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

[stange]

For clarification, broadside is meant to mean orientation such that the flat 
plane of the antenna, as viewed from the side, is aimed at the transmitter 
for least signal.

YCS


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "stange" <stange34 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Sent: 2009/01/21 20:53
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) US Air Force Space Surveillance Radar - tuning in?


> 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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>>
>>
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