Radio Skip today

[MrAntiDigital]

Rise and Shine. Another day. Thank you Lord, for allowing me to make it through the night. At this senior age, it's something you really do consider, and a cup of wake up coffee hits the spot.

What makes this morning even better is how today (5/25/2016), I am enjoying the "skip" on my scanner of some of my favorite radio stations.

So good to hear places like the Stamford FD on 154.13, some 100 or so miles away. Or Milford FD dispatching Quint 3 to a call on 154.34 mhz. about 60 miles from the ole' homestead. Eng 1 now making a run to 849 Boston Post Rd. .

Also reported to me earlier from a scanner buff living in the Baltic, Ct area, aka Town of Sprague (for those who don't know, just north of Norwich), he's hearing the Bridgeport FD and even Springfield, Mass FD.

Both of us have outside antennas on the roof. A simple thing like this just happens to put a smile on our old faces. Both being senior citizens, it doesn't really take too much to make us happy these days.

On a sour note though, both of us NOT too happy about trying to hear New London PD and FD on a digital system. Once one of our favorites and able to pick them up loud and clear at our homes on the 453 band. No longer possible only a few towns away. "We Miss you New London".

In the meantime enjoying Stamford FD who just responded to a waterflow alarm, I think they said Eng 2(?), Truck 1, Rescue 1 responding. Also just heard, "Medic 2 clearing the scene". One hundred miles away folks.

With the atmosphere conditions looking quite favorable for the next few months ahead, I can sense a few sleepless nights coming as the action continues.

 

[ecps92]

Yup, a nice VHF Band Openning today as the fog and dew burn off
VHF Propagation Map

Rise and Shine. Another day. Thank you Lord, for allowing me to make it through the night. At this senior age, it's something you really do consider, and a cup of wake up coffee hits the spot.

What makes this morning even better is how today (5/25/2016), I am enjoying the "skip" on my scanner of some of my favorite radio stations.

So good to hear places like the Stamford FD on 154.13, some 100 or so miles away. Or Milford FD dispatching Quint 3 to a call on 154.34 mhz. about 60 miles from the ole' homestead. Eng 1 now making a run to 849 Boston Post Rd. .

Also reported to me earlier from a scanner buff living in the Baltic, Ct area, aka Town of Sprague (for those who don't know, just north of Norwich), he's hearing the Bridgeport FD and even Springfield, Mass FD.

Both of us have outside antennas on the roof. A simple thing like this just happens to put a smile on our old faces. Both being senior citizens, it doesn't really take too much to make us happy these days.

On a sour note though, both of us NOT too happy about trying to hear New London PD and FD on a digital system. Once one of our favorites and able to pick them up loud and clear at our homes on the 453 band. No longer possible only a few towns away. "We Miss you New London".

In the meantime enjoying Stamford FD who just responded to a waterflow alarm, I think they said Eng 2(?), Truck 1, Rescue 1 responding. Also just heard, "Medic 2 clearing the scene". One hundred miles away folks.

With the atmosphere conditions looking quite favorable for the next few months ahead, I can sense a few sleepless nights coming as the action continues.

 

[MrAntiDigital]

Yup, a nice VHF Band Openning today as the fog and dew burn off
VHF Propagation Map

THANK YOU "ecps92", I didn't know such a map existed.

HAPPY DAYS are HERE AGAIN.

 

[firerick100]

Gotta live the skips, ill have to see if i can get new haven & bport from my area in wolcott, the only thing in the way is sleeping giant moutain and meriden mountain where castle craig is.

 

[ecps92]

DXing Above 30 Mhz - The RadioReference Wiki

THANK YOU "ecps92", I didn't know such a map existed.

HAPPY DAYS are HERE AGAIN.

 

[Dan6071]

waterford / new london digital i can get them when i go to lisbon in my car and truck digital scanner .

 

[MrAntiDigital]

DXing Above 30 Mhz - The RadioReference Wiki

Thanks again for that info.

In years past, I have heard Philadelphia FD during a multiple alarm fire on summer nights years ago. I believe at the time, they shared the same inbound repeater frequency as Brooklyn's FDNY. I think (?) it was 153.95 mhz. That was Philly FDs Citywide Channel at the time.

I've also heard FDNY Brooklyn in my car while in Providence, RI chasing fires up there on some very busy Fourth of Julys. Brooklyn was going crazy too at the same time.

I have heard Camden County, NJ Fire on 154.43 at my home in Eastern, Ct. I don't know if they are still on that frequency today.

"Dan6071" - I have also tried to pick up NL in my car in Lisbon (Lisbon Mall). So did the gentleman I mentioned earlier from Baltic. Neither one of us had any luck. We didn't understand that because it was reported that the signal can be received up to that area. That goes along with what you say. However, no luck for us. Honest, we tried. But thanks away.

On a regular basis, with no skip, in Eastern, Ct I would listen daily to:
New Haven FD - 33.82 and 33.68
Springfield, Mass - 154.40 (they used to run ambulances too)
Providence, RI - 154.37
Boston, Mass - 33.74

And everything in between. So if I get to hear a little skip once in awhile now, "I sure do appreciate it".

 

[izzyj4]

Come on Willy D!!! Are you getting tired of hearing me talk from Mashantucket to Southbury training on 33.84 on a clear night?!?!? LOL

It's great when the conditions are great to pick up stations that we don't normally hear. Sometimes I can get Norwich city and the vols on their frequencies out here in Ansonia every so often. And occasionally New London on their old UHF frequency, which was a treat! All depends on the weather conditions and "which way the wind blows" so to speak.

Cool story to share. About a year or two ago i was operating on my Ham club's UHF repeater, which is located in Woodbridge. One of our members was traveling to lower Brooklyn and we talked with him pretty much the whole way. The cloud ceiling was just at the right conditions for him to still maintain the repeater that far our. Usually its hard to hit it from the north shore of Long Island!

 

[MrAntiDigital]

I think the farthest skip I remember hearing was in the Old Norwich Fire Headquarters in the downtown area. Fire Dispatching was referred to as Station "N". On a good night Hamilton County, Ohio FD would come in loud and clear on 33.90 mhz. I think they ran the ambulance and they used to call them "Life Squads".

While sitting in my car parked in my driveway, I would sometimes hear FDNYs Manhattan on 154.25 mhz. about 120 miles away.

I know the Bridgeport FD would hear Camden, NJ on their 153.77 channel.

I lost any skip from Stamford or Milford this morning (5/25/16) about 10 AM. The fun is over until next time. Maybe tomorrow, we'll see. At least I can plan on a good nights sleep without listening to the goings on 50, 100 or maybe 150 miles away.

Good night to all !!!

 

[ecps92]

And when the BANDS do open, don't just think LOW/IGH - try the higher bands...

UHF, T , 700/800 and even 900 can open up

Thanks again for that info.

In years past, I have heard Philadelphia FD during a multiple alarm fire on summer nights years ago. I believe at the time, they shared the same inbound repeater frequency as Brooklyn's FDNY. I think (?) it was 153.95 mhz. That was Philly FDs Citywide Channel at the time.

I've also heard FDNY Brooklyn in my car while in Providence, RI chasing fires up there on some very busy Fourth of Julys. Brooklyn was going crazy too at the same time.

I have heard Camden County, NJ Fire on 154.43 at my home in Eastern, Ct. I don't know if they are still on that frequency today.

"Dan6071" - I have also tried to pick up NL in my car in Lisbon (Lisbon Mall). So did the gentleman I mentioned earlier from Baltic. Neither one of us had any luck. We didn't understand that because it was reported that the signal can be received up to that area. That goes along with what you say. However, no luck for us. Honest, we tried. But thanks away.

On a regular basis, with no skip, in Eastern, Ct I would listen daily to:
New Haven FD - 33.82 and 33.68
Springfield, Mass - 154.40 (they used to run ambulances too)
Providence, RI - 154.37
Boston, Mass - 33.74

And everything in between. So if I get to hear a little skip once in awhile now, "I sure do appreciate it".

 

[kayn1n32008]

And when the BANDS do open, don't just think LOW/IGH - try the higher bands...



UHF, T , 700/800 and even 900 can open up

Agreed, in the spring/summer I have seen some fantastic openings in Alberta on UHF, and some other local members to me have seen good openings on 700&800MHz.

There are even enhanced propagation on 1900MHz, a friend does cellular coverage testing/service trouble shooting for one of the major cellular companies, and sees the enhanced coverage with his service gear.

 

[nd5y]

And when the BANDS do open, don't just think LOW/IGH - try the higher bands...

UHF, T , 700/800 and even 900 can open up

Even higher than that. You can see it on NWS radar which is around 3 GHz if I remember right.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Even higher than that. You can see it on NWS radar which is around 3 GHz if I remember right.

Nice.

 

[MarkB513]

CSP Low Band

Anyone remember the days of CSP on low band and the countless times they were constantly walked over by the departments down South? I remember hearing quite often "Our friends from down South covered you again." Unlike Connecticut, they at least were smart enough to use PL's in there radios. Not to say of course they still didn't receive interference. I can also remember monitoring the old high band mobile repeaters while traveling the highways and hearing the skip coming from the low band over them.

 

[MFCJR]

I remember that well. Also the low band fire departments from down south from our local county systems.

 

[emtprt]

When the Lower Naugatuck Valley was operating on the 33 MHz band we would pick up Cherokee County dispatch and OCD . On the flip side, I was in Melbourne Fl and was able to receive Base and mobile traffic from Shelton and Derby like I was at the fire scene.

A few years ago, when we had heavy cloud cover during the summer, Huderton County NJ was opening up Derby's TAC-5 repeater causing them to change the PL. For nearly a week the school bus drivers were coordinating thier coffee orders prior to the start of the shift. The Huderton signal also affected South County Ambulance on Long Island due to the strength of the mobile traffic signal.

 

[GMB951]

Here in North Carolina years back the CHP would walk all over the NCHP,yes i am a old man that still likes skip i have two 32 ch Motorola Maxtrac radios loaded with lowband i use a A-99 for antenna on a 30ft pole

 

[izzyj4]

When the Lower Naugatuck Valley was operating on the 33 MHz band we would pick up Cherokee County dispatch and OCD . On the flip side, I was in Melbourne Fl and was able to receive Base and mobile traffic from Shelton and Derby like I was at the fire scene.

A few years ago, when we had heavy cloud cover during the summer, Huderton County NJ was opening up Derby's TAC-5 repeater causing them to change the PL. For nearly a week the school bus drivers were coordinating thier coffee orders prior to the start of the shift. The Huderton signal also affected South County Ambulance on Long Island due to the strength of the mobile traffic signal.

Nothing beat Derby on 33.44 and hearing the Portuguese fishermen overnight sometimes.

 

[cg]

When I used to dispatch for Simsbury FD in the late 70's, we would regularly hear Pasco County FL and Ponderosa TX.
I also recall hearing a dispatch coming in from California with a brush fire assignment with dozers and helicopters. That was impressive for a CT firefighter.
I regularly monitor skip from all the Northeast and down through New Jersey. Those who live nearer the coast should be able to hear down towards VA and NC on good days.
Also, don't forget FM music band, especially if you have one of those FM radios with the callsign display on the screen. Otherwise monitor towards the top of the hour.

chris

 

[ecps92]

Ahhh, yes the E-Skip for the FM Bands..

Simsbury was that 33.90 ??

Here in Boston we never got CT on 33.90
Our three local users - SW NH, Lakes Region NH and Plymouth County
always got Hamilton Cnty Ohio and I think Ponderosa TX

I do remember one big event where Boston Fire was relaying traffic back to Ohio on 33.74 as they could not hear their own Apparatus, during a Tornado outbreak

When I used to dispatch for Simsbury FD in the late 70's, we would regularly hear Pasco County FL and Ponderosa TX.
I also recall hearing a dispatch coming in from California with a brush fire assignment with dozers and helicopters. That was impressive for a CT firefighter.
I regularly monitor skip from all the Northeast and down through New Jersey. Those who live nearer the coast should be able to hear down towards VA and NC on good days.
Also, don't forget FM music band, especially if you have one of those FM radios with the callsign display on the screen. Otherwise monitor towards the top of the hour.

chris