What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

A place to post your bitch or rant about anything that's not radio related

What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Tape Splicer » Sun Sep 08, 2013 4:31 pm

While in Chilliwack this weekend I surfed the FM band and came upon a puzzle.
The frequency range from 89,90 to 99,10 was totally dead .... no static or other wayward sounds at all, It was as if there was a TX with on audio on the signal.
Can anyone explain what what I might have come across? Thanks, TS
Tape Splicer
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:45 pm

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby former tv guy » Sun Sep 08, 2013 4:38 pm

Did you have it plugged in?
former tv guy
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 145
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2013 8:27 pm

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Tape Splicer » Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:25 pm

Good point, thanks for asking. The radio was powered up on 3AAA batteries - the telescope antenna was up the volume was at mid range and the headphones were on - I was hearing everything on the FM band from 88 MHz - 108 MHz except in the range mentioned above.

I was on a mountain side just south east of the city overlooking the airport and farm land. the area where "Rider Lake Road" is located.

My only thought was that there might be a TX on the mountain near by.
Last edited by Tape Splicer on Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tape Splicer
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:45 pm

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Bigbangboom » Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:26 pm

No kidding... I can't see a dead carrier on that much band.

I'd say problems with your equipment are likely the culprit.
Bigbangboom
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2012 6:53 am

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Tape Splicer » Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:37 pm

The radio is OK, I just ran through the frequency range here at the homestead and the radio has the usual hiss that one hears between stations.
Tape Splicer
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:45 pm

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Bigbangboom » Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:51 pm

Tape Splicer wrote:The radio is OK, I just ran through the frequency range here at the homestead and the radio has the usual hiss that one hears between stations.


So now you are getting static between 89,9 and 99,1? You original post stated otherwise... Sorry man, confused.
Bigbangboom
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2012 6:53 am

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Tape Splicer » Sun Sep 08, 2013 7:12 pm

Correct ... i was visiting the valley when i noted the frequency thing.
I posted this thread from home in the metro Vancouver area. I also checked the radio from home in response to the comment above.
Hope that clears up any confusion as to my
Tape Splicer
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:45 pm

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Toomas Losin » Sun Sep 08, 2013 7:13 pm

Are FM radios subject to "blocking"; where a very strong undesired signal punches enough energy through the tuned front end to confuse the AGC circuitry so that gain is reduced to the point that nothing is heard of the desired station?

Google Maps shows what looks like an antenna farm on Elk Mountain about 1.5 km from Ryder Lake.
Toomas Losin
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 258
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 11:33 am

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Tape Splicer » Sun Sep 08, 2013 7:39 pm

TL; I know when one has a CB radio on in receive mode and another near by with the mic keyed the radio that is receiving is "audio-swamped" by the radio that has the mic keyed and transmitting. The CB radio that is in receive is not able to pick other signals on any channel. But then again, this is AM... I don't know about FM,
Tape Splicer
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:45 pm

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby radiofan » Sun Sep 08, 2013 9:11 pm

Heading south from Chilliwack, there is some towers at about 10 o'clock. Is that the Ruder Lake area?
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
User avatar
radiofan
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 13719
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:24 pm
Location: Keremeos, BC

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Tape Splicer » Sun Sep 08, 2013 9:32 pm

radiofan wrote:Heading south from Chilliwack, there is some towers at about 10 o'clock. Is that the Ruder Lake area?


If we are looking at the same map, Rider Lake Road is south of Highway one and South-East of the Prest Rd exit; about half way up the mountain,
Tape Splicer
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:45 pm

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby radiofan » Sun Sep 08, 2013 10:25 pm

That sounds about right. Several kms of winding. gravel and poor pavement roads.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
User avatar
radiofan
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 13719
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:24 pm
Location: Keremeos, BC

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Tape Splicer » Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:37 pm

radiofan wrote:That sounds about right. Several kms of winding. gravel and poor pavement roads.


You are right about the badly paved roads, but the good news is that they are upgrading the narrow winding roads and hopefully there will be fewer kidneys bruised once the bumps are smoothed out.

But there is one sure thing ... The view looking across the valley is well worth the bumps and bruises.

I'll have take the Grundig G8 to do a serious AM - DX from that location one day.
Tape Splicer
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:45 pm

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Eldon-Mr.CFAY » Mon Sep 09, 2013 1:10 pm

Greetings,
Thanks very much Tape Splicer for reporting this unusual reception or lack of on that portion of the FM Band. I am quite familiar with the Rider Lake area of Southeast Chilliwack. There is a tower or two up there and I think it has one or two FM transmitters, possibly a ham radio FM repeater transmitter too. What I think it happened was some equipment at one of those transmitter sites not working properly. Might be some equipment slightly off and causing interference or blockage to that portion of the FM Band. It sounds like a bit of transmitter overload from some kind of open carrier. I wonder if an amateur radio repeater or new equipment been installed at that location might be the cause! Perhaps something new is been installed and you just happened to be there when that was in progress. I have tuned across the FM band in that area about a year and a half ago when a friend and myself when up to Promontory Mountain area near Vedder crossing. We never noticed anything blocking that portion of the FM Broadcast Band or sounding completely empty like that. My friend has a real good FM Car radio and we were checking to see how well some of the USA and Vancouver FM stations were coming in.

Anyhow thanks again for mentioning it. Perhaps others might want to take a drive up there and check it out too. I suspect it may be a temporary thing though.

73s Eldon (Sky Valley any thoughts about this????)
Bye . . Mr. CFAY "Frequently On The Frequency"
The CFAY Website: http://cfayradio.wordpress.com
CFAY Radio: http://tinyurl.com/l9qqmh
User avatar
Eldon-Mr.CFAY
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 526
Joined: Fri May 01, 2009 3:09 pm
Location: P.O. Box 3536, Langley, BC V3A 4R9

Re: What is up with the FM band in the Chilliwack?

Postby Tape Splicer » Mon Sep 09, 2013 1:26 pm

Thanks for the comment Eldon.
To me your comments suggest this could be a harmonic issue - from a different frequency range all together - if indeed it is from a ham repeater. We may never know what i didn't hear,
Tape Splicer
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:45 pm


Return to The Bitchin' Post

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 75 guests

cron