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Mt. Redoubt vs. Radio

M

MichaelWilliams

So.... a question from the lower 48 (and an Alaskan at heart, just not in body yet).....

How is Mt. Redoubt's eruption effecting radio broadcasting and reception?

I realize that alot of it has to do with the direction the ash cloud is moving, but was just curious.

Michael
 
Well, speaking as a non-techie who simply scanned the dial after the latest explosions a few hours ago, I would say the volcanic eruptions have zero effect on signal strength and quality. Though I would add that the volcano is well over 100 miles from Anchorage, west of Kenai and any population centers receiving signals from the Anchorage area, and does not lie in a line of sight location w/r/t Anchorage radio and its listeners, so any interference with radio signals probably wouldn't occur regardless of the volcano's effects.

But that's just my non-techie opinion. :)

Where ya from Michael?
 
PAJake said:
Well, speaking as a non-techie who simply scanned the dial after the latest explosions a few hours ago, I would say the volcanic eruptions have zero effect on signal strength and quality. Though I would add that the volcano is well over 100 miles from Anchorage, west of Kenai and any population centers receiving signals from the Anchorage area, and does not lie in a line of sight location w/r/t Anchorage radio and its listeners, so any interference with radio signals probably wouldn't occur regardless of the volcano's effects.

But that's just my non-techie opinion. :)

Where ya from Michael?
Click to expand...

Are you talking about AM, FM, or both?
 
PAJake said:
Where ya from Michael?
Click to expand...

Living in the thriving metropolis of Lawrenceville, PA right now (Tioga County, right on the NY border 15 miles from Corning/Elmira area).

Lived everywhere.... Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, California. Dad was Air Force, so we moved around ALOT when I was growing up. I can thank the US Government for my early geographical education.

LOL

Michael
 
I didn't notice any issues with either band, but that was before the ash started falling on us this evening. I'll check again tonight, though I don't see any reason why the signals would be affected. Perhaps if we were closer to the volcano or the ash was falling in buckets rather than the light dusting we just got.

Was anyone on this site working in radio back when Spurr went off in the 90s and remember what effect it had on signal quality, if any?

Michael. . .I'm originally from the opposite end of the great Commonwealth of PA - York County. Driven thru Lawrenceville many times on my way to Watkins Glen, Ithaca, Rochester, and Toronto. Nice little town you got there.
 
PAJake said:
I. . .I'm originally from the opposite end of the great Commonwealth of PA - York County. Driven thru Lawrenceville many times on my way to Watkins Glen, Ithaca, Rochester, and Toronto. Nice little town you got there.
Click to expand...

One blinking stop light and all! LOL!

It's a nice place to be for now, certainly..... but I think I'm still too much of a gypsi to put down deep roots.

Michael
 
Just thought I'd mention. . .

This past weekend I drove down to Homer from Anchorage. Passed by Redoubt just a couple hours after the big eruption, and drove through quite a bit of ashfall for the last leg of the trip, from Ninilchik south to Homer (which got the brunt of the ash). There was no discernible loss at all in signal quality on either AM or FM throughout my travels.
 
PAJake said:
Just thought I'd mention. . .

This past weekend I drove down to Homer from Anchorage. Passed by Redoubt just a couple hours after the big eruption, and drove through quite a bit of ashfall for the last leg of the trip, from Ninilchik south to Homer (which got the brunt of the ash). There was no discernible loss at all in signal quality on either AM or FM throughout my travels.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the report. I was wondering about the most recent eruption.
 
I would think the major concern for radio stations would be ash getting sucked into transmitter and building ventilation systems and ruining electronic devices.
 
techie2 said:
I would think the major concern for radio stations would be ash getting sucked into transmitter and building ventilation systems and ruining electronic devices.
Click to expand...

Never thought of that--good points.
 
techie2 said:
I would think the major concern for radio stations would be ash getting sucked into transmitter and building ventilation systems and ruining electronic devices.
Click to expand...

I was curious as to whether the massive static charge that seems to be present in ash clouds would disrupt the signal or if it would be more like standard thunderstorm type static.

Michael
 
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