Tropospheric Ducting

Having trouble receiving us this morning, particularly around Nerriga and Tarago? It’s not us, and it’s not you! Atmospheric conditions are helping 2RE Taree cut in over our signal! This is a temporary issue which should improve as the day heats up. Further tropospheric ducting- as the phenomenon is known- may occur overnight and early tomorrow morning, so there is the chance of more interference.

 

 

Tropospheric Ducting

is a type of radio propagation that tends to happen during periods of stable, anticyclonic weather. In this propagation method, when the signal encounters a rise in temperature in the atmosphere instead of the normal decrease (known as a temperature inversion), the higher refractive index of the atmosphere there will cause the signal to be bent. Tropospheric ducting affects all frequencies, and signals enhanced this way tend to travel up to 800 miles (1,300 km) (though some people have received “tropo” beyond 1,000 miles / 1,600 km), while with tropospheric-bending, stable signals with good signal strength from 500+ miles (800+ km) away are not uncommon when the refractive index of the atmosphere is fairly high.