AM and FM DX

Had faint NNSW ABCs but not nearly as strong as the coastal ones. Breeze Tenterfield said hi once again.

Was hoping for something exotic like 2RE given the duct was so strong, but Coraki was too strong for that. Same for Max 107.3 with GC and Toowoomba too much.

Was a bit weird as the close signals had next to no enhancement, but the further abroad were super strong. And not getting 104.7 when I had 89.5 clear as a bell was very odd too.

5 Likes

Currently still have Coffs very strong. From inland Inverell ABCs plus Gem on 95.1, Mt Dowe higher than usual with commercials and Sky, Middle Brother. Gold Coast stations are also at higher levels (though not DAB). Breeze Tenterfield plus some low powered NSW like 2LM.

4 Likes

Strong Inland troppo as well as Coffs Harbour again. Includes Sky Armidale, 2CBD Glen Innes, Breeze Tenterfield, Hit Dalby, Coraki. Middle Brother in as well.

Edit: manged to get partial RDS on Breeze (to confirm in contrast to Wide Bay on same frequency).

4 Likes

Tropo is up this morning to the north. The usuals Stanthorpe, Brisbane GC, SC and Ipswich noted. Plus Kingaroy, Dalby, Wide Bay and Bundaberg

2 Likes

Coffs and Mt Dowe are back this morning in Brisbane from the south. Mackay ABC and commercial at RDS level from the north (strangely without significant signals from Rockhampton area).

Edit: Rockhampton coming in now.

4 Likes

With a proper setup for my FM yagi, I’m getting some really good catches now.

ABC FMs from the Riverland seem to be close to permanent reception now as is 96.9 Flow FM from Merinee, but I’ll need to play with it more to confirm. 101.9 Triple J and 105.1 Classic FM both seem quite stable, abiet with minor fading.

The more impressive catch today is 103.9 Classic FM from Adelaide, quite weak and fading in and out rapidly. No RDS, but I confirmed it was indeed this by listening side by side with the stream online. No sign of 105.5 Triple J nor any of the other Adelaide FMs.

95.7 has something that I can’t seem to track down, as of a few minutes ago. Whatever it is seems to have RDS, but it’s too weak to decode.

Edit:
105.5 is starting to come in now. I expect I’ll start to see the other Adelaide FMs soon, since most of them are very close to each other on Crafers.

5 Likes

Possibly Radio National at Nhill?

3 Likes

Good thinking, but I would have thought it would have been the standard Victorian feed? It didn’t line up to my local RN feed thats for sure.

2 Likes

Checking the tropo maps, looks like later tonight there will be some good opportunity for inland tropo to occur. So this will look to continue thoughout the night.

3 Likes

103.9 abc classic was by far the strongest signal from Adelaide when I drove there in July. Reception started around Naracoorte and kept going until I reached Renmark whilst the other stations such as triple j only became audible around Keith.

4 Likes

I can’t think of anything else it could be, nothing, nil.

1 Like

Since @ninkeon also mentioned RDS, the only faint hope might be 7SD Scottsdale, so it may have faded up very briefly… but a long shot at that. Or Radio National up at Menindee.

I don’t think it was 7SD, it didn’t match with what I was hearing on air through their stream.

If I get it again, I’ll be sure to take a recording of it.

Also, 107.1 SAFM managed to decode RDS long enough to ID on the web server.

4 Likes

Scottsdale to Mildura would be extremely rare via tropo and would need to be very early morning when Southern Ocean air is in place over Mildura. It wouldn’t happen during the afternoon. I suppose very short hop Es to Scottsdale is possible, too, but there doesn’t appear to be much Es activity today.

2 Likes

Well yeah, I did say ā€˜long shot’ :blush:

1 Like

The best time to try the Mildura node would be very early morning. Thankfully the sun rises a little later there compared to the east coast. Any inversions generally break down quickly.

Thanks for improving the setup. Although aiming towards Adelaide/WA is probably your best bet for long haul tropo, don’t discount stuff to the east as well such as the Riverina and even Coonabarabran (this received in Hay quite well via As).

5 Likes

Thanks for the feedback

I haven’t seen the Riverina FMs for a while now, but judging by what happened last week with the strong reception from southern Victoria off-axis, I would not be surprised if the Riverina FMs pop up when the conditions are right.

Maybe one day when I get a bigger place I can put up a second one? :slightly_smiling_face:

4 Likes

VK2KRR at The Rock NSW (just south of Wagga) receives Mildura, Renmark, Adelaide and Port Pirie quite regularly via tropo, even Adelaide DTV. His setup is quite remarkable (huge antenna masts that require climbing) and he’s also in an optimal location, but it proves the path is quite regular.

Speaking of 95.7 Nhill, I received it quite well on my car radio when visiting VK2KRR some years back. I think 89.3 Horsham was also in.

8 Likes

Overnight it looks like one of the Griffith FMs made a visit. The scanner looks like it recorded RDS for hit 99.7.

This morning Broken Hill ABCs have made an appearance along with Hill FM, with all of them being strongly received.

4 Likes

Well done. Knew tropo would be around this morning- if the umpires are wearing jackets in Adelaide, you know that there’s Southern Ocean air inbound.

(Couldn’t muster up the initiative to log on early this morning after watching said cricket)!

3 Likes