Example of Band 1 TV Tropo Signals at 66 MHz...

Someone left a comment on the blog about the early days of TV back in the 1960's and trying to receive signals from Wales in Ireland. Rather than just leave it as a comment, I turned it into a blog post as it shows the possibility of tropo propagation on the low VHF band around 60 MHz.

Band 1 TV
The first TV broadcasts in the UK used the 405 line system on Band 1 - 45 to 66 MHz. The last of these transmitters were turned off in January of 1985 in the UK.

This is an excerpt from Wikipedia about the 405-line service in Ireland to give the post some context...

Ireland
Ireland's use of the 405-line system began in 1961, with the launch of Telefís Éireann, but only extended to two main transmitters and their five relays, serving the east and north of the country. This was because many people in these areas already had 405-line sets for receiving UK broadcasts from Wales or Northern Ireland. Telefís Éireann's primary standard was 625-line; it began using this in the summer of 1962, more than two years before the UK had any 625-line channels.

The last 405-line relays, in County Donegal, were turned off in 1982; the main transmitters had been shut down in 1978 to free up frequencies for RTÉ 2.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/405-line_television_system

Thanks to Desmond Walsh for providing some details about his experience of receiving TV transmissions at 66 MHz from a transmitter in Wales, a distance of roughly 300 kms.

"When I was much younger I lived in southeast Co Tipperary and was eager to get BBC TV from Wales ( before TE came on the air)

There were two possible channels , 4 and 5 (in the old 405 line +modulation with AM sound 3.5 MHz lower , from memory ) Channel 5 from Wenvoe (100KW) had a much higher erp than Haverfordwest Channel 4 (0.044KW).

So I obtained a 4 element yagi for ch5 (63 to 68 MHz ?) and braved going on the roof of the 2 storey house to erect it on the chimney. Definitely would not do it now !

Reception of course varied with different signal strengths but gave about 50% reception , up to a week at a time of tropospheric signals when high pressure was around.

An annoying QRM happened at times when the French 819 line system blotted out Wenvoe but that is tropospheric reception for you!.

Channel 8 HTV (St Hilary 100KW CH7?? Band 3) came later but suffered from overlap with RTE Ch F , Mt Leinster.

These cross-channel signals were stronger in the Waterford city area , 15 miles downstream of the River Suir.

Desmond Walsh"