[Meteor-Scatter] RE: [HSMS/JT44] Perseids update

Tue, 20 Aug 2002 15:12:02 -0400

Well it has been interesting reading all the Perseids reports and
commentary.  I guess I better include my own report, be it a little late.
For the most part I only attempted to work stations that I had never worked
before and I found 12 of those for some fun contacts.  More remarkable is
what I did not work.

I ran FSK441 skeds with W0AH, Doug in Colorado, over a 1617 mile path (2602
km), on the 12th and 13th at 1600z, the predicted best time for us.  On the
12th, at 1646z we experienced a burn that lasted for around 90 seconds.  I
copied both calls in the first 30 seconds, Doug got full calls from me in
the second 30 seconds, and in the first 30 seconds of the next minute at
1647z I copied calls again plus a 26 report!  Doug's signal here peaked at 4
db above noise, and was very unstable in strength during the approximately
45 seconds I was hearing it - weak and fluttery.

Subsequently Doug also copied my 26 report, but no rogers were exchanged so
it is not a contact, but close!  The next day we switched to 15 second
sequences but nothing was heard.  However if we had been running the 15
seconds sequences on the 12th I believe we would have made it.  We are going
to try this again in November and hope we get another fabulous burn like
that one!

On the 13th I also ran a sked with W5UWB en EL17ax, a distance of 1558 miles
(2508 km).  A few minutes into the sked, at 1240z, I copied both calls from
John in about a 3 second burn.  Nothing more was copied in the 1 hour sked,
and I was not heard at the Texas end of the path.

Hearing signals over these distances in the Perseids is very remarkable to
me, and shows that the theoretical MS dx limit of around 1470 miles can be
significantly extended.  Perhaps with the higher speed Leonids shower even
longer distances can be achieved.  If anyone is interested, I have saved
.wav files of what I received.

73, Russ K2TXB  FM29pt

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On
> Behalf Of Shelby Ennis, W8WN
> Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2002 10:22 AM
> To: [email protected]; [email protected];
> [email protected]
> Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
> Subject: [HSMS/JT44] Perseids update
>
>
> Sat morning -
> Perseids reports continue to trickle in, but very slowly.  Here
> is one last
> summary:
>
> Visual - first visual reports indicate an "average" shower.  For
> more, see
> http://SkyandTelescope.com/news/current/article_696_1.asp
>
> 50 MHz - There seemed to be a lot of FSK441 activity on 50 MHz in North
> America, but less SSB.  No further information available.
>
> 144 MHz - Most activity was on this band, of course.  World-wide, nearly
> all activity was FSK441.
> In Europe, several stations reported 40-50 contacts (often all random);
> many picked up a number of new grids.  The 144.370 calling
> frequency became
> "crowded."  In general, totals seemed fewer this year than in previous
> Perseids, and many Europeans felt that the shower was "poor."
> In North America, much FSK441 activity, many contacts, tho not a large
> number by any one station.  A good number of CQs on 144.140.  K9KNW and
> W7XU completed a 1486-mile contact.
>
> 222 MHz - 12-15 contacts reported, usually by stations in the
> 150-watt range.
>
> 432 MHz - Only two attempts reported, both "near misses."  There were
> several requesting 432 skeds, so there probably was more activity
> than has
> been reported.
>
> Most interesting report -  K2TXB and W0AH came close to a MS contact at a
> distance of 1617 miles (~2392 km), but were unable to exchange final R's.
>
> This will be the last E-mail report unless something especially
> interesting
> comes in.  The Hot News page will be updated as new information arrives.
>
> One more note - A powerful solar coronal mass ejection is expected to
> impact the Earth around the time that the asteroid known as 2002NY40 is
> expected to pass near the Earth.  This may provide many in North America
> with the unique opportunity to see two rare events: a fast-moving
> asteroid
> travelling through a sky that may well be on "fire" - all on the same
> night. For instructions and maps on how to observe the passage of this
> asteroid, visit: http://www.skyandtelescope.com.   This
> disturbance has the
> potential to produce periods of strong auroral activity that may become
> visible across all of Canada, much of the United States, much of Europe,
> all of New Zealand and southern portions of Australia (particularly the
> southeastern regions of Australia). There is even a slight chance extreme
> southern reaches of South America and Africa may glimpse brief periods of
> activity if they happen to be under dark skies when the main phase of the
> disturbance impacts the Earth. A Middle Latitude Auroral Activity WARNING
> has been issued for 17 to 19 August (with emphasis on the
> evenings of 17-18
> August). In addition, a Low Latitude Auroral Activity WATCH has
> been issued
> for 17 and 18 August.
>
>
>
>
> Shelby Ennis, W8WN - EM77bq - KY
>           [email protected]
>          [email protected]
>   Web: http://www.qsl.net/w8wn/
>                  <><
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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