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Eclipse thoughts?
- Thread starter Bouncer
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You can still DXYou'd better hope it doesn't rain.
I was dead center in the last one near Knoxville, TN. I found most of the activity above about 1000. First station I identified was KXEL about 10 minutes from totality. It was like sunrise/sunset was happening west to east. The x-band was hopping up to an hour and a half after totality. The eclipse map can be your guide. We're going to Mena, AZ for the one in April.
Hoping maybe more folks will do SDR recordings.
I was in Columbia, Mo., in the path of totality in 2017. I wasn't able to make notes and my recording equipment caused interference with AM reception so I had to give up on recordings. What remains are recollections, which might be more useful to you anyway.
Before totality, there was no discernible difference in propagation, not even just before totality. During totality, I was looking at the eclipse (though I did notice that the tower lights of the nearby KOMU-TV tower came on!). Afterwards, there was enhanced reception to the ESE, with stations from Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. This lasted around half an hour. Then there was enhanced reception of stations from that direction, particularly weaker St. Louis stations that rarely made it into Columbia. The effects receded 60-70 minutes after totality.
During a partial eclipse in 1994, at my Kansas City location at the time, I noticed enhanced reception, generally from the south and west.
I will be in central Texas for the April eclipse.
Before totality, there was no discernible difference in propagation, not even just before totality. During totality, I was looking at the eclipse (though I did notice that the tower lights of the nearby KOMU-TV tower came on!). Afterwards, there was enhanced reception to the ESE, with stations from Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. This lasted around half an hour. Then there was enhanced reception of stations from that direction, particularly weaker St. Louis stations that rarely made it into Columbia. The effects receded 60-70 minutes after totality.
During a partial eclipse in 1994, at my Kansas City location at the time, I noticed enhanced reception, generally from the south and west.
I will be in central Texas for the April eclipse.
Mena AZ? You sure you don't mean Mena AR? This eclipse won't be seen anywhere near AZ, and besides, there is no Mena AZ. The Arkansas town is in the path.
Unlike the last eclipse, this eclipse will not be seen on the west coast. If I had unlimited capabilities, I would head for the Ozarks area, southeastern Oklahoma. Broken Bow and Antlers are in totality. But I guess I will have to settle for an SDR in the totality region.
The last eclipse in 2017 had plenty of activity above 1000khz to CA/NV/UT, and eventually WY. Graveyard was a mess, multiple stations deep on regional channels like 1310, 1330, 1430, 1480. I did hear XEPE 1700 at nearly 1000 miles. Also had 760 Denver at 900mi.
The last eclipse in 2017 had plenty of activity above 1000khz to CA/NV/UT, and eventually WY. Graveyard was a mess, multiple stations deep on regional channels like 1310, 1330, 1430, 1480. I did hear XEPE 1700 at nearly 1000 miles. Also had 760 Denver at 900mi.
I plan to be at my uncle's in St. Marys, Ohio, almost directly in the center of totality. I don't know that I will have a radio with me, but the responses/suggestions will be interesting.
During the last eclipse, it basically became a cloudy day in Columbus for a short time. I would have to look at any posts from back then, but I don't remember picking up much if any DX.
During the last eclipse, it basically became a cloudy day in Columbus for a short time. I would have to look at any posts from back then, but I don't remember picking up much if any DX.
Yes indeed, AR Arkansas
Use a decent radio. it's a good idea to plan your target channels ahead of time, as the length of DXing time may be rather short. The last one in August 2017 I used my Sangean PR-D5 and heard KSL 1160 (700 miles away? 600? not sure), KUMA 1290 (Pendleton OR, about 250~ miles away), KQMS Redding 1670 (about 600 mi away) and I barely heard KBRE 1660 Merced (about 800~mi away).
The reason I say plan your targets, is you won't have a ton of time, and naturally the daytime frequencies will be active, with those stations on day power (as they are in your region during the day), restricting somewhat the amount of DX channels that will be available . Here where I am in the Seattle-Tacoma metro the X band is mostly spare, and I knew which DX channels would have a better chance of something being there. So I tuned the X Band, and a few channels lower down towards 1200 that I knew had DX stations on them that I would be able to ID.
I heard the DX after the totality -- or, better put, after the near totality we had here. During the apex of near totality I took some pics of the partial sun using the pinhole method pinhole on one paper plate, the solar crescent 'cast' onto another paper plate... it works... Then I went up to my exercise room and tuned around on my PR-D5. It was cool hearing DX during the noon hour (or just before it, if memory serves). My DXing time was maybe 15 minutes max... the stations begin to fade as the path of the eclipse moves farther and farther away, sort of like a sped up switch to daylight. The last one I heard was either KUMA 1290 or KQMS 1670.... fading into daylight hiss and static...
Being that I was in a partial eclipse region, my experience showed you can still DX without being in totality. So those of you in partial eclipse regions, fire up your radio anyway. ;-)
The reason I say plan your targets, is you won't have a ton of time, and naturally the daytime frequencies will be active, with those stations on day power (as they are in your region during the day), restricting somewhat the amount of DX channels that will be available . Here where I am in the Seattle-Tacoma metro the X band is mostly spare, and I knew which DX channels would have a better chance of something being there. So I tuned the X Band, and a few channels lower down towards 1200 that I knew had DX stations on them that I would be able to ID.
I heard the DX after the totality -- or, better put, after the near totality we had here. During the apex of near totality I took some pics of the partial sun using the pinhole method pinhole on one paper plate, the solar crescent 'cast' onto another paper plate... it works... Then I went up to my exercise room and tuned around on my PR-D5. It was cool hearing DX during the noon hour (or just before it, if memory serves). My DXing time was maybe 15 minutes max... the stations begin to fade as the path of the eclipse moves farther and farther away, sort of like a sped up switch to daylight. The last one I heard was either KUMA 1290 or KQMS 1670.... fading into daylight hiss and static...
Being that I was in a partial eclipse region, my experience showed you can still DX without being in totality. So those of you in partial eclipse regions, fire up your radio anyway. ;-)
Why is that?
It may be seen as a very minor partial eclipse but it is too far away from the area that will be in totality. And by seen, I mean, I doubt you'd notice it.
I'm about 60 miles south of Montpelier, VT. Montpelier is just inside the southern boundary of the totality zone. Should I expect any reception anomalies if I stay here and don't drive up the interstate for the full experience?
Do you think it is about the reflection area in the sky, as opposed to the reception or transmission location on the ground?
Solar eclipses (and lunar eclipses, too) cross the Earth in a narrow path. It is because of the way the Moon and Sun are aligned at the time.
I would say yes, you should definitely still hear some MW anomalies. In 2017 I (being near Seattle) was in a partial eclipse zone, maybe 180 or so air miles north of the parts of Oregon where it was total (the path of totality crossed Oregon, crossing the I-5 corridor near Salem). I still heard DX that faded in (including, like I said, stations from Oregon, Northern Cal, and even KSL out of Utah) and then faded out 15 or so minutes later.
You are going to get the best definition and detail on this with a Wikipedia article on eclipses.
Radio folks are not real experts on celestial mechanics usually. We are interested in the eclipse to see if it affects radio reception, not as amateur astrologers.
Solar eclipse - Wikipedia
I'll try again. The eclipse is basically the shadow of the moon blocking out the sun.
Because of the movements of the Earth and the Moon, that shadow only occurs in some areas, and not in others.
Here is a NASA map showing the "path" that the shadow will take across the US in a couple weeks.
Hope this helps a bit.
I doubt that you, located in Central California, or me, located in Western WA, will be able to hear any eclipse DX. I suppose there is no harm is turning on the radio anyway. Won't hurt your radio.
EDIT: NASA HAD THE WRONG MAP ON THEIR WEBSITE. I'LL TRY THIS AGAIN, using a different website.
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