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EI7GL....A diary of amateur radio activity

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FM radio stations from Ghana are heard for the first time in Europe - 23rd July 2021

Posted: 12 Aug 2021 10:31 PM PDT https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2021/08/fm-radio-stations-from-ghana-are-heard.html


I only recently came across a report about how FM radio stations in Ghana
on the 88-108 MHz band were heard for the first time in Europe on the 23rd
of July 2021.

Mauricio Molano Sánchez is an active FM DXer in the west of Spain and on
the 23rd of July 2021, he managed to log the following stations from Ghana
in Africa...
88.3 MHz POTTERS FM Sunyani GHANA 3574 km
88.5 MHz RADIO VISA (AUDIO) Dunkwa-on-Offin GHANA 3734 km
According to Mauricio, this was the first time that FM radio stations from Ghana have been heard in Europe.
He writes...."During a solid double hop sporadic-E opening towards Cape
Verde, several weaker and more unstable signals appeared at 87.7, 88.1,
88.3 and 88.5 MHz. These last two stations are the ones that came a little stronger and for a longer time. It was possible to record identifications
of both. The language used was English. After ruling out the Anglophone countries closest to CPV, the search ended in Ghana: the station at 88.5
was RADIO VISA from Dunkwa-on-Offin. 88.3 was POTTERS FM from Sunyani."
His full report can be found on his blog HERE
What I found of interest about this report was that someone in Spain
managed to hear FM radio stations at a distance of about 3700kms. If we
look at a map, this is what it looks like...

As you can see, the circle almost reaches Newfoundland. As far as I know, no-one in Spain or Portugal has ever heard a FM radio station from North America.
Back in June of 2021, Larry Horlick, VO1FOG in Newfoundland heard FM radio stations in Spain. At the time, some argued that it was not possible for
anyone in Spain to heard North America because the band was too crowded.
And yet, here we have an example of someone hearing double hop from Ghana
in Africa.
If FM radio stations from Spain can be heard in North America then North American FM radio stations can be heard in Spain or Portugal. It's not a
case of IF but WHEN will they be heard.
See my 88-108 MHz page for more examples of long distance reports.

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