(meteorobs) Were can I get SCAN frequencies?

[James Beauchamp]

Hi Mike, 

Doing a bit of research, it doesn't look like SCAN is a good scatter resource.  According to one of their final reports (http://mazinger.sisib.uchile.cl/repositorio/lb/ciencias_agronomicas/u2008411138tn_ss_7_a.pdf) the master station only polls the individual station periodically, so it's not a constant RF source.


With the demise of analog TV, the only decent one for me has been the AF Space radar  (216.98 Mhz). Although it has amazing ERP, it is limited to a very tight beam, so you don't get full sky coverage.  I've seen scatters on the main Kickapoo station and some of the other smaller emitters.  Since I'm about 90 nm NE of the high power station, it's worked very well.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Space_Surveillance_System

Unfortunately, this system is on the list for a major upgrade in the next few years.  The CW method looks to be replaced with X-band pulsed radar.  The AF has issued several RFP's for X-band upgrades.


Those of us in the Southern US can still use Mexican analog TV stations.  

I also see entries that NOAA has a 2 Mhz band reserved for meteor research (42-44 Mhz).  Maybe there are a few transmitters we could listen to.  Will do some digging.

James


--- On Sat, 4/16/11, Michael Boschat <boschat at mathstat.dal.ca> wrote:

> From: Michael Boschat <boschat at mathstat.dal.ca>
> Subject: (meteorobs) Were can I get SCAN frequencies?
> To: meteorobs at meteorobs.org
> Date: Saturday, April 16, 2011, 7:00 AM
> Hi:
> 
>  There are sites in the US using meteor scatter to send
> data, the program
> is called SCAN - Soil Climate Analysis Network and one
> frequency was given
> to me at 44.20 MHz but for the life of met I cannot hear
> the meteors on
> it.
> I made a 6m antenna dipole and that is not working. Here
> the Canadian TV
> will be going digital sometime and I'll loose that. FM in
> Halifax is
> very hard to try because of too many stations.
> 
>  My hope was this system but so far I cannot find other
> frequencies to
> test... I montiored that frequency 6 days and went all
> night on one but heard
> nothing. The other system SNOTEL is too far in the US
> mid-west to detect.
> 
>  Does anyone have comments ect that I could try to work
> on?
> 
> 
> Clear skies
> -----------
> Michael Boschat - Urban Observing Chairman
> Halifax Center- Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
> web page: http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~aa063
> 
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