Signals Fading From Shortwave Bands
 

SIGNALS FADING FROM SHORTWAVE BANDS

Mysterious weakening of frequencies puzzles scientists



Columbia, MD- Officials at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have
observed a steady deterioration in shortwave signals over the past decade,
and have kept the findings secret while they scramble to find a cause, a
government insider told a gathering of the American Shortwave Listeners'
Society Tuesday.



Measurements taken at various FCC monitoring stations show that signals are
degraded compared to ten or fifteen years ago, but only on certain
frequencies. The variation cannot be attributed to the solar cycle, which
causes signals in the shortwave bands to rise and fall every 11 years or so.



"What we are seeing is very, very strange, indeed," said a scientist with
the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which obtained the
results of a study conducted by FCC between 1989 and 2004. "It seems that
only certain very specific frequencies are affected, while others are
completely immune to the effect," she said.



Robin Ferguson, a senior member of the technical staff at NIST and
congressional lobbyist, cited three specific channels that are especially
disturbed but without a plausible explanation for the malady that affects
only these three and not the frequencies immediately above nor below them.
At the annual convention of the shortwave listeners, she described the
serious degradation that is eroding the ability of these shortwave signals
to carry communications.



"For some reason, we are measuring a definite 14 to 20 decibel drop in
signal strength as we sweep across 7.258, 10.000, and 14.230 Megahertz, just
to name a few," she announced. "It is almost as though those frequencies
were overused, that they are somehow being worn out from almost constant use
by relatively high-powered transmitters and can't support these signals-any
signals-anymore. I know this sounds crazy, but the measurements don't lie,"
she stated.



Attempting to explain the mystery in terms understandable by the layman,
Ferguson likened the effect to the deterioration of the ozone layer, "Except
it's the ionosphere that's involved here, but the real puzzle is why only
these frequencies? It's like the ionosphere knows what frequency you're on,
and selectively fades you out."



Until more data are collected, the condition appears permanent.



Ms. Ferguson revealed several more frequencies that have fallen prey to this
mysterious radio disease as members of the audience made careful note of
them. "Take a listen also on 3.885, 15.000, and 27.495 Megahertz, and you
may be surprised at what you hear-or should I say don't hear," she said.



She pointed to a section of the study where worldwide communications were
being conducted on 14.220 Megahertz, but the same signals, when they moved
to 14.230 Megahertz, a scant 10 kilohertz higher, were too weak to hear and
covered by noise. The effect has never before been observed.



Both 10 and 15 Megahertz are frequencies used by WWV, NIST's time and
frequency radio station in Fort Collins, Colorado, which operates 24 hours a
day and lends credence to the theory that the frequencies are simply wearing
out from overuse. The other frequencies have no specific user but are part
of the amateur radio service's allocations. They are used heavily by ham
radio operators to talk to their friends on the air.



"The question that is really concerning us is whether there are other
frequencies about to go south, and whether we can do anything to stop it
from happening," Ferguson said. She added that a worldwide moratorium has
been proposed while tests continue to test the 'overuse' theory, but she
said opposition would be stiff from many shortwave users who would be
affected, especially hams who use these frequencies. She stated, "I
understand it would be somewhat of a hard sell to ask them not to get on the
air, but after all, they are just hobbyists and I believe the federal
government could invoke the authority to give us the quiet bands we need to
make our measurements." In one scenario being considered, 'quiet hours'
would be imposed on hams for a limited amount of time each day.



Ferguson pledged continuing efforts to identify a cause, but warned that
budget cuts at FCC might hamper further research.

Oh, no. Somebody's been rifling through the forgotten notes of the late
Larson E. Rapp, rediscovered the formula for Ether Grease, and has been
burning holes in the bands again. Guess it was bound to happen sooner or
later.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Anonymous wrote:
SIGNALS FADING FROM SHORTWAVE BANDS

Mysterious weakening of frequencies puzzles scientists
. . .

On Thu, 7 Apr 2005 22:09:17 -0700, "Anonymous"
wrote:

Robin Ferguson, a senior member of the technical staff at NIST and
congressional lobbyist, cited three specific channels that are especially
disturbed but without a plausible explanation for the malady that affects
only these three and not the frequencies immediately above nor below them.

3 things wrong here, there is no such person at NIST, it would be
against the law for them to lobby, and the rest is baloney. Other
than that, it would serve as great kindling if we got hard copies of
this.

April fools was over a week ago!

In message , -XC-
writes
April fools was over a week ago!

Long Delayed Echo ?

Brian GM4DIJ
--
Brian Howie

It's the CBers. You see, there is a fixed quantity of propagation in the
ionosphere and each signal that hits the ionosphere absorbs a bit of that
energy. Eventually we reach a point of saturation at which the capability
of the ionosphere to support propagation starts to degrade. CBers and their
illegal super amps are sucking the ionosphere dry. The only way to reverse
the trend is for them to stop transmitting.

The eminent Dr. Larson E. Rapp explained it all in the April 1938 QST.
--

-----
Joe S.



"Anonymous" wrote in message
...

SIGNALS FADING FROM SHORTWAVE BANDS

Mysterious weakening of frequencies puzzles scientists



Columbia, MD- Officials at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
have
observed a steady deterioration in shortwave signals over the past decade,
and have kept the findings secret while they scramble to find a cause, a
government insider told a gathering of the American Shortwave Listeners'
Society Tuesday.



Measurements taken at various FCC monitoring stations show that signals
are
degraded compared to ten or fifteen years ago, but only on certain
frequencies. The variation cannot be attributed to the solar cycle, which
causes signals in the shortwave bands to rise and fall every 11 years or
so.



"What we are seeing is very, very strange, indeed," said a scientist with
the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which obtained the
results of a study conducted by FCC between 1989 and 2004. "It seems that
only certain very specific frequencies are affected, while others are
completely immune to the effect," she said.



Robin Ferguson, a senior member of the technical staff at NIST and
congressional lobbyist, cited three specific channels that are especially
disturbed but without a plausible explanation for the malady that affects
only these three and not the frequencies immediately above nor below them.
At the annual convention of the shortwave listeners, she described the
serious degradation that is eroding the ability of these shortwave signals
to carry communications.



"For some reason, we are measuring a definite 14 to 20 decibel drop in
signal strength as we sweep across 7.258, 10.000, and 14.230 Megahertz,
just
to name a few," she announced. "It is almost as though those frequencies
were overused, that they are somehow being worn out from almost constant
use
by relatively high-powered transmitters and can't support these
signals-any
signals-anymore. I know this sounds crazy, but the measurements don't
lie,"
she stated.



Attempting to explain the mystery in terms understandable by the layman,
Ferguson likened the effect to the deterioration of the ozone layer,
"Except
it's the ionosphere that's involved here, but the real puzzle is why only
these frequencies? It's like the ionosphere knows what frequency you're
on,
and selectively fades you out."



Until more data are collected, the condition appears permanent.



Ms. Ferguson revealed several more frequencies that have fallen prey to
this
mysterious radio disease as members of the audience made careful note of
them. "Take a listen also on 3.885, 15.000, and 27.495 Megahertz, and you
may be surprised at what you hear-or should I say don't hear," she said.



She pointed to a section of the study where worldwide communications were
being conducted on 14.220 Megahertz, but the same signals, when they moved
to 14.230 Megahertz, a scant 10 kilohertz higher, were too weak to hear
and
covered by noise. The effect has never before been observed.



Both 10 and 15 Megahertz are frequencies used by WWV, NIST's time and
frequency radio station in Fort Collins, Colorado, which operates 24 hours
a
day and lends credence to the theory that the frequencies are simply
wearing
out from overuse. The other frequencies have no specific user but are part
of the amateur radio service's allocations. They are used heavily by ham
radio operators to talk to their friends on the air.



"The question that is really concerning us is whether there are other
frequencies about to go south, and whether we can do anything to stop it
from happening," Ferguson said. She added that a worldwide moratorium has
been proposed while tests continue to test the 'overuse' theory, but she
said opposition would be stiff from many shortwave users who would be
affected, especially hams who use these frequencies. She stated, "I
understand it would be somewhat of a hard sell to ask them not to get on
the
air, but after all, they are just hobbyists and I believe the federal
government could invoke the authority to give us the quiet bands we need
to
make our measurements." In one scenario being considered, 'quiet hours'
would be imposed on hams for a limited amount of time each day.



Ferguson pledged continuing efforts to identify a cause, but warned that
budget cuts at FCC might hamper further research.

On 08/04/2005 5:01 PM, Joe S. wrote:
It's the CBers. You see, there is a fixed quantity of propagation in the
ionosphere and each signal that hits the ionosphere absorbs a bit of that
energy. Eventually we reach a point of saturation at which the capability
of the ionosphere to support propagation starts to degrade. CBers and their
illegal super amps are sucking the ionosphere dry. The only way to reverse
the trend is for them to stop transmitting.

The eminent Dr. Larson E. Rapp explained it all in the April 1938 QST.

Nope.

Aliens. Stealing our ions for their starships.

I know that some may give me some static about this, or see it as a
negative occurrence. I say we should try to stay positive. In
particle, I look forward to meeting with the aliens. I expect to get a
charge out of that.

No mater what happens, you can be sure we will bounce back.

-- cm

Anonymous quotes:
"---but the real puzzle is why only these frequencies?"

Shortwave propagation has always been highly variable. Selective fading
is the rule. So much so, that frequency diversity has proved effective
to improve reliability even though 2 or more frequencies must be used
for only one channel in but a single direction.

Hit or miss communications makes ionospheric radio obsolete for
practical purposes in an age of satellites and optical fiber cables.

For amateurs, hit or miss is part of the fun.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI

Crazy George wrote:
"Gobau?"

Amazingly close according to MSN`s Wikipedia which says------
Goubou linne:
"A single-wire transmission line or waveguide."

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI

On Thu, 07 Apr 2005 22:22:45 -0700, Roy Lewallen wrote:

Oh, no. Somebody's been rifling through the forgotten notes of the late
Larson E. Rapp, rediscovered the formula for Ether Grease, and has been
burning holes in the bands again. Guess it was bound to happen sooner or
later.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Anonymous wrote:
SIGNALS FADING FROM SHORTWAVE BANDS

Mysterious weakening of frequencies puzzles scientists
. . .
Rather than holes in the bands, or loss of reflectivity of the ionosphere, I
believe the high power SW BC stations in A-fricka have totally dehumidified the
ground surrounding their antenna systems. The result is that the ground is
sucking up all the energy rather than reflecting it. Therefore, instead of
getting the inherent 6 dB gain from the ground reflection we're getting at least
a 30 dB loss in signal strength from ground absorption. This condition is bound
to continue until the heavy metal such as mercury suspended in the atmosphere
rains down on the ground around the antenna systems to reinstate the ground
conductivity to its natural state. Only then will the ground cease being
absorptive and again become reflective. With the present state of the
atmosphere it won't take very long for this to happen.

The only other reason for this phenomenon of lower signal levels is the increase
in the inherent D-layer absorption due to the heavy concentration of heavy metal
suspended in both the atmosphere and troposphere. If this trend isn't reversed
soon the suspension will also gravitate to the ionosphere, in which case no sky
wave signals will propagate and we'll be stuck with only ground-wave
propagation. Now wouldn't that be a helova situation?

Walt, W2DU1/2