Eric B you aware of this?

Posts that don't fit in the other train categories. Off Subject Chit Chat I tell you. :)
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Scooterb
Sofa King Grumpy
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Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:26 pm
Location: Jackson

Eric B you aware of this?

Unread post by Scooterb »

The technique is called "meteor scatter." Tune an FM radio to a silent spot between local stations and point the radio's antenna in the general direction of northern Nevada. When the Stardust capsule rips through the atmosphere, it will create an electrically ionized wake that reflects radio waves. You could suddenly pick up stations hundreds to thousands of miles away reflected in your direction from the fireball's tail.

More info.
http://spaceweather.com/

If I remember you are into radio DX.
On AM only but thought you might be interested in this.

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Eric Berger
Railroadfan...fan
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Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2004 11:17 am
Location: Southeast Michigan

Unread post by Eric Berger »

Yes, I'm familiar with Meteor Scatter (AKA "Ms" in the DX community.)

Actually, I actively scan the FM bands from April-October, with a few scans here and there up into the month of December...but I've only caught Ms a couple of times. (I scan AM from about mid-August up until the middle or end of May.)

A lot of the time, I'll keep the tuner set on a "Reference frequency" (Used to be 90.9 when WRCJ would be off the air...but since 1 August 2004, when they went 24/7, I went entirely to 92.1 MHz.) Anyway...during times of potential Es, I'll just keep my tuner set there and listen to the static while I'm doing other things (Cleaning the studio, making coffee, writing letters, etc...something I can quickly stop if something of interest pops through.)

I was lucky back in 2001 -- a ninety second burst came across: first a station from Fenwick Island, DE, then a second station faded over the first (Which I believe was Yarmouth, NS -- sounded like something CBC or NPR would air,) then it was gone just as fast.

Receptions of Ms can range from those split-second 'Pings,' to several minutes in length. Also, remember that as the frequency rises, the durations will fall --- a sixty-second burst at 88.1, would only amount to 1-2 seconds at 107.9.

A little patience, and a lot of luck, can net you some interesting catches; the Fenwick Island catch was all about luck, as I just happened to catch it while they were running a local ad; then it was just a matter of checking it out.(Too bad I didn't start QSLing again for another six months.)
"From a really tall tower, in the middle of a really big field..."

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