Baton Rouge welcomes KPAQ 88.1 to the skip party

[Doctor_Technical]

While on Florida Blvd this morning (Wed 5/8/07) I noticed 88.1 getting chewed up by KAYT, which is N of Alexandria and about 120 air miles from here. Morning clouds were starting to burn off, with a thicker and lower layer noted around the Miss. River and over toward the Atchafalaya.

For fun, I decided to "drive the signal" of KPAQ to see where the interference stopped. Said another way: I wanted to find how close I had to be to KPAQ to receive an interference-free signal, in light of the skip coming in from Alex. I started in Baton Rouge, drove across the River and down LA-1 toward Plaquemine. Thought y'all might enjoy seeing the results.

For reference, I prepared this KPAQ coverage map http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x312/PaulEBurt/KPAQ/KPAQsmallimage.jpg. 60 dbu is the predicted 1 millivolt contour. 70 dbu is the 3 millivolt or "City Grade" contour, 80 dbu = 10 mv, 90 dbu = 30 mv, etc.

The results were interesting. As noted in this map: http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x312/PaulEBurt/KPAQ/KPAQreceptioncomments.jpg , KAYT captured my radio as soon as I started up the big bridge. Reception comments are written from the sense of returning from Plaquemine, i.e. driving away from the tower.

Bottom line: I had to be about 6 miles from KPAQ before the background noise went completely away. At 10 miles (about Brusly) the chatter was enough that a normal listener would have tuned out by then. At 14 miles, I got more KAYT than KPAQ.

Ain't FM fun?

 

[stevenNOLA]

KAYT has always been audible in Lafayette. Its dominating presence in Baton Rouge isn't surprising. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised they are pushing a bit more power than they should be.

 

[smashedcd]

i heard it also and i was listning to 1059 the fox this morning while getting ready for work. that was on my cc radio plus. in my truck i was getting gofm and that urban station on 105.9. but when i got to baton rouge i was once again getting the fox.

also note the christian station is kpaq. 91.5 is kpae and also christian.

 

[CW]

While on Florida Blvd this morning (Wed 5/8/07) I noticed 88.1 getting chewed up by KAYT, which is N of Alexandria and about 120 air miles from here. Morning clouds were starting to burn off, with a thicker and lower layer noted around the Miss. River and over toward the Atchafalaya.

For fun, I decided to "drive the signal" of KPAQ to see where the interference stopped. Said another way: I wanted to find how close I had to be to KPAQ to receive an interference-free signal, in light of the skip coming in from Alex. I started in Baton Rouge, drove across the River and down LA-1 toward Plaquemine. Thought y'all might enjoy seeing the results.

For reference, I prepared this KPAQ coverage map http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x312/PaulEBurt/KPAQ/KPAQsmallimage.jpg. 60 dbu is the predicted 1 millivolt contour. 70 dbu is the 3 millivolt or "City Grade" contour, 80 dbu = 10 mv, 90 dbu = 30 mv, etc.

The results were interesting. As noted in this map: http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x312/PaulEBurt/KPAQ/KPAQreceptioncomments.jpg , KAYT captured my radio as soon as I started up the big bridge. Reception comments are written from the sense of returning from Plaquemine, i.e. driving away from the tower.

Bottom line: I had to be about 6 miles from KPAQ before the background noise went completely away. At 10 miles (about Brusly) the chatter was enough that a normal listener would have tuned out by then. At 14 miles, I got more KAYT than KPAQ.

Ain't FM fun?

Paul!!!
How ya doing? Are you back in La???
(Could be worse....could be CC.......sorry, had to say that!
Be on the lookout for KLBT out of Beaumont on 88.1 (KFDM 6 really loves that one!)

From a former co-CC CE...
(last time we chatted in email, you were still in NO and said it was nice to see me in your inbox again; especially after my trips to Gulfport for my current employer's mobile data system)

 

[DeadElvis]

> in light of the skip coming in from Alex

To be Technical, this isn't "skip;" this is tropospheric ducting. In your part of the world, such ducting (known by hobbyists as "tropo") is pretty common, and often really, really strong. The Gulf is famous for providing the ingredients for such fun. And, sometimes, the distances can be several hundred miles.

Now, we are in "skip" season. As you likely know, the E-layer of the ionosphere can refract FM signals when conditions are right -- and it's very seasonal, centering in late Spring to mid-Summer. And, it has been quite active in the past week, or so, mainly in the Eastern US. Friday afternoon, I was listening to Quebec FM while driving around Memphis. Folks more serious than me were hearing many, many stations.

Don't be surprised there in South Louisiana to hear Spanish language popping through FM for the next couple of months. Mexico and Cuba should be especially common skip targets where to you.

Fun stuff, this.

DE