(meteorobs) US Air Force Space Surveillance Radar - tuning in?

[stange]

Bob I wonder if he might be better off making his own Yagi?

If he is using a commercial TV antenna, it probably has a lot of phased 
director wiring on it (plus multi-band FM elements) which would pick up the 
216mhz signal even if antenna is broadside to the radar source and it would 
be difficult to null out the carrier.

With a clean Yagi cut to 216 mhz. with parasitic director(s) only, a 
broadside orientation could null out that radar with proper lead-in, but of 
coarse being broadside it would reduce the aiming directions only to 
broadside of the stations actual location.

Just a thought....

YCS


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "bob71741" <bob71741 at yahoo.com>
To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Sent: 2009/01/21 19:51
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) US Air Force Space Surveillance Radar - tuning in?


> Thomas - I am surprised that the NAVSPASUR signal is that strong at
> your location to be received continuously.
>
> I would choose CW reception at 216.98 MHz and set the BFO for ca. 1
> KHz offset with an IF bandwidth of from 7 to 15 KHz for normal reception.
>
> If the carrier is still bombing through, you may want to try to point
> your antenna towards Phoenix and tune to 216.97 MHz for the Gila River
> Transmitter.The power at this frequency is much lower that the Texas
> Transmitter, and I believe that the antenna pattern extends towards
> the Western US, but you should still get meteor scatter from it. The
> Gila River carrier is too strong for me to try locally.
>
> You may also want to tweak your antenna to 45 degrees or more
> vertically to try and reduce the carrier, but still be able to receive
> meteor scatter.
>
> As I write this I am listening in to NAVSPASUR on
> spaceweatherradio.com and just got a meteor return for over a minute
> and a half, which is a big one for this frequency. MY station is off
> the air at the moment as I am switching over to SNOTEL, and Mexican TV
> stations after the February cutoff of US analog TV stations.
>
> Best Regards
> Bob
> --- In meteorobs at yahoogroups.com, Thomas Ashcraft <ashcraft at ...> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> Can anyone give me advice on tuning into the US Air Force Space
>> Surveillance Radar in Texas?
>>
>> I am using an ICOM PCR1000 radio with a tv antenna pointed towards
>> Archer City, Texas and am tuned at 216.980 MHz.  Using USB I get a very
>> strong tone. Is this the tone of the radar?  Any advice as to
> settings (
>> USB/LSB/CW ? ) and what filtering combination is best is welcome.  I
>> wonder if you can receive meteor scatter without having the constant
>> tone in the background?
>>
>> Thank you in advance for your reply.
>>
>> Clear skies,
>> Thomas Ashcraft
>> ashcraft (at) heliotown.com
>> New Mexico
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