KNAU update for June 21 — KNAU eNews: Prescribed Burns, California Condor, and More

From time to time, especially as the weather warms up in Northern Arizona, we receive calls from listeners alerting us that “another station has taken over our frequency,” or words to that effect. Sometimes it alerts us to a system malfunction. Other times it reminds us of a phenomenon called “E-skip.”

A simple explanation is that under certain atmospheric conditions, radio waves can travel in abnormal ways. For instance, a distant station’s signal can travel hundreds of miles and seem to crowd a local station on the same frequency. Some of our repeater stations are licensed to fairly low power and are easily overwhelmed by more powerful signals even if they’re coming from far away. The only good news really is that ducting works both ways. KNAU’s signal can also travel tremendous distances too.

Amateur radio operators actually like the condition, because it allows them to talk over greater distances than normal as seen in this video.

Our combination of changing seasons, current weather and relatively low-power stations is what’s behind this interference. Assuredly, it will pass.

You can read up on more information about E-skip and tropospheric ducting at Proaudioeng.com, Engineeringradio.us, and see a map on the ducting here.

A couple years ago, a volunteer patrolling near Bluff, Utah, found a human-like figure pecked onto stone—rock art at least five times older than the Liberty Bell. The volunteer gasped to see that a thief had used a rock saw to try and cut out the panel. Learn more at KNAU.org.

Border Patrol agents say 17 migrants have been rescued after they crossed into a military bombing range in southwestern Arizona and became lost. Learn more at KNAU.org.

A baby California condor has been spotted in far northern Arizona. The Peregrine Fund says one of its biologists confirmed the nestling last week at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. Learn more at KNAU.org.

You may have noticed some pockets of smoke in the air around northern Arizona. Fire managers on the South Zone of the Kaibab National Forest say they will continue operations on multiple prescribed fire projects on both the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts over the next several days. Learn more at KNAU.org.