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Re: (meteorobs) AMS / radio work
Mark Davis/Lew Gramer wrote: >>>>1. the radio network envisioned was quite
extensive, and the AMS only has/had
>time and budget for one major project
Do you know who was set up with these systems? (Just wondering if AMS is
publishing data somewhere that I'm missing for some reason)...Tom and Jim,
are your systems the ones mentioned here?...<<<
Tom Ashcraft writes:
I'm happily independent in my radio astronomy work. Meteors are one facet
of my broader observing and experimenting. I have had the benefit of
generous guidance from Chris Steyaert who publishes the monthly email Radio
Meteor Observer's Bulletin which anyone can subscribe to by emailing Chris
at
72650.3513@compuservedot com
It's actually not expensive to put together the receiving part of the radio
meteor observatory as you can just use a good FM radio and a $20. Radio
Shack yagi antenna. It's quite simple. With elemental components you can
literally tune into meteor showers or plentiful morning sporadics and make
counts while listening under headphones no matter if there is sunshine,
moonlight or clouds.
A problem though is finding an open frequency to work if you live in a
large metropolitan area. But just as with visual meteors you can get out
of the city center and possibly find a clear space to work. It may seem a
little technologically daunting but practicing radio meteor reception is
easy to achieve. You just have to try it.
Collecting data is the difficult part.
Hopefully some of you will try radio observing. There is nothing like
sitting under headphones at noon listening to the earth plow through the
dense Arietids or Perseids with big meteor after meteor. It's thrilling.
Clear skies,
Tom Ashcraft