[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

(meteorobs) Greetings to the Meteor Observers List




Hi Jim,

Tom Ashcraft here.   I'm happy to make the acquaintance of another radio
meteor observer. 

I do forward scatter observing and various sorts of radio meteor
experimenting in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I monitor full time and try to keep
an audio recorder going full time as well with WWV time stamp. I tape
record the known showers, maintain a fireball watch, look for any
anomalies, and study sporadic-E when it occurs.  

Today, July 23, 1996, I believe there was an outburst during the hours of
1400 to 1700 UT (8:00 am MDT -11:00 am MDT). Jim Riggs contacted me to
confirm this from his observatory in California. There may be one other
observer in Calgary, Canada who may have some data on these hours.  Were
you observing these hours?

I will still have to analyze my audio tapes and make a count and
description of reflections. I also need to check with sporadic-E observers
to see if there was some odd form of Es occurring but I feel pretty
confident there was an possible daytime meteor outburst today. (And a
strong one to boot!)

I work two FM radios at 91.9 MHz and 91.1 MHz and my monitoring range is
generally the Great Plains states up to the Dakotas, Minnesota, and I also
get good meteor scatter due east of towards Arkansas as well. I have IDed 
most of my transmitters after about a year of monitoring.

Also, on a planetary science note, do you do any other radio astronomy? I
also observe Jupiter at decametric frequencies and correlate Io events with
the University of Florida Radio Observatory. As far as I can tell only UFL,
myself and one observer in Australia are working with Jupiter at present.

Jupiter is interesting from a cometary and fireball standpoint as SL-9
showed us all.

Well I look forward to correlating with you when possible.

Best regards,
Tom Ashcraft
72632.1427@compuservedot com