Radar Blackhole Q

[john smith]

Do any of you who fly western Illinois/eastern Iowa know what the cause of the radar blind area is to the west of Geneseo and east of Moline?

It was interesting flying through the area two weeks ago while talking to Quad City Approach, hearing skydiving operations in the area and being told by Approach that they could not see me.

 

[Ted]

Do any of you who fly western Illinois/eastern Iowa know what the cause of the radar blind area is to the west of Geneseo and east of Moline?

It was interesting flying through the area two weeks ago while talking to Quad City Approach, hearing skydiving operations in the area and being told by Approach that they could not see me.

What altitude were you at? I had no problems getting heard by them from 4500 AGL on up on my way to and from Ames.

 

[john smith]

What altitude were you at? I had no problems getting heard by them from 4500 AGL on up on my way to and from Ames.

3,500 MSL
It is not a communication problem, it is a radar problem.
With the transponder on and squawking a code, Quad City Approach does not see the return.

 

[tonycondon]

could be the bluff on the east side of the mississippi. just a guess.

 

[Ted]

Right, but at 4500 I was getting radar coverage. So, 3500 might just be too low.

 

[Steve]

There's a similar gap below 6000' in MEM ARTCC coverage ~50nm southeast of Pine Bluff Arkansas for several miles. Been that way since I started flying.

And that is some of the flattest land in the lower 48.

 

[KennyFlys]

Houston Center appears to have a blind area around the Navasota VOR below 2500 feet. It can't get much flatter around there. Add to that, there's a radar station not far away at Brenham.

 

[nddons]

Do any of you who fly western Illinois/eastern Iowa know what the cause of the radar blind area is to the west of Geneseo and east of Moline?

It was interesting flying through the area two weeks ago while talking to Quad City Approach, hearing skydiving operations in the area and being told by Approach that they could not see me.

I'll be flying to Moline in the next month. Thanks for the heads-up.