A heads up for potential tropo developing at the end of next week and continuing through next weekend. I haven’t looked at the Hepburn charts but it looks like a classic heatwave/blocking setup will be in play. In Bungendore mid 20s temps are forecast on several days; it would be mid to high 30s in summer with the same setup.
The Mid North Coast will be under NE winds most of the time so I’m really hoping it delivers. Of course if the westerlies break through, all over red rover, but less likely up that way. I’m staying in North Haven on Friday night and plan to head up North Brother Mountain for sunrise…I’ll hopefully get some good photos as well as some good loggings. I’m really hoping for signs of Lord Howe on 100.1.
If conditions hold I’ll get a second shot at North Brother on my way back on Monday, though that will be a little later in the morning.
I’m not forgetting MW either as we’re close to the equinox, when the North American stations tend to be well heard. Have loop, will travel!
I’m heading in the other direction tomorrow, down to Western VIC and South East SA, haven’t been to that part of the country before… will be interested to see what I get there.
Unfortunately it’s more likely to be warm and dry northerlies down that way. Bass Strait tropo may develop if you’re lucky given the unseasonable heat that’s forecast.
Drove from Albury to Ballarat today via the Melbourne Ring Road. Noted the following results
Orange ABCs received until Wangaratta
Riverina/Griffith ABCs and Hit99.7 received until Euroa
Albury/Wodonga ABCs and Hit/MMM received until Seymour
Only had brief intermittent Melbourne signals from Euroa down. They didn’t become solid with RDS until about Broadford. I guess the Great Dividing Ranges will do that.
But conversely, I had Shepparton ABCs and commercials until about Wallan.
Do you ever think or wonder whether it matters which direction you are travelling in regarding reception. I sometimes feel that the antenna seems to work best when travelleing away from a station - so that the fin antenna is pointing in the direction of the tower. But perhaps side on is better overall?
I notice at the bottom of a hill near me that has poor reception, that travelling in one direction gets better reception than the other for distant stations like Breeze etc.
My car antenna (rear windscreen antenna) is definitely directional for FM stations. Notably stronger at different right angles. Incoming stations from the front and back are stronger than from the left/right.
Yeah I’m not sure, would depend on the vehicle and antenna I guess.
Mine is also an inglass rear window, but I did also get Swan Hill ABCs 95.9 103.7 & 105.3 most of the way from Wangaratta to Seymour even though that is coming from the right of the car.
Like @Radiohead I have also experienced some good inland tropo this morning.
Unfortunately my weather station on top of the tv antenna pole has carked it. After removing it and moving the fm antenna up the pole slightly I am now getting a much better signal from the south. So good that I can now completely null out the Central Coast community stations.
94.9 Power fm is now back in noisy stereo with no CCI from Rhema CC; tonight slightly enhanced with ducting.
This morning I had 90.7 Triple J, and 91.5 News Radio SW Slopes Mt Ulandra, both weak but well above the noise floor.
102.3 Triple J CWS was at times just below the stereo threshold.
Tonight the typical coastal enhancement with New fm and 2NUR enhanced. Triple M Newcastle the strongest, in stereo and blocking 2ST.
Remember that Wagga city uses the same channels for both ABCFM and RN. I’ve been fooled by this before when down that way! It’s certainly possible for Mount Canobolas FM to reach Victoria, though. Did you have JJJ 101.9 or was it Life FM (Wagga) or even Fox FM?
Ah yes you’re right, Classic is on 105.9 in Wagga (a pain when trying for Melbourne)! It’s 2RVR/t (ABC Local) on 102.7 in Wagga. I was getting 102.7 mixed with Mildura.
Some more coastal tropo again tonight, this time only from the north. 97.5 2HD Port Stephens was received well before any enhancements of the Newcastle fm stations. It was mono and was strong enough to have minimal splatter from ABC Illawarra, and SBS Sydney.
Apart from Triple M Newcastle the other Newcastle commercial / communities fm stations were very weak, and were just above the noise floor. Hit 106.9 got over VOX fm at times.
Long range, apart from moderate nightly Newcastle ducting for the next few nights, things get really interesting early next week. Monday / Tuesday at this stage looks to be the best chance for NZ tropo into coastal Sydney. Before this the NZ ducts are directed more into SE QLD and the far north coast of NSW.
The later forecast maps have the NZ ducts heading south back towards Sydney. It could be Wednesday has an even better chance of NZ reception, just have to wait for the next long range forecast maps to be released.
