Topband: Long Daytime Propagation

[Arthur Delibert]

In the 1960s, when I was studying such things, I saw a paper by some researchers who had set up very low-angle transmitting and receiving antennas on a low frequency and achieved long-distance propagation by way of a signal that was reflected or refracted by the bottom of the D layer, and so didn't suffer the absorption that low-frequency signals usually suffer in that region.  That mode could explain why you were able to work the East Coast stations but not the ones in between, whose signals were at too high an angle.  At this distance, I can't remember any of the details, like the the name of the paper, the authors, or even the frequency they used, but I certainly remember being struck by the fact that such propagation was possible. Art Delibert, KB3FJO
 > Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2012 16:19:10 -0600
> From: n2icarrl at gmail.com
> To: topband at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: Long Daytime Propagation
> 
> Yes, I have played around in the 160 contests during the mid-afternoon, too. 
>  From SW New Mexico, I can typically work the better equipped east coast 
> stations at sunset....but I'm not talking about my sunset, but their sunset 
> around 21Z. At the same time, the closer-in stations in W8 and W9 can't hear me. 
> Strange.
> 
> 73,
> Steve, N2IC
>