KE4NFU's Band Openings

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Every once in a while, weather conditions come together to create what is called a band opening. Band openings occur all the time on HF bands which allows worldwide communications to different areas of the world. But as the frequencies get higher, such as above 50 Mhz, this phenonmon becomes more rare. When weather conditions are just right, skip or tropospheric ducting can occur. I also mentioned this on the FM broadcast radio page, because this is where I first learned of these special occurrences. When these instances occur, you can get reception from TV or radio stations from far away. When it is really amazing is when a ham operator can carry on a 2-way conversation either through simplex or a repeater several hundred miles away, using as little wattage as 5 watts, instead of 50,000 watts or more, which radio and TV stations broadcast with..

One way to spot possible skip or tropospheric ducting conditions is to watch VHF & UHF broadcast television channels for information on 6m, 2m, 440 & higher amateur radio bands. For more information visit the Television Stations Page. On this page, a list of Television stations received by me in the Cobb County area are listed along with hints on how to use television channels for a hint on propagation conditions on the VHF bands.

Below I have listed my band opening experiences. They are listed by date, callsigns and locations for all involved during the stumbles into this rare radio occurrance. Read Up this is Great Radio!!

Paul Lossner
KE4NFU



Tuesday/Wednesday, February 18/19, 2003
11:00 PM - 1:00 AM EST (0400-0600 UTC)

This was the first band opening which I was able to carry on two way conversations with stations from all over the southeast (without ILRP). I just out of the blue decided to turn on the Kenwood TS-2000 just to see who was out at 10:30 PM and two hours later was very glad that I did!! Actually I caught the band opening towards the end of the event. I just decided to key up the W4AM repeater (146.61-) repeater out of Chattanooga, TN and with 10 watts I was making it in loud in clear. I was QSO'ing with Chris W4ORS when Ken, KD5UBH, brought up the repeater and QSO'ed with us from Oxford, Mississippi (about 50 miles SSE of Memphis, TN). With only 20 watts power, Ken was able to communicate about 250 miles. This alerted us a band opening was in progress. Chris then gave me some frequencies where all the action was:

  1. First I was directed over to a 145.41 the NQ4Y repeater located on top of Mounteagle Mountain in Tennessee (This is the mountian which traffic climbs and decends when traveling West on Interstate 24, about 25 miles northwest of Chattanooga, TN while on a trip towards Nashville, TN). With 5 watts output power, I was talking full quieting into a repeater 140 miles to the Northwest. I made the following astounding contacts during several visits to this repeater:
  2. Next, just for kicks I was directed to try using a 440 linked repeater located on top of White Oak, Mountian (near Chattanooga) at 442.925+ t100.0. With or without the 100.0 Hz tone I was able to make it into the repeater with 15 watts, but because of band fluctuations, after testing I increased power and then stayed at 30 watts power. To make it 100+ miles on 440 with only 15-30 watts and be readable was amazing. I stayed here because I could hear all the action of 145.41 on Mounteagle Mountian, without also keying up the local MATPARC Repeater at 145.41. Some of the contacts listed under the 145.41 heading above were also reached throught the 440 input.
  3. Next after advisement from others on the repeater, I then ventured much farther North: Nashville, TN. With 5 watts I was able to talk full-quieting (no static, noise, interference) into the 146.67- Repeater. KC5BBP, Ricky, answered and let me know that this Repeater was located 12 miles north of Nashville, TN. This is a distance of an amazing 220 miles, with only 5 WATTS POWER!! These communication distances don't occur everyday! Below are the contacts that I made on that repeater:
Because long distance VHF FM reception is caused by varying weather conditions, I will now tell you about the weather. The New England and Midwest states were recovering from a snow storm which dumped as much as 27 inches of snow in Boston, 17 inches in Washington DC, and left snow cover from Kentucky & Indiana all the way to Maine (5th worst Snowstorm on record). The local temperature was warming from a high on Monday of 42 to 59 by Wednesday. Warm air from the gulf was above colder air close to the ground. Rumor was that the temperature gradiant between the two layers was able to be actually be seen from the ground in the New England States. At the same time a very weak cold front was trying to push into Western Tennessee & Kentucky dropping light rain and sleet. This warm air aloft above the cooler along with the approaching cold front resulted in this communication duct from Florida to Kentucky along the I-24, 59, 65, & 75 corridors.


Coming Soon!! With the Next Band Opening!!

Thanks to all the fellow Ham Radio Operators, those listed and those not, for taking their precious time to carry out a QSOs with me since 1994. If I left out your name, or you would like to arrange a QSO Email Me and we can arrange a communication. 73..

Have Fun!!

Paul J. Lossner
KE4NFU

Because of the Nature of this Page, It will always remain a Work in Progress!

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