Surprised I Heard This

[FLA2760]

A few nights ago I was unable to sleep and was still awake at 5 am, too much coffee that day. So, I turn on my Radio Shack Pro 2053 and a little while later I hear an unfamiliar FD toneout. I proceed to hear a call for a MVC on I-95 in St. Johns County. It was clear too. The thing is I live in Hernando County on the other side of the state. I do not know the distance "as the crow flies" but driving it is about 185 miles. Here is the wild part, the only antenna I have on that scanner is a Watson W-881 "Super Gainer", attached to the rear of the scanner via the BNC connection. I regularly get Tampa PD on this at night but that is 60 miles away. It has not happened since. Have any of you heard stuff that was very far away without a roof or attic antenna?

 

[W6KRU]

I am guessing that what you experienced was due to ducting. There is a forum here devoted to that subject.

 

[FLA2760]

Thanks Dan. I found this when I did a Goggle search. Pretty interesting.

Tropospheric Ducting Forecast for VHF & UHF Radio & TV

 

[petey_racer]

Every so often I get NYC FD traffic on VHF. That is over 100 miles away.
The accents are unmistakable!

 

[W6KRU]

Every so often I get NYC FD traffic on VHF. That is over 100 miles away.
The accents are unmistakable!

And hams in California can talk to Hawaii from their VHF mobiles. :lol:

 

[kayn1n32008]

And hams in California can talk to Hawaii from their VHF mobiles. :lol:

it has also on occasion, been done with a 5w handheld on the cali side... beams and more power on the hawaii side tho.

 

[hoser147]

I live on a large inland lake, its not unusual at all for hams setting in their trucks with monster antenna's in the back of the truck, yakin away.

 

[FLA2760]

Every so often I get NYC FD traffic on VHF. That is over 100 miles away.
The accents are unmistakable!

LOL. I grew up in NYC lived there 33 years. I moved to FL in 1997. I still talk like I'm in NYC, just a little slower now.

 

[brandon]

Living in El Cajon I used to hear LAPD (on occasion) with a handheld/ HT antenna.
Probably 100 miles or so.

With an outdoor antenna I have pulled in Santa Barbara FD, Ridgecrest PD and Las Vegas Metro (Resident Disp) from southern Riverside County. At least 150 to 170 miles.

 

[stingray327]

A few nights ago I was unable to sleep and was still awake at 5 am, too much coffee that day. So, I turn on my Radio Shack Pro 2053 and a little while later I hear an unfamiliar FD toneout. I proceed to hear a call for a MVC on I-95 in St. Johns County. It was clear too. The thing is I live in Hernando County on the other side of the state. I do not know the distance "as the crow flies" but driving it is about 185 miles. Here is the wild part, the only antenna I have on that scanner is a Watson W-881 "Super Gainer", attached to the rear of the scanner via the BNC connection. I regularly get Tampa PD on this at night but that is 60 miles away. It has not happened since. Have any of you heard stuff that was very far away without a roof or attic antenna?

Maybe you experienced ideal skip conditions.

 

[Tribull]

Last night I was able to hear Fall river PD up here in Bellingham,ma which is about 50 miles away.This was only using my Diamond RH77CA on a mini mag mount.

 

[stingray327]

I mounted a glass antenna and it works pretty good. Alot better than that Y881 antenna I was using.

 

[kb2vxa]

"Living in El Cajon I used to hear LAPD (on occasion) with a handheld/ HT antenna."
That's pretty good for someone living in a footlocker. (;->)

 

[mrsvensven]

Last night I was able to hear Fall river PD up here in Bellingham,ma which is about 50 miles away.This was only using my Diamond RH77CA on a mini mag mount.

I think Fall River has a really good signal, I can hear then from Northbridge even during the day,