(meteorobs) Radio meter observation after analog TV operation stops

[bob71741]

Thomas and Jack - For the past two mornings I have tried to pick up
SCAN, pointing my antenna at Bozeman without any luck. SNOTEL works
just fine with my setup, a home brew down converter for my DX-440 and
a 2 element Moxon antenna; maybe I am too far down on the skirts of my
input filter for SCAN along with the 1 dB less antenna gain and mismatch.

I'll try to tweak my input filter for a wider bandpass so SCAN will
come through without much loss.

Thomas - Which Tx were you looking at? I found that my antenna set for
SNOTEL at 351 degrees, which is midway between the Odgen and Boise
transmitters should still easily pick up Bozeman which is at 2.8
degrees from my location.

Best Regards
Bob

--- In meteorobs at yahoogroups.com, Thomas Ashcraft <ashcraft at ...> wrote:
>
> Hi Jack,
> 
> Thank you for posting that information to the list and I hope you
report 
> your future progress.
> 
>  From New Mexico I tried tuning into the 44.2 MHz SCAN transmitters but 
> I have only inconclusive results so far.  I wrote to the information 
> officer for this system and he told me that there are also other SCAN 
> transmitters:
> 
> > "We also operate a meteor burst communication facilities at
Stoneville,
> > MS, Bozeman, MT, and Tipton, MO.  The master station transmits
with the same forward power, but the transmit frequency is 44.20 MHz
and the
> > remote stations transmit back with 100 watts on 45.90 MHz."
> 
> Out here in the west the SNOTEL system works great but it might have
much higher transmission power. Not sure about that though.
> 
> Best of luck with your system.
> 
> Thomas Ashcraft
> New Mexico
> 
> 
> Jack Meyer wrote:
> > In February of 2008, the conventional high power analog TV stations 
> > will stop operation as part of the switch to digital TV.  This will 
> > eliminate one of the most convenient sources of transmitter signals 
> > for radio meteor observation.  As mentioned in previous postings, 
> > those in much of the Western part of the country can probably use the 
> > SNOTEL system at 40.53 MHz.
> >
> > A nationwide system called SCAN (Soil Climate Analysis Network), is 
> > similar to SNOTEL, and operates on 44.2 MHz.  According to one 
> > source, the SCAN base stations put out an Effective Radiated Power 
> > (ERP) of 20,000 Watts.  This is considerably less than the high 
> > powered TV stations, but is still adequate of reasonable 
> > monitoring.  I am located Fairmont, WV, about 680 miles East of the 
> > Tipton, MO SCAN base station, which is at N 38-36-21.1, W 
> > 092-48-48.7.  With a 3 element Yagi antenna, I am receiving about 
> > 1000 useable reflections per day, under less that ideal local 
> > conditions (inside a small city, close to overhead power lines and 
> > tall trees).
> >
> > Web sites with more information on the SCAN network are at 
> > http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/scan/ and 
> > ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/downloads/factpub/soils/SNOTEL-SCAN.pdf.
> >
> > Those who have been using TV video carrier of radio meteor 
> > observations will note that the SCAN reflections will provide a 
> > "buzzing" sound from their receiver, not the familiar whistle.
> >
> > One complication with using SCAN is that there are a few other users 
> > of 44.2 MHz for 2-way communications.  A search for Information on 
> > these other users in your area can be made at 
> >
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/General_Menu_Reports/engineering_search.cfm?accessible=NO

> > .  One thing to keep in mind while searching the FCC data base is 
> > that the Federal Government users are not in that data base.
> >
> > I would be interested in knowing if any one else has used the SCAN 
> > system for radio meteor observations, and what results they have
obtained.
> >
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> >
> >   
> 
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