RETRO-4-RADIO

By Peter Madison, EI0IQ

Most electronic communications scientists and RF engineers will tell you that, as space is infinite, radio signals go on and on, out through the Ionosphere into outer space and therefore into infinity. This basic theory is fine - but how many radio signals have been sent out over the years and been monitored by ALL the intended listeners? The answer is none.

All the radio waves ever since Marconi are out there as sure as an X File truth.
Recent experiments by French radio astronomers in association with amateurs here in the West of Ireland have proved an astounding new theory.

Radio signals that were originally transmitted within the last 40 years, at over 400 watts, are striking asteroids and bouncing back to Earth.

The "Loupe Inverte Radio Frequencie Asteroides" (LIRFA loop) is a magnetised belt above the Clarke Belt.
The broadcasts are reaching the loop as a positive (+) force and are repelled as negative (-) signals, back to their area of origin at ¼ of their original wavelength or frequency. (NegaHertz.)

When our early pioneer radio engineers invented the ¼ wave dipole they were unwittingly creating the ideal antenna for reception of signals from the past.

The French side of the team has erected 26 different dipoles of varying lengths and coded them with the phonetic letters of the alphabet. At the Irish end we have had excellent results on much simpler aerials and on very strong signals even the telescopic whip of a portable short wave receiver is working very well. The only difficulty is in researching the exact time of day that the programmes were transmitted but it is a simple matter to divide the original frequency by four.

Being an unashamedly vain ex broadcaster I shall be tuning for shows that I know I have produced in the past and recording them of course! For example, as 'Mac Peters' on offshore Radio City I know the times of my few pitiful efforts and the wavelength. Unfortunately ¼ of 1505 kHz (299 metres) is right in the middle of the DX portion of the 80 metre amateur band.

This phenomenon is coincidentally best experienced in the fourth month of the year and will be at its best on the first day.

So get out your B/C log books for old stations from radio's golden years and do the sums for the BBC Home Service, or better still, Radio London/Radio Caroline. ( I'll be looking for Sunshine Radio and Radio Nova.) Divide the frequency by four and, at the right time remember the great fun we used to have all those years ago.
I will be back here on the 4th of the month with this years list of Retro-4-Radio logs.

Peter Madison, "The Teenage Pensioner"

(Copyright - petermadison@eircom.ie )

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RETRO-4-RADIO & NegaHertz.

By Peter Madison, EI0IQ

I wasn't listening myself but I did enjoy the happy thought of many Anoraks scratching their heads (and other parts) searching for Negahertz on the first of April!

The 26 antennas with their French letters and the asteroid belt known as 'Lirfa Loop' might have given you a clue that despite advancing years 'The Teenage Pensioner's' sense of humour on the wireless is still delivering the goods!

If I had been on the air on April first my programme would have been 'interfered with' by broadcasts from the past!

(Copyright - Peter Madison - petermadison@eircom.ie )