freep.com

"The Upper Peninsula is known to offer great conditions to view night sky phenomena due to its latitude, but Lower Peninsula residents may also get the chance to witness the northern lights as they're predicted to be visible as far south as Ohio and Pennsylvania."

 

[KL5LD]

Oh wow. That interesting. I live in Alaska and we have not been able to see them. As it has been raining for what now feels like the past month. I'm sure once the clouds clear we will get them nice and bright. As for radios go it is my understanding that Auroras cause a distortion in radio waves. I took a class to get my license the teacher briefly touched on this topic. The video he played was very distorted audio of 10-meter broadcasting in an aurora. But that was up here in Alaska not sure down in the states.

 

[nd5y]

It's probably just tropo and not auroral propagation. Especially at UHF and higher frequenies.

Auroral Radio Propagation: Auroral Backscatter » Electronics Notes

Notes and essential details about auroras and how they affect radio propagation: how auroral backscatter propagation works.

www.electronics-notes.com

Auroral Propagation - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site

rsgb.org

 

[KL5LD]

It's probably just tropo and not auroral propagation. Especially at UHF and higher frequenies.

Auroral Radio Propagation: Auroral Backscatter » Electronics Notes

Notes and essential details about auroras and how they affect radio propagation: how auroral backscatter propagation works.

www.electronics-notes.com

Auroral Propagation - Radio Society of Great Britain - Main Site : Radio Society of Great Britain – Main Site

rsgb.org

Well, I learned a lot from reading this, but now I am even more confused lol. So basically it does and doesn't have an effect on radio waves in HF. Perfect.

 

[rrman987]

NW Indiana on the border next to Chicago.

Off topic
You must be in Valparaiso, Portage, Hobart, Griffith, East Gary area? Lived in Val-parain-snow Windiania (lake effect snows and rains) there 50 years ago.

 

[Opossum214]

Off topic
You must be in Valparaiso, Portage, Hobart, Griffith, East Gary area? Lived in Val-parain-snow Windiania (lake effect snows and rains) there 50 years ago.

Valpo is way east in Porter County, I'm only a couple of blocks on from Illinois right next to Chicago. "Da Region"

 

[spanky15805]

Homepage | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

www.swpc.noaa.gov