Tonight's Aurora = Great DX?

[jon]

A very high chance of Aurora conditions tonight likely mean some great DX opportunties on both AM and FM.

The University of Alberta has issued a Red Alert for Aurora overnight tonight -- dusk to dawn -- following up on a Yellow Alert for the last couple of days. This is their first Red Alert in about a year.

Based on the observations of the late Percy Kesteven, a long-time Edmonton DX'er of the '60s and early '70s, DX on the AM band at the higher latitudes is exceptional, especially Trans-Polar, just before the Aurora itself hits, and pretty well blanks everything out. In Vancouver and other Southern latitudes, unless the Aurora is actually visible there, the DX conditions are usually good right through. Or, at least, different, sometimes blocking out signals from certain directions, allowing stations to be heard from other directions. For example, in Vancouver, East Coast clear channels would be blocked, opening up Central America on the same frequency, so I sometimes was able to do my homework to Marimba music from Guatemala (TGJ-880, with no sign of WCBS New York).

[Howaboutthat]

A very high chance of Aurora conditions tonight likely mean some great DX opportunties on both AM and FM.

The University of Alberta has issued a Red Alert for Aurora overnight tonight -- dusk to dawn -- following up on a Yellow Alert for the last couple of days. This is their first Red Alert in about a year.

OK, I've stopped giggling. What on earth (or above it) is a Red Alert for Aurora?

[radiofan]

A very high chance of Aurora conditions tonight likely mean some great DX opportunties on both AM and FM.

The University of Alberta has issued a Red Alert for Aurora overnight tonight -- dusk to dawn -- following up on a Yellow Alert for the last couple of days. This is their first Red Alert in about a year.

OK, I've stopped giggling. What on earth (or above it) is a Red Alert for Aurora?

[jon]

This alert level indicates that there is a very high chance (>70%) of observing Auroral activity tonight providing viewing conditions are good (i.e. clear sky).
ref. - http://corona-gw.phys.ualberta.ca/AuroraWatch/

aurora borealis = Northern Lights

[Howaboutthat]

so I sometimes was able to do my homework to Marimba music from Guatemala.

This actually explains a lot of things.

[jon]

I was going to say "It sure beats Ranchero Music", but then I realized that I liked that, too.

Even though Ranchero Music is the Mexican equivalent of '60s Country and Western (C&W), I found myself quite liking the former but detesting the latter.

If the late Brian Williams was still with us, he would be making some crack about the appeal of Ranchero Music on Mexican radio stations was the singers and DJs "rolling their R's". But I won't go there.

[Jack Bennest]

ALERT

RED

AURORA



this thread needed the humour - yes?

[Howaboutthat]

If the late Brian Williams was still with us....

I guess for starters, if he was still with us, he wouldn't be called 'the late' Brian Williams...

[another dog]

Re the Red......Alert ........ Aurora pix above Jack, I will Echo that.

[Dan Sys]

Thanks for the tip Jon. If I could find some way to eliminate the static, atmospheric noise, TVI, computer interference, etc. that destroys the AM band in this building I would check it out.

Radiofan......your posting of Mr. Robinson's photo had me in absolute hysterics. Almost made me spit out my wodka & orange. Thank goodness that didn't happen because on top of the obvious waste of alcohol it probably would have resulted in yet another ruined keyboard.

[albertaboy4life]

Around Calgary last night the DX wasn't great. I could barely get the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game on either Team 1410 Vancouver or 1510 KGA Spokane which are usually solid in these parts. Even Sacramento's KFBK 1530 was weak. Everything below about 1400 was silent. Team 1260 out of Edmonton was weaker than 630 CHED which is rare at night around here.

[jon]

Another Aurora forecast for overnight tonight.

[jon]

A Red Alert for an Aurora tonight. So, that may mean some interesting DX. Or not....

Amazing to see so many after only one in a two year period.

[Howaboutthat]

A Red Alert for an Aurora tonight. So, that may mean some interesting DX. Or not....

Amazing to see so many after only one in a two year period.

What are the implications of a red alert auroa... other than dx-ing. I'm sure the U of A doesn't issue it for that reason.

[Jack Bennest]

http://www.sunearthplan.net/5/101/Aurora-alert