Pilot carriers for meteor scatter

[Thomas Ashcraft]

Jan 19, 2013

Some years ago I did experiment with a pilot carrier waves that
broadcast at 54.309 MHz USB.
http://www.heliotown.com/FB2s20090617_1017ut_Ashcraft.mp4

Since I am still getting strong meteor scatter from Mexico I didn't
experiment with pilot carriers any further.

But I just tuned into 54.309 MHz USB on both my meteor radios and am
getting consistent meteor pings at 7:30 am Saturday morning. It is not
as strong as my regular Mexican tv video carriers but it is useable for
data it looks like.

Also just tested 54.310 MHz USB is producing pings.

Maybe some of you folks could check out these frequencies in your area
and report findings here. Thanks in advance if you do.

Thomas Ashcraft - Heliotown - New Mexico

(See also this page for related information. Info may be dated though
from 2009. http://www.qsl.net/w/wa5iyx/lovesavd.htm )

[Den Koawl]

Thomas Hi...... I have been monitoring the CMOR freq of 29.850 MHz for meteor hits since the Quadrantids. CMOR runs 6 kW power. They also list an operating freq of 38.150 and 17.450 MHz but i havent got any info on those freq's.

 

Check this link for CMOR....   http://fireballs.ndc.nasa.gov/cmor-radiants/

 

I checked the freqs you listed but have not got any pings and probably will not.

 

73

Den

[KD7JYK DM09]

: Thomas Hi...... I have been monitoring the CMOR freq of 29.850 MHz for

: meteor hits since the Quadrantids. CMOR runs 6 kW power. They also list an
: operating freq of 38.150 and 17.450 MHz but i havent got any info on those
: freq's.

Do you monitor for audible pings or use some sort of software for visual
indication?

Kurt

[Thomas Ashcraft]

On 1/19/13 10:01 PM, KD7JYK DM09 wrote:
>
> Do you monitor for audible pings or use some sort of software for visual
> indication?
>
> Kurt
>

Kurt,

I monitor audible pings in conjunction with a video camera and movie
capture software and also run the audio into Spectrum Laboratory
software for spectrograms in a separate computer. I video from dusk to
dawn but record radio meteors 24/7. Due to time constraints these days
I only process significant fireballs into movies these days.

Older archive of meteor captures and spectrograms and movies here:
http://www.heliotown.com/Ashcrafts_Fireball_Archive.html

Two spectrograms attached:

First spectrogram of my normal monitoring frequencies which were at that
moment 61.250 MHz CW on two radios ( upper and lower chart) which show
lots of meteors using tv transmitters from Mexico.

Second spectrogram was the next day at the same time of day where both
radios were tuned to pilot carriers at 54.309 MHz USB ( upper portion)
and 54.310 MHz USB ( lower portion). The pilot carriers still show
meteors but less of them.

[Mike S]

I tried monitoring xx.310 MHz frequencies using Alinco DJ-X11T and active TV antenna in Phoenix,AZ area.
Alinco is in I/Q mode feeding SpectrumLab software.
I can see the pilot signals of the channels that are local (on VHF-HI and UHF channels), but no meteor pings on VHF-LO frequencies.
The same setup generates lots of pings from Mexican analog TV transmitters on each of xx.250 MHz carrier frequencies.
I think I need a better antenna, because the one I have now receives a lot of local electrical noise and is not suitable for weak signals.

Misha