----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2001 10:00
AM
Subject: (meteorobs) Meteor Detection on
FM--a new experience.
Hi everyone,
I recently missed out on the
Orionids due to overcast skies here in Central Iowa.
Have been experimenting/tinkering
around to try to detect meteors with my Fisher brand FM
receiver.
I live in the country smack in
the middle of Iowa. Most of the FM frequencies seem to be used. The most
promising frequency I've found so far is a Chicago frequency 89.7 MHz FM which
just barely comes in (low signal strength LED indicator on my receiver) it
usually comes in for short periods at a time on my receiver. Otherwise I get
2-3 other stations which drift in and out but do not register on either
the signal strength indicator LED or the Tuned LED indicator of my receiver. I
am using a cheap Radio Shack 6 element FM antenna which I presume is a Yaggi
style directional antenna? I have it oriented roughly 70-80 degrees at approx.
15-20 degrees elevation.
So far, I have received some
short "bursts" of music lasting 1-2 secs which are fairly loud and
which I can positively identify as music from the Chicago Christian music
station or atleast I think so.
During such short "bursts" I have
noticed that both the Tuned LED indicator and the signal strength LED
indicator have also lit up on my receiver. Tonight (11/13/01) from
12:00-01:00 AM I detected roughly 4 of these outbursts.
My questions are:
Am I doing this
right?
Am I actually detecting
meteors?
I have ordered a better
receiver Icom-R10 which should be coming soon. I hope to use it to monitor
TV video carrier frequencies for what will hopefully be a better setup
for meteor detection.
Any advice or assistance from
meteorobs members would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Mark Mikutis