Tropo Ducting: Minnesota to Tennessee - 6/29/11

[RandyB]

I've followed tropospheric ducting events since I first got in the hobby and have posted my findings occasionally on this forum. Last night's event was definitely the most interesting (and longest distance) I've ever experienced.

Using a BC898T and a Radio Shack 20-176 antenna in the attic, located near the TN/KY state line, 50 miles northwest of Nashville, I was able to receive the following. These were identified using a combination of frequency, PL/DPL tone (referencing the database on this site), context of what was being said (towns, road names, and other references), and accents. For me, the detective work is the most fun part.

154.845 103.5 - Saint Louis County Police
155.13 103.5 - Saint Louis County Police
155.655 103.5 - Saint Louis County Police
154.785 173.8 - Ballwin, Missouri Police
155.04 103.5 - Farmington, Missouri Police
154.845 127.3 - ?
155.19 156.7 - Alton IL?
156.21 114.8 - ?? (Simulcast of P25 digital)
154.22 114.8 - KAF919 St Louis County Fire Dispatch
155.655 167.9 - Upper Midwest accent, MCD1200 signaling used
155.685 97.4 - ?
155.7 82.5 - Upper Midwest accent, Sauk County, WI?
154.25 103.5 - ?
155.64 114.8 Jefferson County, MO sheriff
154.845 151.4 - base only with tone remote tones at the beginning of the transmission
155.7 192.8 - Iowa State Police (Gunder, IA), mention of Clayton County and Monona, "Spencer" "County 405 status check"
155.7 127.3 - ?
155.7 186.2 - St. Croix County, WI
155.58 186.2 - St. Croix County, WI (West), use of the tone marker during restricted radio traffic
154.8 114.8 - ?
155.0175 179.9 - Carroll Co Arkansas?
155.13 186.2 - Either Pierce County, WI or Logan County, IL?
155.145 192.8 - Cedar Rapids PD
155.475 67.0 - "State police Collinsville"
155.685 141.3 - Dewitt County, IL?
154.725 D441 - Upper Midwest accent, MDC1200 signaling used
155.685 71.9 - ?
155.52 110.9 - Brown County, MN "New Ulm"
155.61 77.0 - ?
154.725 CSQ - "Henry County," base only, upper Midwest accent
155.67 203.5 - Murray County, MN?
155.6925 141.3 - ? "Trinity 403"
460.075 127.3 - ?
460.1 156.7 - MDC1200 signaling used, Midwest/upper Midwest accent. Knox County/Galesburg, IL?
Digital Television KGAN CBS-2 Cedar Rapids
146.85 CSQ - Thick upper Midwest / Minnesota-Wisconsin accents
Digital Television KMOV 4-1/4-2 Saint Louis
KWWL Waterloo / Cedar Rapids
155.415 141.3 - P25 digital simulcast? St. Clair County, IL?
154.74 118.8 - ?
155.01 123.0 - Green County, Wisc?
154.815 167.9 - MDC1200 Mattoon, IL? Tone remote chirps heard
155.25 131.8 - ?
155.5725 D115 - ?
155.685 192.8 - "Highway 6" Iowa State Police?
154.755 156.7 - ?
460.225 - GE Star signaling used, very weak
155.25 77.0 - ?
155.25 127.3 - ?

Longest distance appeared to be 650 miles, from Brown County, MN (New Ulm) on VHF (155.52).

Looks like more to come over the next few days!

 

[louisiana_jeeper]

On for Tonight

Looks as though you are on again maybe now at 4:15 pm. I do not recall seeing openings as early as they have been last few weeks. I no longer do weak signal tropo like I did years ago but this site is showing it right now with APRS reports VHF Propagation Map#

EDIT IN: The site is not responding now for me. It has proven to be handy here in the past and even when I made the above post so lets hope it is a temporary problem.

 

[RandyB]

Same here. It was working for me earlier though.

Conditions are definitely better than normal now. I'm pulling in lots of regional stuff that I wouldn't normally get otherwise. Looks like we are on again tonight once the sun sets and the very lowest part of the atmosphere cools rather quickly. Not sure how it will compare to last night, but it should be fairly substantial nonetheless.