December 2009 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Radio meteor recording attempt
by Patrick Wiggins 15 Dec '09

15 Dec '09

> From: gwclark(a)gwclark.com > Date: 15 December 2009 06:20:31 MST > To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] Radio meteor recording attempt > > > Below is the list of suitable frequencies that I generated. These are stations with greater than 50KW at 500-800 miles distance and on frequencies with no FM stations within 200 miles of Layton, UT. > > Additionally it is best to use a radio with digital frequency readout to ensure that you are exactly on the station. > > State City Freq Call H Power V Power Lat Long Distance > OR EUGENE 89.7 KLCC 81 54 44.00139 -123.1133 601 > AZ YUMA 93.1 KLJZ 100 100 32.65167 -114.6511 600 > KS PRATT 93.1 KHMY 100 100 37.92861 -98.31 759 > NE LEXINGTON 93.1 KRVN-FM 100 100 40.69722 -99.78806 636 > SD YANKTON 93.1 KKYA 100 100 42.73028 -97.40361 757 > TX AMARILLO 93.1 KQIZ-FM 100 100 35.2925 -101.8467 679 > TX EL PASO 93.1 KSII 100 100 31.79611 -106.4825 709 > OR SPRINGFIELD-EUGENE 93.1 KKNU 100 43 44.00111 -123.1125 601 > CA PATTERSON 93.1 KOSO 50 50 37.72917 -121.1969 543 > CA ARCATA 93.1 KXGO 50 50 40.72722 -123.9728 626 > NE COLUMBUS 93.5 KKOT 100 100 41.54111 -97.67917 741 > KS DODGE CITY 93.9 KZRD 100 100 37.93222 -100.3172 657 > TX EL PASO 93.9 KINT-FM 100 100 31.79611 -106.4825 709 > NE MCCOOK 93.9 KSWN 50 50 40.19083 -100.8081 588 > NE NORFOLK 94.7 KNEN 100 100 41.92111 -97.60556 745 > TX EL PASO 94.7 KYSE 100 67 31.79278 -106.4797 709 > CA LOS ANGELES 94.7 KTWV 58 58 34.22472 -118.0631 578 > TX FRIONA 94.7 KGRW 50 50 34.68806 -102.9481 660 > NE KEARNEY 98.9 KKPR-FM 100 100 40.81472 -98.77 688 > WA SPOKANE 98.9 KKZX 100 100 47.59306 -117.2961 521 > WA SEATTLE 98.9 KWJZ 58 53 47.50389 -121.9747 663 > NE OGALLALA 99.7 KOGA-FM 100 100 41.06389 -101.3378 553 > OK ALVA 99.7 KNID 100 100 36.59472 -98.26056 799 > CA SAN FRANCISCO 101.3 KIOI 125 125 37.69 -122.4369 605 > MT CHINOOK 101.3 KRYK 100 100 48.39139 -109.2972 522 > NM JAL 103.7 KPZA-FM 100 100 32.43139 -103.1522 770 > SD REDFIELD 103.7 KGIM-FM 100 100 45.20833 -98.67222 727 > OR LEBANON 103.7 KXPC-FM 90 90 44.58028 -122.5019 585 > WA TACOMA 103.7 KMTT 58 58 47.50389 -121.9747 663 > CA HANFORD 103.7 KRZR 50 50 36.56 -119.7556 521 > NE COZAD 104.5 KCVN 100 100 40.77694 -100.0292 623 > OR THE DALLES 104.5 KMCQ 100 100 45.71222 -121.1139 559 > WA NEWPORT 104.5 KQQB-FM 87 0 48.38583 -117.2375 567 > CO LAMAR 105.7 KVAY 100 100 38.11222 -102.9608 521 > WA SPOKANE 105.7 KZBD 100 100 47.57889 -117.2961 520 > WA YAKIMA 105.7 KRSE 100 100 46.71139 -120.6222 580 > CA SANTA CLARA 105.7 KVVF 50 50 37.35889 -121.7561 582 > NE WINNEBAGO 105.7 KSUX 50 50 42.3425 -96.52028 800 > NE NORFOLK 106.7 KEXL 100 100 41.93306 -97.68028 741 > OR LAKE OSWEGO 106.7 KLTH 100 100 45.51611 -122.7331 621 > SD ABERDEEN 106.7 KBFO 100 100 45.46583 -98.33556 749 > CA ORLAND 106.7 KRQR 50 50 39.88778 -122.6272 565 > KS GOODLAND 107.7 KGCR 100 100 39.36722 -101.4456 567 > NE GRAND ISLAND 107.7 KSYZ-FM 100 100 41.15361 -98.72722 689 > WA SEATTLE 107.7 KNDD 58 50 47.50389 -121.9747 663

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Test message 01
by gwclark＠gwclark.com 15 Dec '09

15 Dec '09

Test message 01

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Cheap meteor camera?
by Canopus56 14 Dec '09

14 Dec '09

Patrick wrote: > So it looks like mag 2 is about as faint as it will go. I might have thought about keeping > it anyway but there was also a very bright hot pixel at lower center. So it's going back > with a suggestion the offer a similar camera but with the "guts" of the PC164C which is > rated at 0.001 lux. A mag 2 limit is about par for these kind of cameras, from what I read on the internet. Mag 1 or 2 is the limit of Chris Peteron's Cloudbait Obs. all sky camera. > I have a PC164C but no lens. However a friend has a lens he thinks will > fit so I'll be trying that next. Let me know when you are in SLC next and want to do a hand off on the 1.68mm M12 threaded lens. - Kurt

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Those darned clouds
by Canopus56 14 Dec '09

14 Dec '09

Colorado's Cloudbait Obs composite image of 419 Geminids recorded last night. http://www.cloudbait.com/science/geminid2009.html# Clear Skies, Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Cheap meteor camera?
by Canopus56 14 Dec '09

14 Dec '09

> http://www.astro.hr/hmm/ [Croatian meteor network site] Thanks. That _SkyPatroller_ software solves another problem. Not being mechanically ATM inclined, I also prefer the off-the-shelf approach. Surplusshed sells 6 inch acrylic domes vis via the Croatian home-brew design. - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Radio meteor recording attempt
by Canopus56 14 Dec '09

14 Dec '09

Patrick wrote: > The gremlins are at it again. Don't know why but for some reason the list > bounced Gary's message. Now let's see if it bounces my attempt to post it > for him... Patrick, Back at you. Below is an edited and updated copy of my offline reply to Glen. The "Meteor Mania" video that Glen mentioned can viewed at - http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/skyatnight/proginfo.shtml Look for the Nov. 2007 program. ====== Glen, thanks. I am waiting for confirmation on the UtahAmateurRadioClub yahoo group if my second recording actually contains meteor pings. Glen wrote: > There are a number of freqs that can be used in the lower part of the FM band. The question of FM audio bands came up on the UtahAmateurRadioClub list, but specific frequencies for unblocked over-the-horizon stations were not provided. Do you have any recommendations for specific FM band station frequencies that are over-the-horizon but do not overlap local transmitter? In my 12-14-2009 test this morning, I captured another three hours using a different setup. I recorded on the LSB (lower side band) of Channel 3 at 61.240mhz in AM mode. The following is a clip file of some of the pops ("puffs" might be a better description) that I captured. 2009-12-14 Test Chn 3 LSB 61.240 Full url http://fisherka.csolutionshosting.net/astronote/observed/Meteors/20091214_e… MST_61_240_Clipped4.wav Tiny url http://tinyurl.com/ye5qz8a Please take moment to listen to this collection of clips recording (13 seconds long). Do these clips sound like meteor reflections? It appears that to really listen to these, I will need to upgrade my receiver. I have an older, inexpensive receiver that only supports receiving in AM or FM modes. Apparently, there is a newer receiving modes called SSB and CW. Those receivers tease the nice Doppler "ping" signal that you hear on sample meteor signal recordings on the internet and in the _Meteor Mania_ program. But hopefully for now, the older set I have should be able to give a non-Doppler "ping" or "puff" detection sound. Thanks for referring me to the Meteor Mania _Sky at Night_ braodcast. From the ham radio operator setup shown in the broadcast, I can see that I was overthinking the antenna setup. Although I am using a simple antenna whip for testing, you really need a log Yagi style antenna. (I have the parts for a portable diamond loop antenna in my closet - a winter build project.) In the _Meteor Mania_ broadcast, the operators were getting useable result with a portable 6m Yagi mounted close to the ground vertically. I was stumped thinking that you needed to mount the Yagi antenna up high, something I cannot do at my apartment. But it looks like you can mount one vertically at the ground. Clear Skies - Kurt

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Radio meteor recording attempt
by Patrick Wiggins 14 Dec '09

14 Dec '09

The gremlins are at it again. Don't know why but for some reason the list bounced Gary's message. Now let's see if it bounces my attempt to post it for him... patrick On 14 Dec 2009, at 19:21, mailman-bounces(a)mailman.xmission.com wrote: > From: gwclark(a)gwclark.com > Date: 14 December 2009 19:21:37 MST > To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com> > Subject: RE: [Utah-astronomy] Radio meteor recording attempt > > > Kurt, > > I have been working on a similar forward-scatter meteor detection system. Currently, I am using a scanner that will pick up the FM broadcast band. I tune it to a frequency that has a number of stations with 100KW output that are located 500-800 miles away. This frequency must also be clear of local stations. There are a number of freqs that can be used in the lower part of the FM band. > > The audio output is fed to the sound card on my computer. I am using Radio SkyPipe which is a PC chart recorder to convert the signals into chart data. > > That is the theory anyway. Right now my receiver is being totally swamped with all the RF noise generated around the computer and throughout the house. An indoor antenna is just not practical. I will be mounting a roof-top antenna in the early spring and be moving the receiver to the basement where there is less RF noise and a better ground connection. Eventually, I plan to feed the audio from eight separate receivers on different frequencies through an analog/digital converter to the PC. I am also starting the design work for a Doppler radio direction finder that may be of some use in the observations. > > If you Google "radio meteor detection" there are several dozen really good sites that explain all this. Also, the UK television program "The Sky at Night" had an episode called "Meteor Mania". It also explains radio meteor detection and you can hear what they should sound like. You can watch the streaming video of this episode on their website. > > Good luck, and I'll keep you posted as to my progress as well. > > GW > NB7B

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Radio meteor recording attempt
by Canopus56 14 Dec '09

14 Dec '09

After checking with a ham radio list, my first test recording is not capturing any meteor signals. I tried again last night on a different frequency and using a different method. I am trying to confirm with some ham radio guys if this second recording is capturing some meteor signals. I'll let the group know the results. Clear Skies - Kurt

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New Royal Environmental Commission Report on the Effects of Artificial Light (Light pollution)
by Canopus56 14 Dec '09

14 Dec '09

Royal Environmental Commission Report on Light Pollution titled "Artificial Light in the Environment." http://www.rcep.org.uk/reports/sr-2009-light/sr-light.htm (download report and press release) Related news story http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/6670550/Less-can-be-more-when-it… The report gives a good overview of light pollution effects on the environment, including human health. Rob, if you pass the references on to interested Utah parties. - Kurt

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In case you need another reason
by Patrick Wiggins 13 Dec '09

13 Dec '09

Just in case you need another reason to dislike billboards, here's this from today's D News: http://tinyurl.com/ybmcy7s Grumble... patrick

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