Skip For 7/18

[btritch]

Can anyone tell me what some of the best skip frequencies have been lately? I have a Pro 97, PSR 500, and Scantenna about 60 feet up or so and I've not gotten any low band skip lately so apparently it's not coming in on low band, Does anyone know what some of the better higher skip frequencies are that would be good to monitor tonight?


EDIT: I'm picking up a 154.995 that appears to be a city called Bolivar, I've looked up every Bolivar in the U.S. and I've not found that frequency! I'm still searching.

 

[kc4jgc]

Bolivar Conty MS?

 

[KF4ZTO]

The best bands to start searching for skip are the lowband public safety frequencies. 33, 39 and 42 MHz are by far the most commonly used...42 MHz by state highway patrol agencies running a considerable amount of power. There are also the 44 and 46 MHz public safety bands...Oklahoma Highway Patrol uses 44.70 MHz and I hear that pretty often when skip is rolling through.

Depending on where the band is open to, you'll hear different things. I use 11 meters (CB and the related things) and 10 meters as my starting points. If those are hopping I move up in frequency and see what else I hear. I would also recommend using the service search function on your scanner and setting it for police/fire - lowband. (Band 0 in the Pro-96, I'm not sure if the PSR-500 uses the same configuration).

If the band is open to the south, expect to hear a lot of Spanish-speaking stations in the 30 to 32 MHz bands. These are taxi dispatchers...who are apparently running a lot of power.

another tool I use for lowband work is VHF-DX.

http://www.vhfdx.net/spots/map.php?Lan=E&Frec=MUF&Map=NA&mycall=&myloc=&freq=&prop=

A high MUF (maximum usable frequency) near or above your location on the map could indicate a band opening. Usually the frequencies that you'll hear the best are right below the MUF in frequency, but that isn't always the case. When VHF-DX shows a above 35 or so MHz MUF above my location (Richmond, VA) I go outside and do some lowband DXing.

Hope this helps.

-ZTO

 

[gus88]

Hi Brian,
I noticed that Oak Grove Heights lists 154.995, with 159.405 input. I found Bolivar, MO has 159.405 listed.
Most likely what's happening is you're hearing it through Oak Grove's repeater.

A couple of times, back in the 70s & 80s, I heard the Buffalo, NY FD on 154.19, which is Toledo, OH's FD.
Buffalo used 153.95, which was Toledo's input. I would sometimes hear the Detroit FD rigs on Toledo's repeater, as Detroit used 153.95 as their input.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Russ

 

[btritch]

Hi Brian,
I noticed that Oak Grove Heights lists 154.995, with 159.405 input. I found Bolivar, MO has 159.405 listed.
Most likely what's happening is you're hearing it through Oak Grove's repeater.

A couple of times, back in the 70s & 80s, I heard the Buffalo, NY FD on 154.19, which is Toledo, OH's FD.
Buffalo used 153.95, which was Toledo's input. I would sometimes hear the Detroit FD rigs on Toledo's repeater, as Detroit used 153.95 as their input.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Russ

I thought about the Oak Grove Heights Thing, But The PL was different, So I didn't think it could be it, Could Be though, I never gave a thought to it being the input freqency, It would work even with a different PL? That being the case, Probably So then..thanks For Correcting me on that Russ!

EDIT: That's GOT to be it! I'm hearing them tonight on the same frequency ON MY HANDHELD on my HANDHELD ANTENNA! That's never happened before! I'm fixing to look up their FCC license and see how much power their running! That's a long ways from here for the repeater to even get! It's like 400 miles NW!

It says their only running 40.00 ERP and 40.00 Max power, That's only 40 watts! That shouldn't travel 400 miles!!! Should it?? Could It?? Is it???