I've heard two people who reported that their FM radios were wiped out of all but the strongest signals this afternoon. Anyone else hear this? I'm thinking that it may be affecting DSP receivers with poor IF rejection being desensitized by strong noise on the IF frequency. Anyone else have a theory?
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Two People Report Magnetic Storm Wiping Out FM Except Local
- Thread starter Schroedingers Cat
- Start date
K
kenglish
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I know that a CME started late Monday night, eventually affecting the earth's magnetic field and creating the strongest Geo-magnetic Storm of the current solar cycle.
It even caused green auroras in the northern states and Canada.
How far from the stations were the listeners located? Strong ionization may have caused some blocking of the signals.
It even caused green auroras in the northern states and Canada.
How far from the stations were the listeners located? Strong ionization may have caused some blocking of the signals.
There was a significant aurora yesterday afternoon, before sunset. One cannot see the northern lights during the day, of course, but the ionization that causes aurora will still be there, and scattering signals.
If someone reported that "all but the strongest local FM were wiped out", they must have been in a very rural area - Toledo and Detroit FM continued to rule where I was.
I did receive several lowband TV carriers, video, analog audio and digital, but couldn't ID any of them.
If someone reported that "all but the strongest local FM were wiped out", they must have been in a very rural area - Toledo and Detroit FM continued to rule where I was.
I did receive several lowband TV carriers, video, analog audio and digital, but couldn't ID any of them.
AM was terrible here in the Chicago area. Usually very reliable east coasters WCBS & WBZ were nowhere to be found.
Although WWL was strong WSB was weak and I heard Spanish language on 710, probably Cuba.
Although WWL was strong WSB was weak and I heard Spanish language on 710, probably Cuba.
Auroral cx here tonight. Last night it was practically blank, with KNNR-1400 and KHIT-1450 Reno both making weak appearances. Tonight is more of "my type" of Au. I heard XEMW-1260 San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora with a "Sonido" ID...only second time ever and 250W! 790 KABC is all alone with LA Kings hockey. 910 XEAO Mexicali all alone, 1240 KNRY under KXLE; unid 1450 with Dennis Miller maybe KTIP Porterville (needed). Many more from So Cal area. Nothing new yet.
-crainbebo
-crainbebo
More Auroral here in Chicago area last night. Two Spanish language stations that I couldn't identify. One on 700 over WLW and another on 1060. Both seemed to be coming from the SW.
That's the first time I can remember anything on top of WLW here.
That's the first time I can remember anything on top of WLW here.
What sort of programming were you hearing on 1060? If it was classical music or if you could make it out as something of a cultural or educational nature, it was probably XEEP (Mexico City).
So far I've missed the party with the Auroral conditions...I'm sorry to say. I've been fighting a cold, so these past few nights I've actually been sleeping as opposed to DX-ing. Feeling better now, so I'll probably take a stab at it this evening.
So far I've missed the party with the Auroral conditions...I'm sorry to say. I've been fighting a cold, so these past few nights I've actually been sleeping as opposed to DX-ing. Feeling better now, so I'll probably take a stab at it this evening.
The 1060 programming was all talk. I could not understand what was being said, but the signal was fairly decent with very little fading. I forgot about Mexico City on 1060, but the signal was coming from that direction. Now that New Orleans is no longer on 1060 there would be nothing in the way. KYW's usually strong signal was nowhere to be found.
Something I've been wondering about, speaking of aurora conditions ...
If we had aurora that was *so* strong/spectacular that, at around noon or so MDT/CST,
it was as spectacular to look at as nighttime photographs of it on Nat Geo & other sources,
the southern AND northern Aurora met / overlapped (and maybe the southern Aurora could be seen from parts of CA, TX, FL),
and they blocked our view of the sun ...
What might band conditions be like if we had aurora like that?
If we had aurora that was *so* strong/spectacular that, at around noon or so MDT/CST,
it was as spectacular to look at as nighttime photographs of it on Nat Geo & other sources,
the southern AND northern Aurora met / overlapped (and maybe the southern Aurora could be seen from parts of CA, TX, FL),
and they blocked our view of the sun ...
What might band conditions be like if we had aurora like that?
I turned on the radio a little after 9:30cdt last night (March 19) and went immediately to 1060. Folk music in Spanish and then a legal ID...XEEP. Signal was fair to good and very steady. After then I checked out a few other frequencies, but came back to 1060 and more XEEP on top and alone. No trace of KYW, as you said. I then fell asleep with the radio on and when I woke up around 2am. KYW had resurfaced, but XEEP was having the better of it. Fell back asleep, woke up around 4am, and at this point it was once again all XEEP. At this juncture, I turned off the radio and slept some more until dawn.
During the 40 or so minutes when I first turned on the radio, I encountered very strong auroral conditions on the lower end of the dial. Less pronounced as I went up. Between 560 (WIND) and 620 (WTMJ), the dial was all but blank. The exception was 590 with a very weak R. Nacional. Audible, but much weaker than when it completely took over several days previous. 640 gave me a weak R. Progreso, alone next door to a weaker WSM. WLW and WSB were barely audible, but WBAP was booming in. WJR, WABC, and WHAS were completely missing. CFZM was missing as well, but the oddity was that CJBC was weak, but steady. WWL was weaker than usual and WCBS was missing. By the time I had worked my way to the upper end of the band it was back to something approaching "business as usual".
Then it must have been XEEP that I heard. At the time I was listening it was around 2AM (like you I woke up and used the time to DX) Anyway, at that particular time I heard all talk on 1060.
Last night around 10PM I heard WCBS but much weaker then normal. As you pointed out as I went up the dial conditions were closer to normal.
The dial here in Ottawa has been blank between the local and Montreal stations we normally hear in the day until around 3 am or so. Last night I had a strong signal on 1050 CHUM but only a barely detectable CFRB. The only stations below that that I could receive were 980 CHRF, 800 CJAD (barely) 730 CKAC, 690 CKGM, 620 WVMT and 580 CFRA. Above 1050, the dial was really blank except for the locals and CHHA.
I checked things out this morning at around 5am CDT....a little less than two hours before sunrise. Things seemed to have gotten back to nearly normal. CBK in. XEEP not.
Your WVMT comment certainly indicates auoral conditions....at least to me. In my years of regular biz trips to Ottawa, WVMT had a good day signal on the trip to/from Montreal, but in Ottawa it usually got swallowed up at night. Assuming, of course, I was in a hotel where I could hear anything besides the locals.
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It's been auroral conditions, even tonight but they're a bit more normal. Reception is normal for night time above 1200 khz. Between 1000 and 1200 missing stations included WWVA, WBT and WBAL. WBBR was weaker than normal as was WTAM and WBZ. WMVP was normal. WHAS is missing tonight and CHAM is weaker than normal. CJAD is alone on 800 but on night rig so it's much weaker. Below 800 khz the only thing I can hear are the locals. WVMT is an extrememly weak catch in the daytime at my house, but much better out in Orleans. The oddest thing was the reception of CKDO which fades in and out most of the time, but is completely strong and solid tonight.
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