(meteorobs) Possible alternate meteor monitoring frequencies

[Jay Salsburg]

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Hambands_color.pdf

The 50 - 54 MHz (6M) band is very protected by Amateur Radio Operators(HAMS)
for Text Communications. Many Emergency Operations use this band for long
distance text Comm Traffic. CW Meteor RADAR can use this band but must be
below 50.1 MHz in Region 2 which include the Americas, the North Pacific
Ocean, and parts of Antarctica.

What you are probably hearing is bounce from HAMS TTYing each other. This
traffic will come and go, and will be sporadic in frequency with MODEM
Modulation in this Band.

A well-designed antenna and 150 watt CW transmitter on 50 MHz may be
detected reflecting Meteors very will as a Beacon at distances of hundreds
of miles.

-----Original Message-----
From: meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org
[mailto:meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org] On Behalf Of Paul Goelz
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 8:58 AM
To: meteorobs at meteorobs.org
Subject: (meteorobs) Possible alternate meteor monitoring frequencies

Not sure how much this applies to any particular area, but the last couple
days I am getting weak but very detectable carriers on
55.255.9 and 55.271.6.  These are the actual carrier frequencies, so for a
1KHz beat note, tune to 1KHz lower (for USB reception).  These are in
between the "standard" channel 2 analog video carrier frequencies, so I am
not sure what they are.  On both frequencies, I detect obvious propagation
flutter as well as airplane tracks.  I have seen a couple possible meteor
returns, but the last day or two has been very quiet on the standard
frequencies as well.

I found these frequencies using a software defined radio ($16 TV tuner
dongle and HDSDR software receiver) so I was initially suspicious that these
were images or other spurious signals.  But they are present using my TS480
on a different antenna so they would appear to be genuine.  Using an SDR
makes finding weak signals child's play.  Simply look at the waterfall in
the area of interest.  Spurious or local signals will show as continuous
lines with no width or variation.  Signals arriving via ionospheric skip
will show as lines of variable intensity.  Tune to one and if you observe
airplane tracks, you have a potential meteor-useful signal.  Signals that
would be difficult to detect simply by tuning around with a conventional
receiver are easily found this way.

My best guess is that these signals are either very low power analog TV
repeaters, or possibly European TV.  The 10M ham band has been very active
recently, and I am unsure how high the MUF has been.

A possible explanation for the lack of meteor returns (aside from low meteor
activity in general) might be that these signals arrive via more than one
hop, making meteor enhancement less obvious.  ??

Paul

Paul Goelz
pgoelz at comcast.net
Rochester Hills, MI
www.pgoelz.com 

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