{"id":149,"date":"2024-08-22T20:49:14","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T20:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mm0zif.radio\/current\/?p=149"},"modified":"2024-09-09T16:16:59","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T16:16:59","slug":"aurora-borealis-tropospheric-ducting-and-radio-communication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mm0zif.radio\/current\/2024\/08\/aurora-borealis-tropospheric-ducting-and-radio-communication\/","title":{"rendered":"Aurora Borealis, Tropospheric Ducting, and Their Impact on Radio Communication"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Ah, the mesmerizing dance of the Northern Lights! Those shimmering curtains of light in the Arctic skies have more than just visual appeal\u2014they also play a role in radio communication. One key feature of Aurora is the ghostly sounds that come with it, <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aurora is more commonly found on VHF from 12m up, and in the UK more commonly on 6, 4 and 2m, more commonly heard on SSB and CW, although FM is not unheard of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many Amateurs refer to Tropospheric ducting as Lift, often in the  UK in the early spring, and autumn repeaters that you normally cannot hear will become audiable due to lift and the way the troposphere bounces the signal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<p class=\"responsive-video-wrap clr\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Aurora on VHF 144 MHz 7 Nov-2022\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JCM3VnJmjhc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">2m QSO with Aurora from 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the scoop:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ionization and the Auroral Zone<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When charged particles from the solar wind interact with Earth\u2019s upper atmosphere during an auroral event, they create what\u2019s known as the \u201cauroral zone.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This zone can enhance radio communication by increasing the ionospheric reflection of radio waves. In simpler terms, it means that radio signals can bounce off this ionized layer and travel longer distances over the horizon.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fleetwooddp.com\/blogs\/news\/northern-lights-radio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">So, during intense auroras, you might experience improved VHF radio reception, allowing you to pick up stations that are typically beyond your normal range<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fleetwooddp.com\/blogs\/news\/northern-lights-radio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><sup>1<\/sup><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Distortion and Backscatter<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, there\u2019s a twist: Auroras can also cause distortion in radio waves. Imagine listening to a 10-meter broadcast during an aurora\u2014it might sound like a cosmic DJ remix!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/forums.radioreference.com\/threads\/northern-lights-affect-on-radios.446718\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">This phenomenon is more pronounced in the polar regions, especially on the night side of Earth where the aurora is most intense<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forums.radioreference.com\/threads\/northern-lights-affect-on-radios.446718\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><sup>2<\/sup><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tropospheric Ducting: Beyond Line of Sight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, let\u2019s shift our attention to tropospheric ducting. Picture warm air hugging the ground while cooler air sits above it. This atmospheric setup can lead to some interesting radio effects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>What Is Tropospheric Ducting?<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tropospheric ducting occurs when atmospheric conditions create a duct\u2014a sort of tunnel\u2014through which VHF, UHF, and microwave radio waves can travel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Normally, radio signals follow a line-of-sight path, but ducting extends their range well beyond that. It\u2019s like giving your radio waves a booster shot!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fleetwooddp.com\/blogs\/news\/northern-lights-radio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">These ducts form due to temperature inversions\u2014when a layer of air in the troposphere (the lower part of the atmosphere) has a higher temperature than the layers above and below it<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/dxinfocentre.com\/tropo_eur.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><sup>3<\/sup><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>When Does It Happen?<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tropospheric ducting is more common during stable, anticyclonic weather conditions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It\u2019s like Mother Nature saying, \u201cHey, let\u2019s bend those radio waves today!\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fleetwooddp.com\/blogs\/news\/northern-lights-radio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">While it\u2019s most noticeable at VHF frequencies and above, it occasionally surprises us by reaching down to 40 MHz or even lower frequencies<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/3fs.net.au\/tropospheric-ducting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><sup>4<\/sup><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>So, whether you\u2019re tuning in to distant stations during an aurora or enjoying extended radio range thanks to tropospheric ducting, remember that the atmosphere is full of surprises. Keep your antennas up and your curiosity alive! \ud83d\udcfb\u2728<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is there anything else you\u2019d like to explore? Maybe we can chat about the cosmos or swap favorite radio frequencies! \ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ah, the mesmerizing dance of the Northern Lights! Those shimmering curtains of light in the Arctic skies have more than just visual appeal\u2014they also play a role in radio communication. One key feature of Aurora is the ghostly sounds that come with it, Aurora is more commonly found on VHF from 12m up, and in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","omw_enable_modal_window":"enable","osp_disable_panel":"default","osh_disable_topbar_sticky":"default","osh_disable_header_sticky":"default","osh_sticky_header_style":"default","osh_sticky_header_effect":"","osh_custom_sticky_logo":0,"osh_custom_retina_sticky_logo":0,"osh_custom_sticky_logo_height":0,"osh_background_color":"","osh_links_color":"","osh_links_hover_color":"","osh_links_active_color":"","osh_links_bg_color":"","osh_links_hover_bg_color":"","osh_links_active_bg_color":"","osh_menu_social_links_color":"","osh_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-amateur-radio","category-theory-amateur-radio","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mm0zif.radio\/current\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mm0zif.radio\/current\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mm0zif.radio\/current\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mm0zif.radio\/current\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mm0zif.radio\/current\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mm0zif.radio\/current\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mm0zif.radio\/current\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mm0zif.radio\/current\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"catego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