[MAMS] Wind losses

[Lloyd Ellsworth]

I have set up and operated rover many times in very windy locations.
It can be very frustrating, and destructive.

Biggest suggestion. Advance planning. Testing. Better mechanical
supports. Keeping to short paths, with short antennas, and horns
rather than dishes and long antennas.

As Jerry noted, the winds tend to blow away the nicely layered
atmosphere, that promotes good DX conditions. I would support that
observation.

Conclusion I reached many years ago, along with many others, is that
wind tends to scatter signals. I tend to use the term shred on
microwaves. Winds seem normally to be gusty in nature. Changing speed,
often, quickly, rather than being steady. Even direction. And on the
Lake shore. Rarely, is it steady. This creates different atmospheric
density zones, which affects signals, by shifting the signal direction
slightly. As it passes from one density cell to a different density
cell. The wind forming pressure waves. Ridges. The signal then
slightly interfering with itself. Thus noise.

Also noted, the higher the band, the greater the effect.

Perhaps we need to study making use of the pressure waves, like a
surfer uses waves near the beach shore. Gain advantage.


73, Lloyd NE8I/r
EN74 etc