Author Topic: Mountains  (Read 655 times)

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Offline DaleReid

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Mountains
« on: May 03, 2014, 09:46:33 PM »
Looking at the areas on the US map that need coverage, and knowing there are some that are about to come on line, I've been talking with a friend who lives in Jackson, WY, near the base of the Tetons to the west a few miles, with Yellowstone north 60 miles or so, and the Absaroka and Wind River ranges to the East and South.

He's not eager to put a lot of time, energy and money into a project that will be, by the very nature of his location surrounded by so much granite, doomed to be a poor class station.

I think these frequencies do ground wave just fine, and that mountains are great for screening out cell signals, VHF mobile radio signals etc, but am I right in encouraging him to have a go at it to put a station up that has peaks thousands of feet higher than he is, so close?  They don't call it a 'hole' for nothing.  Well, actually a hole in that parlance is a flat, relatively foot hill free area, and indeed it is, as anyone would know if they've driven through there.

Dale
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Offline Cutty Sark Sailor

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Re: Mountains
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2014, 12:25:56 AM »
These are VLF signals, while granite might have some effect he'd virtually need to bury his antenna in the stuff, as far as I can figure. Certainly if he can get AM radio reception from stations >30 or 50 miles, I'd suggest he'd have no issue with H signals from 150+ miles minimum. And I'd bet he'd copy a lot further than that, even if they were Ionospheric like the rest of us. Eventually that will be within the optimum distance between stations anyway. He'll probably get more irritated with 'dry thunderstorms' that spark up a bunch but produce only virga and forest fires. ...
« Last Edit: May 04, 2014, 12:29:04 AM by Cutty Sark Sailor »
 


Offline W3DRM

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Re: Mountains
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2014, 05:08:43 PM »
I have mountains to the west of me within six miles that are at 10,900 to over 11,000 feet. I am at 4800 feet and they do not have any apparent effect on my lightning detection. If anything, the mountains may give him better (lower) noise levels simply because they block a lot of RF interference. Wyoming is most likely a pretty quiet environment from an electrical noise perspective due to its lack of large cities.
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Offline Cutty Sark Sailor

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Re: Mountains
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2014, 06:01:54 PM »
Maybe your friend just doesn't want to do it.... that happens. 

I'm awaiting my E field, knowing full well my location may be too noisy... I have a lot of M noise, but apparently little E noise.... that, may be meaningless with the sensitivity of the new amp... , considering I know I have welders etc just over the hill, a lot of 'vapor' lighting within a quarter mile, with power lines south and  a HV xmission line 300 ft north. That's probably enough doubt to dissuade a sane person.

Not fitting into that classification, I'm going ahead anyway. I know that if it proves unsuitable, Dr Obbins down south, or Dale, or someone would likely take it off my hands.... sure worth a try. I'll try it down to the last millimeter of antenna length before abandoning.  And anyway, "the horse might learn to sing..." .

By the way, just FYI.... the new stubby E field antenna technically should be called a 'probe'    ...

Mike
« Last Edit: May 04, 2014, 06:04:50 PM by Cutty Sark Sailor »