Topband: reflectivity of the moon

[Earl W Cunningham]

Carl, K9LA wrote:

"The quoted value of 12% is the reflectivity (albedo) of the moon at
visible light wavelengths (400 to 700 nm)."
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I remember reading in an ARRL publication that the albedo of the moon was
17% at VHF/UHF and that, because the moon subtends an angle of only about
0.5 degree, only a fraction of the energy beamed from an amateur antenna
hits the moon.  Of that that hits it, the 17% that is reflected is not
beamed back to Earth, therefore the amateur legal limit into a high gain
antenna and an extremely low noise front end in the receiver is required
if one tries for moonbounce QSOs.
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John, W0UN wrote:

"The phase of the moon has an effect on the ocean tides.  There are also
tides in the atmosphere as well as atmospheric waves.  Structure and
motion could affect local electron densities which might have some effect
on propagation."
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It's logical that the pull of the moon might cause "tides" in the
ionosphere causing it to be higher and perhaps less dense at "high tide".
 It seems feasible this might have some slight effect on propagation
rather than the moon's reflectivity.

73, de Earl, K6SE