On 2 Oct 2005 16:55:18 GMT, phil-news-nospam@ipal.net wrote:

In sci.engr.television.advanced Max Power <mikehack@u.washington.edu> wrote:

| While not yet confirmed, the 305-metre Arecibo radio telescope may be 
| capable of receiving weak viewable EME television pictures. Based on 
| mathematical calculations assuming 60 dB antenna gain, FM broadcast EME 
| reception may also be possible using the Arecibo dish antenna.

Given it's narrow viewing angles, this does limit the range of earth
stations it could pick up this way.

Since the Arecibo radiation pattern points nearly upwards, the Moon
must be close to zenith. 

OTOH, due to the UHF TV transmitter radiation pattern, the Moon would
have to be close to the horizon when looking from the transmitter
site. To satisfy both these requirements, the transmitter would have
to be at an distance of 9000 - 10000 km from Puerto Rico. Not too many
ATSC transmitters within that area :-).

Paul