When tropo propagation over the Mediterranean sea is strong enough it's not uncommon to make QSO on the VHF and UHF bands with stations which otherwise would be impossible (or very difficult) to work due to geographic obstacles, such as mountain chains, etc. Good maritime tropo conditions are frequent between June and September, and rare the rest of the year.
One of the most common reflections from my QTH in Balearic Islands takes place over the western coast of Algeria and allows to contact stations in southern Spain (EA7). The reflection point is estimated to be located at the North-East of Oran (Aprox. IM95WU). This same reflection point also allow QSO between EA3/EA5 and EA7.
Paths of some usual QSO by reflection
Because of the fact that the wave is propagated over the surface of the sea to take advantage of this type of propagation is necessary to be located not more than some km. inland and to have a good take off to the sea.
On the other hand, the coast is far from being a good reflector, so path loses are high and a reasonably good station with at least an average-size directional antenna and some power is required.
If you have any comments to this information or know of other reflections paths over the Mediterranean you can often use, please let me know so that I can complete this page.
You can be also interested to read the page on long tropospheric paths over the Mediterranean.
27-Mar-2006. EA3GCJ, reports a QSO in 2001 with F1SPL (JN33) by reflection in Corsica island. Thanks for information Amadeo!
16-June-2006. I5WBE, reports frequent QSO with EA3 stations by reflection in Balearic islands. Thanks for the information Enrico!
26-August-2009. EA6DD, reports QSO with central and southern Italy by reflection on IT9 (Possibly near Palermo) when there are strong tropo conditions between EA6 and IT9. Thanks for the information Biel!
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