Meteor Radio Beacon Project

[Bascombe Wilson]

Since 2016, Chip Sufitchi, Ted Cline and I along with several others have been working to design a meteor radio beacon network similar to BRAMS in hopes of having SARA sponsor a network covering all of North America.

We are now conducing initial tests and would welcome your participation and feedback.

I will post a paper with technical details and our proposal for the future, but for now, we have a beacon running on the 6 meter amateur radio band and we invite you to see if it is useful for meteor detection.

The setup many use for meteor detecdtion is an RTL-SDR or AirSpy, with receiver software like SDR# or HDSDR, virtual audio cable, and an audio processing program like SpectrumLab or Argo, tuned to a TV carrier signal, digital or analog.  With that or a more complex receiver system, conclusions about meteor Doppler shift, relative intensity, and relative direction should be attainable.

Our beacon test will run from now through 1200Z September 21, 2026.

Frequency:  50.0635 MHz

Emission Designator 150HA1A also known as A1A

Identifier each three minutes:  K0LTO-1 METEORS DN70KH

Continuous wave (cw) signal for 3 minutes, looped with ID

ERP: 35 Watts

Antenna: Moxon 8 meters AGL, favoring 180 degrees azimuth, but strong sidelobes

Transmitter Location:

40d 17m 51s N          105d 5m 19s W

Please post comments and reports here.  

We will have a preliminary report during the Virtual Drake's Lounge Zoom session on Sunday, September 20.

To contact the beacon sysop or to partner on the project:  jay.w...@vodec.net

[Bascombe Wilson]

The  beacon test has been extended to run through 1800Z September 23, 2026.

Frequency:  50.0635 MHz

Emission Designator 150HA1A also known as A1A

Identifier each three minutes:  K0LTO-1 METEORS DN70KH

Continuous wave (cw) signal for 3 minutes, looped with ID

ERP: 35 Watts

Antenna: Moxon 8 meters AGL, favoring 090 degrees azimuth from Northern Colorado, but strong sidelobes

Transmitter Location:

40d 17m 51s N          105d 5m 19s W

 Please post comments and reports here or email:   lto.st...@gmail.com

[Bascombe Wilson]

Link to project outline and reports: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/u153y984daeih1vmyqal2/AHgA4ryQTo6nfAdMv6yZ1nU?rlkey=h9midlr5f9y5b3snh4l00sy0m&st=dzy73oh9&dl=0

[Bascombe Wilson]

Beacon is transmitting now for second phase of testing, which is planned to last until October 10.  Purpose of test is long-term frequency stability and comparison of antennas as well as obtaining any confirmed reports of meteor scatter  Beacon transmits on 50.0635 MHz, 3 minutes of continuous signal followed by Morse ID which is "K0LTO.".  Transmitter is located in northern Colorado in grid DN70kh.  Power 50 watts. Two-element Moxon antenna currently pointing to the northeast from Berthoud, Colorado.   Please send meteor scatter reports, screenshots, questions or suggestions to:  lto.st...@gmail.com  or post in this discussion group.