THE BIG MONSTER OF TWO HEAD KILLING LPFM RADIO: "DUCTING"
Updated: Oct 6
By Frank Eloja
Unpredictable like an earthquake, noisy, bothersome is a thing called “DUCTING”, a real enemy on today's radio for smaller and unwanted based community broadcasters called Low Power FM (LPFM) service.
Traveling and visiting several countries and cities around the world, and being passionate about radio, I have never seen such a phenomenon affecting ANY radio broadcasting on frequency modulation (FM). On the other hand, it was an exclusive phenomenon, which affected Amplitude Modulation (AM), a real problem for those who broadcast on AM bands. The good thing of this phenomenon was, it allowed me to experience and enjoy international radio from farther countries like Colombia and Venezuela, who in the 80s were at the top in the broadcasting industry.
Today , I have seen that this thing of Ducting has been extrapolated as natural phenomenon affecting US radio, exclusively to target LPFM services in some areas. This Frankenstein monster of two (2) is so creative and at the same time, extremely dangerous with its big garras (claws) destroying the unprotected and innocent smaller babies of the clan, residing at the end of the limit of the city of the Airwave.
LPFM service intended to be a vital community radio tool to empower small communities, deserved by commercial broadcasters.
Whether we like it or not, the LPFM service plays a fundamental and wonderful role in helping minority groups and organizations dedicated to serving their communities, even though some individuals have used it for purposes other than those intended, seeking hidden personal gain.
It is imperative to preserve the LPFM service not only from any misuse, but from this unwanted and tedious phenomenon of supposed “DUCTING”. Also, the LPFM strongly need to be protected from any interference coming from any big guys, pretending to be mighty owners of the spectrum. It is simple, LPFM has been here almost 30 years, old enough to be respected and empowered as it was done with Low Power Digital Television (LPDT). All FM radio services can coexist without malice and trickery.
In the bible Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus warns that simply saying "Lord, Lord"it does not mean sall in the clan are in the mission to serve. LPFM broadcasters have to be aware of that. LPFM has enemies everywhere. This service can be easily disrupted and punished by this Frankenstein monster of Tropo Ducting/Skip-tropo, or whether the name is used to mislead.
Ducting is so bad that it can trap, surround, silence, and knock down any LPFM broadcaster in any community or market. But it is more sad to know that there is no vaccine approved yet to fight this Frankenstein Monster virus affecting all members of the clan in the community.
It's suspected that some engineers from big companies are hacking HAM RADIO equipment to target certain unwanted fm radio frequencies, such as license LPFM across the country. For almost 30 years, low power FM has struggled to succeed, due to this type of interference called, by this big boy Frankentein “Ducting.” According to some LPFM holders, the situation is unsustainable. Those engineers want LPFM holders to believe or accept for granted that the Ducting is a natural phenomenon.
At some point, FCC must crack down on this illegal practice, before it is too late. Also, hold them accountable for their federal crime. The life of the radio is in agony and this practice of faking ducting can ruin the FM spectrum and set the end of FM radio as we known it today.
Being clear, this old phenomenon of ducting can not be technically proven for any engineer. All we know until now about it is just fabricated theories that can not be proven or replicated. This conspiracy goes so far that Frankenstein is pretending to create a “Tropo Forescast”, to deceive the radio community and FCC.
We have the case of WFAG-LP 89.7 FM, which for years has been trapped, wiped out by an unwanted signal called “DUCTING” coming from thousands of miles away, apparently. For my expertise, It was more likely to be a relay signal intended to cause harm, a manufactured tropo- ducting. According to a reputed engineer of the big radio industry, Paul Walker Jr, the bully man of LPFM radio in an online comment, "WFAG was “Blasted out…" I also agreed that WFAG has been blasted out and is set to fail!
In my short experience working as volunteer program director of WFAG-LP, I have noticed that LPFM is so vulnerable that if the neighbor dog barks, it also disrupts the radio station signal. There is no protection for LPFM when it is affected by unwanted and suspicious signals coming from those big guys. It took me time to figure out what was behind it and it's dark forces, even though, Congress passed a law and mandate Federal Communication Commission (FCC):
“The Commission shall ensure that LPFM stations will not be displaced...”
Residing at the edge, 99 percent of the licensed LPFM are intentionally and furiously interfered with by those evil forces who own the city of the airwave. The big enemy of LPFM does not ever sleep and it is committed to disrupt this vital community service.
Being clear, “In simple words, D-U-C-T-I-N-G is not more than a Disguised interference.”
In conclusion, my recommendation for LPFM broadcasters is to be vigilant all the time, and unite forces to preserve this vital LPFM service and the quality of its signal. Like ducting, good intentions are paved pathways of the devil, unpredictable, innocent and harmless, but creepy and deceitful to continue disrupting the black sheep of radio spectrum, LPFM.
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Ducting is Physics, not a conspiracy
There is a fundamental technical error in this article.
What you remember affecting AM radio is generally called skywave propagation, or “skip.” At AM broadcast frequencies, signals can be refracted back toward Earth by the ionosphere, particularly at night. That is why an AM station hundreds or even thousands of miles away can suddenly appear on your radio.
Tropospheric ducting is a completely different propagation mechanism, and it absolutely affects FM.
FM broadcasting occupies roughly 88–108 MHz, where signals normally behave largely as line-of-sight transmissions. However, temperature inversions and changes in atmospheric refractivity can create ducts in the lower atmosphere that carry VHF and UHF signals hundreds of miles beyond their normal coverage areas.
Up until the advent of LPFM there was a carefully orchestrated frequency plan that mininized interference to licensed facilities. It is the low power stations themselves that got dropped in on locally vacant channels that are the cause of most interference due to there mere exception to the original frequency plan and the non technical people running a lot of them.
Thanks for the comedy.. You should include something about 5G cellular and chemtrails for airplanes. Oh, and don't forget, if the earth were round, Ducting would not work! #flatearthproblems
Tell me you don't know how radio works without telling me you don't know how radio works.
You dont have a clue. Atmospheric ducting is a natural phenomenon, you cannot repeal the law of physics. And no, there is NOBODY running clandestine transmitters wanting to create interference with your signal. Nobody really cares.
PS: God created atmospheric ducting.