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"Fog Tropo"? 1/19/13

C

crainbebo

This morning here in Monroe, WA I have been getting some 100 mile enhanced reception from stations I usually NEVER hear.

102.1 KSWW Montesano, WA - like a local with AC, ads, etc.
101.1 CFMI Vancouver, BC - enhanced today
104.3 KMNT Centralia - usually never hear
105.7 KJET South Bend, WA - fair with Hot AC, not usually heard
101.7 UNID - K269FT? If so, it would be a new FM log
104.7 KDUX Aberdeen, WA - like a local with classic rock

Does fog cause better FM reception, from what y'all have heard? I've never noticed this type of Tr before.

-crainbebo
 
101.3 KLWA Westport, WA right now with K-LOVE - a new log at Monroe.

-crainbebo
 
I'm no techie, and I flunked Physics I and Physics II the first times around. And of course I have no way of telling if fog causes or enhances tropo, or if tropo causes fog!

Nor am I that much of an FM or TV DXer.

So consider the source, lol.

But to me, stagnant weather in the summer always was a cue to spin some FM dial. The three H's are out there (hazy, warm, moist and uncomfortable), so they must be good for something!

I do remember three positively wicked tropo times, from my erstwhile and erractic listening habits, and all of them were accompanied by fog. Fog is about as stagnant a form of weather as any extant.

All three occasions were very near a coast, incidentally. The mileage may vary the farther inland one goes ; I have no way of telling. But if I had to choose a quiz answer 'yes' or 'no', though, I'd have to pick 'yes' in this case. At the very least, fog seems to help it along.

* * * * * * *

Will now go back to doing some wiring in the house, despite flunking Physics II once and slithering by with a 66 on the Regents exam the second time, lol. I've done every foot of wiring here and have electric heat -- and only one breaker has popped in 17 years so far, lol.
 
Also stagnant fog almost always indicates a temperature inversion which would cause the signals to be refracted at least along the area where the inversion is occurring. One time during thick fog here in northern Ohio, I was getting WMUK on 102.1 overtop of local WDOK/Cleveland. Also during another dense fog event back in the 80s I remember picking up WHIO TV channel 7 from Dayton up here in Lorain, OH which I had never seen from here before that and haven't seen since - so yes fog can allow you to get some rare catches that otherwise may be blocked by topographical barriers. On another occasion, while driving to Columbus, OH via I-71 while between Mansfield and Columbus in lots of fog, I was getting WKRQ 101.9/Cincinnati with a good signal. Another very unusual reception case.
 
Yep! It's mostly stagnant fog. The weird thing is Vancouver, BC and Aberdeen/Grays Harbor/WA Coast stations are enhanced, but I am not getting one peep out of Portland. At all. Ditto Astoria/Northern OR Coast.

Also: K269FT 101.7 Aberdeen, WA (250w!) new log #209 at 2:25PM today.

-crainbebo
 
I've noticed that phemenon where signals from directions other than where the tropo is coming from may even be weaker than normal like it has a reverse effect, similar to how auroral conditions seem to attenuate signals not coming from the south on AM. Here, if I'm getting unusual tropo from Columbus or Pittsburgh, signals from Detroit or across the lake which always seem to be there albeit weak in dead-band conditions seem to disappear alltogether even when not on co-channel frequencies to where the tropo DX/enhanced signals are on.
 
I'm no expert in the subject, but I believe fog comes when the air is cooled too quickly, causing it to become over saturated with water and forming fog clouds. I know temperature variations, like when cold/warm fronts come through tend to cause tropo enhancement, so the weather thats causing the fog may be causing the tropo.
 
Got two more new logs today due to the Tropo. KVIX-89.3 Port Angeles with jazz matching KPLU broadcast, and KLSY-107.9 South Bend, very poor with ID "107.9 the Quake". 790 watts at over 110 miles!

-crainbebo
 
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