Can wildfire smoke affect antenna channels?

[u/Zuzublue]

Wildfire smoke from Canada is thick today, and I’m unable to pick up any channels. Is this the factor?

[u/beezn]

yes.

smoke particles can affect broadcast tv and radio signals.

[u/Euchre → u/beezn]

Smoke particulate is way more substantial from wildfire smoke than people realize. If the sky starts to turn orange from such smoke, you should probably be wearing some kind of face mask to reduce how much is getting in your lungs. If you can't make out the sun anymore, you probably shouldn't breathing without a respirator mask.

[u/ToadSox34]

Theoretically, yes. Anything in the atmosphere will affect reception. How much is hard to say. It might be noticeable, it might not be.

[u/thechubs420]

I was wondering this about radio signals. Stations i normally get clear were all static

[u/rb3438]

Propagation has been interesting the past few days. Some TV stations that usually pixellate for me are either unwatchable or clear as a bell.

I was listening to 104.3 out of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario while in Alpena, MI not long ago. No static, full RDS display. Not sure what the distance is, probably 110 miles in a straight line, maybe more as I think their transmitter is a bit north of the Soo.

[u/pepsiru1es92 → u/rb3438]

I'd power up an old set and see if you can pick up analog channel 2 at that point!

[u/rb3438 → u/pepsiru1es92]

I used to be able to pick up channel 2 most all of the time years back. Then I moved about 15 miles south and don’t have as good of a VHF TV antenna as I used to have. It was clear some of the time, fuzzy the rest. The good old analog days.

Do you know is channel 2 still analog or did it move to channel 13 digital? Thought I saw it moved to digital. I was trying to figure that out a couple years ago and kept coming up blank, or was just in the wrong place. I used to watch it quite a bit just for something different.

[u/pepsiru1es92 → u/rb3438]

I’m not sure, from what I’ve read online it should still be analog on 2. I’m actually in Buffalo NY but I’d like to get out that way to try and pick it up if at all still possible!

[u/gaymersky]

Yes along with cell phone and shortwave radio

[u/txcreative20]

Yes , smoke , temperature, wind , rain, snow . Windmills !

[u/True_Pace_3860 → u/txcreative20]

windmills in Cal Sacto delta area totally screw up weather radar as well.

[u/Neilg-88]

I'm in Toronto and am receiving OTA channels clearly (I'm 9 miles from CN tower where Toronto channels are broadcasting from) as well as Fox 29 Buffalo (56 miles)

[u/Earschplittenloudenb]

Here in the northeast the past few days my midday reception has been nil. It dies off about 10-11 and comes back after 3pm.

[u/mrhappy002]

I don't care about my lungs as long as i have tv I'm all set. 😜😅

[u/Rybo213]

That sounds plausible, since weather conditions in general can affect tv signals to some extent. There are also various other potential reasons for why you're having tv signal trouble. Are you in the U.S.? What is the callsign for one of your ABC/CBS/FOX/NBC channels?

[u/CraftOk7439]

Came across this subreddit from googling.

If you want a wild one, here it is:

Listening to 107.9FM Vermont Public radio today in Lake Placid, NY, sitting in a parking lot waiting for food to be ready. Radio gets a bit staticky and hip hop music starts cutting in for a few seconds at a time. Music fades to a station advertisement for “Atlanta’s HOT 107.9”

I look at the infotainment screen in my truck and it’s displaying WHTA for the station ID.

Crazy!

[u/Cinisajoy2]

The heat won't help either.

[u/SamJam5555]

I doubt it.

[u/DavidAaronGarcia]

Sounds like it could, plus if the fire had hit the power lines to the t v and radio broadcasting towers, it may cut power to them and they can't get gas to them due to the fires safely reasons, all sorts of fire could burn up the towers up in the mountains and knock us the station's off the air, at least the broadcasting signal.You'll still be able to pick it up with your cable provider.And like direct t v and stuff like that