To: <topband@contesting.com>
> Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 11:22:44 -0700
> From: bfrede@poci.amis.com
> Subject: TopBand: 160 propagation to Idaho
>
> Hello from Potatoland,
> I wonder if anyone might have some thoughts regarding my 160m situation in
> Idaho. Am I living in a cone of silence or what?
>
> I've always wondered if the topography around my QTH is affecting my reception
> of DX. I am in a mountain valley with mountains rising to 7500 ft to the west
> and east of me. My QTH is at 4400 ft. The angle from the horizontal to
> mountain top on the east side is 11 degrees and on the west side is 16
> degrees.
> Could I be severely shielded from incoming low angle signals?
Here is some anecdotal information that may shed some light on this issue.
I live in the SF bay area but my main station is in the central valley.
The bay area is similar to your valley, or perhaps even worse. The central
valley (where my stations is located) has a 3 degree horizon due east
and considerably lower in all other directions (this is not a coincidence,
I studied topo maps before choosing the location.) In the bay area,
it is just about impossible to hear KOMA on 1520 kHz (50kW, Oklahoma).
In the central valley, any decent car radio will give you armchair copy.
On several occasions, I have listened to KOMA on the way back to the bay
area. It does fine until I go over the Altamont pass into the bay area.
At the top of the pass, reception briefly becomes spectacular, then
once on the bay side, no reception the rest of the way home.
Another example, I could never work JA from my bay area QTH on 80 even
with a KW. From the central valley, it was a piece of cake with 10 watts
Rick Karlquist N6RK
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