[IRCA] Max. Groundwave Propagation Distance?

["Jeff T. Casey" <ne2j@xxxxxxxx>]

Hi all,
   
  How far do groundwave signals travel on the mediumwave broadcast band?  That is, beyond what distance can MW signals normally be assumed to be arriving via skywave, if there is no unusual terrain along the path?  Or is it impossible to generalize, because of differences in transmitter power?
   
  Although not directly relevant to the MW band, an empirical study reported recently in QST magazine found that, on the high frequency bands (I believe the study involved 3.5, 7, and 14 MHz), ham signals from surprisingly short distances -- as little as 15-20 miles or so away, if memory serves -- are, in most cases, arriving via near vertical incidence skywave (NVIS) propagation, rather than groundwave.  However, the lower the frequency, the farther groundwaves travel, so this study's results would have presumably been somewhat different, if the researchers had studied MW signals.
   
  Thanks very much & 73,
  Jeff
  NE2J (formerly WB5GWB)
  Long Island, NY
   
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