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Still used nowadays: airplane reflections are being used by ham radio dudes. There's a software around that even calculates the optimal reflection parameters based on ADS-B aggregators.

Thanks too relatively modern digital modes this doesn't need too much transmission power.

On the upper GHz bands with dishes they even manage to do reliable FM chats. But that requires a lot of gain and active steering of the dish.



Idk if it works with more modern bands, but back in the GSM days I used to make calls in out-of-service areas when jets flew overhead.


GSM is a bit limited because of its Timing Adance (TA) field. It should max out at 32km.


Has it always been set to that?

I’m pretty sure that I have connected line of sight to cell sites at much longer ranges than that.

Or maybe I’m remembering an old pre-gsm TDMA phone?



Sounds like fun! Do you remember the name of the software?


Most likely it's FT8 or a more modern mode.




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