01 March, 2010

Magnetospherically ducted echo

Magnetic field lines in the
magnetosphere (Ill. NASA)
Signals in the 1.8 - 4 MHz range may pass the ionosphere and be ducted in the magnetosphere out to a distance of several earth radii over to the opposite hemisphere where they will be reflected on top of the ionosphere.

The round-trip time varies with the latitude of the transmitter, or to be more accurate with the position relative to the magnetic Equator. Typical delay times are 140 - 300 ms. At my location near Oslo, Norway, the expected delay is about 308 ms, but unfortunately I have yet to hear such an echo.