NOAA Weather Radio Tropo Logs August September 2018

[Davep]

I'm keeping everything under a single post on the first page . Might be easier to relate to conditions.   Nothing less than 100miles
I'll be using the scanner ,built in rod antenna

Re: weather conditions - I really couldn't come up with any specific conditions that directly correlated to reception of DX .
It occurred during widespread windy as well as failed during conditions you'd expect if you look at June July logs.  It seems complex and would take time to gather conditions over the length of the distance and other complications such as the micro climates  that exist around bodies of water and etc.  However these conditions must be common in certain areas by the reports so far

[R4002]

Makes sense - unfortunately a lot of the DX heard during the morning drive to work is UNID simply because I'm hearing multiple stations at once and there's no clear "winner". 

I think the morning produces temperature inversions this time of year, add unsettled weather conditions (fronts moving in, etc.) and it seems to at least make some sort of a difference with VHF band DX.

[ChrisSmolinski]

I noticed this on the Sterling VA NWS Site (Baltimore/DC), it might be worth checking your local NWS site(s) to see when transmitters will be off the air, which could provide some DXing opportunities. Check the "Public Information Statement", here is the link for Sterling: https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=LWX&product=PNS&format=CI&version=1&glossary=0&highlight=off

...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...

The Manassas NOAA Weather Radio Transmitter KHB-36 located in
Manassas Virginia, broadcasting on a frequency of 162.550
megahertz, will be out of service until Monday afternoon due to
onsite construction.

The Baltimore NOAA Weather Radio Transmitter KEC-83 located in
Pikesville Maryland, broadcasting on a frequency of 162.400
megahertz, will be out of service from 11 PM Saturday September
1st until 5 AM Sunday September 2nd. Maintenance will be
performed on the transmitter.

[ChrisSmolinski]

Even better, a site with a map of outages: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/outages/outages.php

[R4002]

Strong propagation between 0645 local (eastern US time) and 0655 local this morning 5 Sept 2018

162.400 MHz - KEC83 Baltimore, MD positive ID SIO 444 with another UNID station underneath
162.425 MHz - possibly WZ2527 Fredericksburg, VA very strong signal at points, then disappeared into the QRM
162.450 MHz - KZZ28 mixing with WWG33 Margaretsville, NC almost equal signal (!!)
162.475 MHz - [local station]
162.500 MHz - WNG586 Henderson, NC very strong around 0650 local, then completely faded away
162.525 MHz - KJY86 mixing with possible WWG82 or another station, heard "South Carolina" at one point, poor copy
162.550 MHz - KHB37 vs. KHB36 (the usual suspects) and a third UNID station underneath them, heard "northern Virginia mountain forecast" and discussion of Chesapeake Bay

Other VHF band frequencies active:

151.1825 MHz - Project 25 digital control channel (Virginia STARS system)
151.5950 MHz - DMR digital voice/data, weak
151.6250 MHz - trucking company comms, heard mention of Interstate 64 (possibly locals)
151.7150 MHz - weak voice heard, possibly schools?
151.7450 MHz - DMR digital voice/data, strong signal S9 peaks
151.7750 MHz - DMR digital voice/data - probably WQAU724 King George County, VA Public Schools 199.5 watts ERP
151.9850 MHz - DMR digital voice/data
152.0225 MHz - Project 25 digital control channel (Virginia STARS system)
152.0375 MHz - Project 25 digital control channel (Virginia STARS system)
152.1575 MHz - Project 25 digital control channel (Virginia STARS system)
152.1800 MHz - POCSAG Paging, S-5 peaks with rapid fading
152.2175 MHz - Project 25 digital control channel - weak (Virginia STARS system)
152.2625 MHz - what sounded like two different analog NFM voice systems at once, heavy fading
152.2850 MHz - DMR digital voice/data - lots of rapid fading
152.2850 MHz - DMR digital voice/data - very strong (possibly local)
152.2925 MHz - analog NFM voice repeater, possibly schools
152.3000 MHz - local taxi cab company dispatch (KLU448) on top of DMR digital voice/data
152.3075 MHz - DMR digital voice/data, weak
152.5175 MHz - Project 25 digital control channel (Virginia STARS system)
152.6300 MHz - POCSAG Paging, local signals and distant ones heard w/fading
152.6900 MHz - POCSAG Paging, similar to 152.630 MHz
152.7125 MHz - Project 25 digital control channel (Virginia STARS system)
152.7875 MHz - Project 25 digital control channel (Virginia STARS system)

[Davep]

Very nice on the SC.   

[Terry]

Another opportunity for catching some tropo will be the ARRL VHF contest coming up this weekend. "The second full weekend of September. Begins 1800 UTC Saturday and ends 0259 UTC Monday (September 8-10, 2018)." More info at ARRL.org: http://www.arrl.org/september-vhf

There is a tropo group in the eastern US that gets together at 7:30 local on 50.145 usb.

Also I have caught some tropo openings listening to railroads on VHF and hearing distant defect detectors.  They automatically announce the railroad, mile marker, car count, and if any defects were noted. Look for hot bearings and dragging equipment. I usually listen to CSX on the broadcastify Folkston, GA receiver.

[R4002]

The VHF railroad frequencies 160.200 MHz to 161.565 MHz in 15 kHz steps / 7.5 kHz steps - or 159.910 MHz to 161.610 MHz in Canada are another good monitoring target.  Most of the traffic seems to be simplex with a repeater scattered here and there.  There's several active yard frequencies in my area that traffic can regularly be heard on, all of it carrier squelch. 

While in the car during my lunch break today scanning the VHF/UHF business frequencies I noticed higher-than-average activity on the VHF freqs, including data link or telemetry signals on 151.880 (MURS channel 2), 151.940 (MURS channel 3) and 154.600 (MURS channel 5).  There was also some voice activity on these frequencies (with CTCSS or DCS tone squelch though, of course) and it all seemed like the typical construction-site handheld radio type deal stuff.  These data links are all supposed to be running 2 watts but with a good antenna mounted high I know they have some range to them....the fact that I only hear them during certain times and there's variation in signal strength means they are far enough away from me to be affected by VHF propagation conditions.

[Davep]

Not hearing much tropo , and I have been checking  Not like it was , only nearby and mostly at night.
 Should be some epic KHB37 loops coming up.  It's notorious for going out during wind events though.

[R4002]

Even listening to the local WX station WXK65 out of Richmond I heard the same hurricane forecast loop played on 6501 kHz (at least part of it!) and then the marine forecast "tropical storm conditions" and "hurricane conditions" for Wednesday/Thursday/Friday.  Since there's some overlap between WXK65 and KHB37 (and they're both controlled by the Wakefield, VA weather forecast office [AKQ]) it would make sense.

Hopefully there won't be any NOAA Weather Radio outages due to Florence, but you never know.  The next few days will certainly offer up some epic NOAA WX radio transmissions if the forecast continues the way it is now...

[R4002]

This morning I heard hurricane/tropical storm forecast for the North Carolina beaches and Carrituck Sound coming in nice and loud on 162.525 MHz - WNG537 Windsor, NC and a mixture of several stations on 162.425 (possibly WWH26) and, of course, the usual suspects on 162.550 MHz (KHB36 and KHB37) and 162.400 MHz.  Heard more hurricane-related forecasts and warnings on 162.400 (possibly KEC84 mixing in with other, closer, stations).  162.450 had KZZ28 coming in at S7 or so, nearly full scale at points due to rapid QSB and QRM from another UNID station on the same frequency. 

On another note, the VDEM legacy statewide disaster frequency of 155.895 MHz [91.5 Hz CTCSS/PL] popped up with testing.  VDEM's talkgroups on the statewide Project 25 digital VHF system - STARS - have been quite active, including some encrypted traffic heard on VDEM OPS 1.  Dave, you may be able to hear 155.895 in Virginia Beach if the conditions are right, FCC license KVJ989 shows an ERP of 1000 watts for all locations on 155.895 and 155.820 MHz.  VDEM will likely stick to the STARS system while keeping 155.895 available as a backup. 

[Davep]

I'll try the 155. 
Oh man!  The 200z 9/12ut loop is making me paranoid.   Interesting they are giving the position in Atlantic Standard time
I better shut up for now, we're starting to get some bad vibes here

[R4002]

The latest forecast "cone of uncertainty" now shows the storm as being predicted to turn further south and spare Virginia the brunt of the wind effects anyway.  Looks like rain is now the biggest hazard for points north of the VA-NC state line.  Of course, if these computer models are right, the storm will grind to a halt right above SC/NC/VA and just drop all the rain for several days which won't be good either.

Back on topic, I checked the NOAA Weather Radio frequencies this morning (0645-0700 local time) and only heard the two locals, WXK65 on 162.475 MHz and KZZ28 on 162.450 MHz.  There was something coming in on 162.400 and 162.550 but way too weak to make any sort of ID out. 

I haven't heard anything else on 155.895 (VDEM VHF Legacy channel - "Virginia EOC") since the testing the other day.  Chances are they'll stick to STARS unless there's a compelling reason to use the backup gear...which would make sense (make sure the backup systems are operational before you need them...)  They still have their HF-SSB system, VHF low band system (37.100 MHz, 39.500 MHz and of course SIRS on 39.540 MHz) in addition to VHF high band analog, UHF analog, the national interop frequencies and STARS. 

As the storm gets closer we may get some more ducting DX opportunities (maybe tomorrow morning?)  Local school systems have already closed for Friday in the Richmond metro area.

[Davep]

Thanks for the note. 
I think we're ok as of Wednesday's prediction.

The KHB37 loop was verbatim of the website "key messages"
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at1+shtml/092830.shtml?key_messages#contents

[R4002]

Pretty ominous messages.... 

Still, it looks like Virginia is going to be spared the majority of the scary stuff though...at the NHC track guidance moves further and further south with each update...