stupid question

[Doug Drown]

Christopher,
During the winter you'll notice that AM signals travel farther during the
day as well.  I live well up into central Maine and some midwinter days can
clearly pick up stations in New York until at least mid-morning, sometimes
all day if the weather's right.  John's response applies there, too: during
the winter, the sun, in the Northern Hemisphere, is, as it were, farther
away: sunlight reaches us at a lower angle, thus enabling the "mirror" to
function longer.  I'm not particularly good at physics, but that's the best
I can explain it.  Bottom line: It all makes for fun radio listening.  I was
thrilled when, one night as a teenager growing up in the Worcester area, I
picked up WOAI in San Antonio.

Doug


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Bolduc" <n1qgs@yahoo.com>
To: "christopher fuccione" <chrisf01864@lycos.com>;
<Boston-Radio-Interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org>
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 9:12 PM
Subject: Re: stupid question


> > Why can you hear radio stations from other parts of the country at night
>
> Not such a stupid question. Although the ability to receive Medium Wave
> Broadcast Band (AM) signals at night has been observed for over 100 years,
> and by the general public since the early 1920's, having a better
> understanding why has only been around since the space age.
>
> In simple terms there is an electrical mirror way up in the sky. During
> the day the sun absorbs most of the mirror, but at night the electrical
> mirror comes back and reflects signals (skywave) back to earth.  Sorry my
> wife is nagging me to go to the store, so I'll to end my explanation here!
>
>
> John B
> Derry NH
>
>
>
>
>