40m long delay radio echo reported

Saw this on Spaceweather.com:

It's not uncommon for hams to hear themselves a second or two after they transmit on HF as their signal propagates around the world and then comes back on the "backside" of their antenna. It's even been reported that hams have heard their own voice come back 2, even 3 times.

But one ham in Germany recorded hearing his own CW transmissions an astonishing 46 seconds after sending them!

Peter Brogl, DK6NP, experienced this rare and little-known phenomenon (known as long-delay echo, or "LDE") on Nov. 27 on 7 MHz and managed to record the echoes.

The reasons for LDE's are unknown, although many theories exist as to their cause.

QSOs with the ISS, from the ISS point of view!

Ever wonder just what the ISS hears when they try to contact stations on the ground? Commander Doug Wheelock (KF5BOC) treats us to a glimpse of the amateur radio station on board the International Space Station as he makes a pass over North America just before he returned to earth last week after spending 161 days aboard the ISS.

In the 20 minute YouTube video Wheelock introduces us to the NA1SS "shack" as well as a few of the US and Russian segments of the station before beginning his QSOs.

Some of the stations he worked this particular pass:

• N6RSX
• KD0EXV
• N0KGM
• N0WAR
• N6RSX (again)
• KF7IO? (he missed the suffix)
• W0PD
• W5SSV
  

As you'll hear, it's quite a pileup of noise as dozens of stations struggle to make contact with Doug. At one point he switches to what he referred as "Channel 5" which is a simplex frequency alternate he used to relieve the pileup he was getting on the primary frequency used over North America. I checked with a couple of web sites but no reference to a simplex frequency is mentioned.

If anyone knows what the "simplex" is he was using please let me know.

Skip to 10:30 for the NA1SS station and laptop used for them to monitor their location. 11:40 for the radio power-up.

So remember, the next time you try to contact the ISS and they don't hear you, chances are you're not the only station trying to talk to them.

IL neighbors up in arms over ham radio towers

A ham radio operator in Peoria County has some residents outraged.

Craig Thompson is building several towers on his property and his neighbors are apparently concerned with the view once they have been erected:

Furthermore in the comments section, one neighbor has threatened to install an electric dog fence or resort to other means to impede the use of the towers.

The funny thing is, everything Mr. Thompson has done to this point has been legal, cleared by the county, and it's on his personal property. The county trustee even cited amateur radio's federal guidelines (PRB-1) that allow ham radio to supercede tower restrictions.

Shortwave causes amnesia? On TV it does

Got this in my inbox and figured some of you might be interested:

I'm a fan of a strange show called Fringe.
And tonight's show caught my eye,

FRINGE: 6995 KHZ

NEW

Fifteen people along the Eastern seaboard suffer retrograde amnesia after listening to their shortwave radios on the same frequency; the anticipation of Olivia's return escalates.

So tune in tonight on the Fox network if you can. You won't forget it...or will you?????

EDIT: I didn't check my email closely, it was sent LAST night (Thursday). Maybe it'll be on Hulu?