Elecraft

6m meteor scatter

Classic

List

Threaded

12 messages Options

John Harper

6m meteor scatter

Hi Eric,

You've piqued my interest - I have a 3-el 6m Yagi, 100 watts and WSJT-X.
Where should I point the beam (I'm in TX) for maximizing my chances of
receiving activity, ie is it based on meteor shower activity or does a
receiver's location favor a given geographic area?

Tnx/73,

John AE5X
https://ae5x.blogspot.com
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: 6m meteor scatter

Meteors can enter the atmosphere from just about any direction.    I
generally point east to north to west, although any meteors entering to
the south of me would also leave trails that reflect radio waves.
Depending on activity, very low at present, one should look for
predominant showers to enhance their likelihood of making contacts.
Expect to listen a lot and hear a lot of nothing.   The software does
the job, let it run for hours.   When you see stations decoded then
activate the transmitter and call.   Of course the system will allow you
to call CQ and that works too.     And don't think that meteors only fly
at night. Nope, daytime is almost equally as good, just the noise is
usually higher, and we just don't see them making trails through the
atmosphere as we do at night.      I personally like early mornings as
the man made noise is usually a few dB less.    Good hunting.
73
Bob, K4TAX

On 12/5/2018 8:17 AM, John Harper wrote:

> Hi Eric,
>
> You've piqued my interest - I have a 3-el 6m Yagi, 100 watts and WSJT-X.
> Where should I point the beam (I'm in TX) for maximizing my chances of
> receiving activity, ie is it based on meteor shower activity or does a
> receiver's location favor a given geographic area?
>
> Tnx/73,
>
> John AE5X
> https://ae5x.blogspot.com
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

David Olean

Re: 6m meteor scatter

Sporadic meteors are arriving from all sorts of directions, and the best
time for sporadic meteors is at 6 AM local time because that is the time
when your location on Earth is moving into the wind so to speak. The
Earth's travel in its orbit and the forward momentum of the spinning
Earth picks up more meteors at sunrise than when the opposite is
occurring at 6 PM local time. That is the worst time for sporadic
meteors. That being said, you are liable to make a contact at any time.
You are just playing percentages!

Dave K1WHS

On 12/5/2018 3:16 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:

>
> Meteors can enter the atmosphere from just about any direction. I
> generally point east to north to west, although any meteors entering
> to the south of me would also leave trails that reflect radio
> waves.    Depending on activity, very low at present, one should look
> for predominant showers to enhance their likelihood of making
> contacts.    Expect to listen a lot and hear a lot of nothing.   The
> software does the job, let it run for hours.   When you see stations
> decoded then activate the transmitter and call. Of course the system
> will allow you to call CQ and that works too.     And don't think that
> meteors only fly at night. Nope, daytime is almost equally as good,
> just the noise is usually higher, and we just don't see them making
> trails through the atmosphere as we do at night.      I personally
> like early mornings as the man made noise is usually a few dB less.
> Good hunting.
> 73
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
> On 12/5/2018 8:17 AM, John Harper wrote:
>> Hi Eric,
>>
>> You've piqued my interest - I have a 3-el 6m Yagi, 100 watts and WSJT-X.
>> Where should I point the beam (I'm in TX) for maximizing my chances of
>> receiving activity, ie is it based on meteor shower activity or does a
>> receiver's location favor a given geographic area?
>>
>> Tnx/73,
>>
>> John AE5X
>> https://ae5x.blogspot.com
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Gordon LaPoint

Re: 6m meteor scatter

On 6Mtrs what mode and frequency should we be using??
Thanks,
Gordon - N1MGO
On 12/5/18 11:29 AM, David Olean wrote:

> Sporadic meteors are arriving from all sorts of directions, and the
> best time for sporadic meteors is at 6 AM local time because that is
> the time when your location on Earth is moving into the wind so to
> speak. The Earth's travel in its orbit and the forward momentum of
> the spinning Earth picks up more meteors at sunrise than when the
> opposite is occurring at 6 PM local time. That is the worst time for
> sporadic meteors. That being said, you are liable to make a contact at
> any time. You are just playing percentages!
>
> Dave K1WHS

Mike Cizek W0VTT

Re: 6m meteor scatter

MSK144 on 50.260 WSJT-X v2.0 More info here:
https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html
You will find the Ping Jockey chatroom very friendly and helpful:
https://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk

--
73,
Mike Cizek WØVTT

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Gordon LaPoint
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2018 10:44
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 6m meteor scatter

On 6Mtrs what mode and frequency should we be using??
Thanks,
Gordon - N1MGO
On 12/5/18 11:29 AM, David Olean wrote:

--
Gordon - N1MGO

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: 6m meteor scatter

In reply to this post by Gordon LaPoint

Use WSJT-X. Mode is MSK-144. Band is 6M. WSJT has the frequencies in the band table. 50.260 and 50.360 as I recall. If your station is configured for FT-8 and CAT control then you are ready to go.

Bob, K4TAX

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 5, 2018, at 10:44 AM, Gordon LaPoint <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> On 6Mtrs what mode and frequency should we be using??
> Thanks,
> Gordon - N1MGO
>> On 12/5/18 11:29 AM, David Olean wrote:
>> Sporadic meteors are arriving from all sorts of directions, and the best time for sporadic meteors is at 6 AM local time because that is the time when your location on Earth is moving into the wind so to speak. The Earth's travel in its orbit and the forward momentum of the spinning Earth picks up more meteors at sunrise than when the opposite is occurring at 6 PM local time. That is the worst time for sporadic meteors. That being said, you are liable to make a contact at any time. You are just playing percentages!
>>
>> Dave K1WHS
>
> --
> Gordon - N1MGO
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Jim Brown-10

Re: 6m meteor scatter

In reply to this post by Mike Cizek W0VTT

While MS QSOs can be made with random CQing on 50.260, most are
scheduled via Ping Jockey or ON4KST chat. There's a learning curve to
operating MS, and QSOs via MS can take a while to complete. It's not
unusual for it to take 30 minutes for "rocks" to align in the space
between QSO partners to provide the reflections for pings that WSJT-X
decodes to complete all the steps of the QSO.

MS is NOT a good mode for QRP, and while QSOs can be made with 100W,
more power increases the likelihood of a good ping and shortens the time
it takes to complete.

If you're chasing grids on 6M, MS is a great way to fill in those that
are beyond the range of tropospheric propagation and too close for
E-skip. The limit for MS is about 1,300 miles, and even that distance
requires great rocks, high power, decent antennas, great ops, and
persistence.

MS is one of the propagation modes for which the exchange format and
progress of WSJT mode QSOs was developed, and it is rigidly followed.

73, Jim K9YC

On 12/5/2018 9:00 AM, Mike Cizek W0VTT wrote:
> MSK144 on 50.260 WSJT-X v2.0 More info here:
> https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html
> You will find the Ping Jockey chatroom very friendly and helpful:
> https://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

Wes Stewart-2

Re: 6m meteor scatter

Why not just use CW (or even SSB)?

Disclaimer. I have zero experience with 6M MS. That said, I have confirmed
QSOs with every continental state west of the Mississippi and a few east on 2M
MS (or tropo) :-)

Wes N7WS

On 12/5/2018 12:08 PM, Jim Brown wrote:

> While MS QSOs can be made with random CQing on 50.260, most are scheduled via
> Ping Jockey or ON4KST chat. There's a learning curve to operating MS, and QSOs
> via MS can take a while to complete. It's not unusual for it to take 30
> minutes for "rocks" to align in the space between QSO partners to provide the
> reflections for pings that WSJT-X decodes to complete all the steps of the QSO.
>
> MS is NOT a good mode for QRP, and while QSOs can be made with 100W, more
> power increases the likelihood of a good ping and shortens the time it takes
> to complete.
>
> If you're chasing grids on 6M, MS is a great way to fill in those that are
> beyond the range of tropospheric propagation and too close for E-skip. The
> limit for MS is about 1,300 miles, and even that distance requires great
> rocks, high power, decent antennas, great ops, and persistence.
>
> MS is one of the propagation modes for which the exchange format and progress
> of WSJT mode QSOs was developed, and it is rigidly followed.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC

Leroy

Re: 6m meteor scatter

SSB/CW is all I have ever used. I have 41 logged SSB MS with 24 cards for
some of those.

Leroy AB7CE

-----Original Message-----
From: Wes Stewart
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2018 12:44 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 6m meteor scatter

Why not just use CW (or even SSB)?

Disclaimer. I have zero experience with 6M MS. That said, I have confirmed
QSOs with every continental state west of the Mississippi and a few east on
2M
MS (or tropo) :-)

Wes N7WS

On 12/5/2018 12:08 PM, Jim Brown wrote:

> While MS QSOs can be made with random CQing on 50.260, most are scheduled
> via Ping Jockey or ON4KST chat. There's a learning curve to operating MS,
> and QSOs via MS can take a while to complete. It's not unusual for it to
> take 30 minutes for "rocks" to align in the space between QSO partners to
> provide the reflections for pings that WSJT-X decodes to complete all the
> steps of the QSO.
>
> MS is NOT a good mode for QRP, and while QSOs can be made with 100W, more
> power increases the likelihood of a good ping and shortens the time it
> takes to complete.
>
> If you're chasing grids on 6M, MS is a great way to fill in those that are
> beyond the range of tropospheric propagation and too close for E-skip.
> The limit for MS is about 1,300 miles, and even that distance requires
> great rocks, high power, decent antennas, great ops, and persistence.
>
> MS is one of the propagation modes for which the exchange format and
> progress of WSJT mode QSOs was developed, and it is rigidly followed.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

David Olean

Re: 6m meteor scatter

In reply to this post by Wes Stewart-2

Good point, Wes.

If you have a really good station on both ends, SSB would be a lot
faster and more fun in my opinion. I used to get sked requests from
K9NS for contest points on 50 and 144 a few years back. We used SSB and
not digi mode. In September it took about 1 minute to complete with him
on 144 MHz. That was with a 20 dB antenna on each end and KWs. You
spent more time pushing buttons on FSK-441 . SSB was effortless. I have
not tried MSK144 yet. If you have a marginal setup with less than 1500
w and a big antenna, the digi modes make sense for a faster QSO. Still,
I think SSB is more exciting. CW needs pretty high speed operating
ability for manual xmissions, but that is just as exciting if you can
swing it. I can copy at about 35 if I am looking for calls. I think
that is a good start for CW! 45 is better.

The most fun I ever had in ham radio was working SSB random contacts
during a Perseids peak, and then of course the big Leonids shower back
in 2001 or 2002. I miss that stuff now.

Dave K1WHS

On 12/5/2018 7:44 PM, Wes Stewart wrote:
> Why not just use CW (or even SSB)?
>
> Disclaimer. I have zero experience with 6M MS. That said, I have
> confirmed QSOs with every continental state west of the Mississippi
> and a few east on 2M MS (or tropo) :-)
>
> Wes N7WS
>
>
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

Jim - N4ST

Re: 6m meteor scatter

In reply to this post by John Harper

John,

I only dabble with meteor scatter from time to time but did make ~70 QSOs with 80 watts and a 3-el beam at 15 feet.
The beam is on a 10' pole on my back deck and no rotor. I normally have it parked pointing due West but rotate it by hand on occasion according to the activity maps.
As pointed out in previous posts, 6am local time is best for meteors, but you tend to get better results an hour or so later because more ops are awake. 😊
You can check activity on PSKReporter https://www.pskreporter.info/pskmapn.html and/or schedule contacts on Ping Jockey https://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk

____________
73,
Jim - N4ST

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> On Behalf Of John Harper
Sent: Wednesday, December 5, 2018 09:17
To: Elecraft list <[hidden email]>
Subject: [Elecraft] 6m meteor scatter

Hi Eric,

You've piqued my interest - I have a 3-el 6m Yagi, 100 watts and WSJT-X.
Where should I point the beam (I'm in TX) for maximizing my chances of receiving activity, ie is it based on meteor shower activity or does a receiver's location favor a given geographic area?

Tnx/73,

John AE5X
https://ae5x.blogspot.com
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [hidden email]

n0uk

Re: 6m meteor scatter

In reply to this post by Jim Brown-10

In my opinion, although it works great on 6m, where high-speed meteor
scatter techniques really shine (no pun intended) is when used on 2m and
1.25m bands. There are frequently enough longer pings and burns on 6m
that SSB can be used effectively, especially during meteor showers.

Many new (and old!) hams aren't even aware of meteor scatter at all and
don't realise that it makes working real DX on all of the VHF bands a
routine, daily event. Sure, you can't do it with a FM handheld and rubber
duck, but with a 100W or more and a reasonable single-yagi antenna, QSO's
in the 800-1000 mile range can be made year-round.

Perhaps a little off-topic for the Elecraft list-server, but always worth
mentioning!

73 Chris (pingjockey.net webmaster)

--
73 Chris Cox, N0UK, G4JEC
[hidden email]

On Wed, 5 Dec 2018, Jim Brown wrote:

> While MS QSOs can be made with random CQing on 50.260, most are
> scheduled via Ping Jockey or ON4KST chat. There's a learning curve to
> operating MS, and QSOs via MS can take a while to complete. It's not
> unusual for it to take 30 minutes for "rocks" to align in the space
> between QSO partners to provide the reflections for pings that WSJT-X
> decodes to complete all the steps of the QSO.
>
> MS is NOT a good mode for QRP, and while QSOs can be made with 100W,
> more power increases the likelihood of a good ping and shortens the time
> it takes to complete.
>
> If you're chasing grids on 6M, MS is a great way to fill in those that
> are beyond the range of tropospheric propagation and too close for
> E-skip. The limit for MS is about 1,300 miles, and even that distance
> requires great rocks, high power, decent antennas, great ops, and
> persistence.
>
> MS is one of the propagation modes for which the exchange format and
> progress of WSJT mode QSOs was developed, and it is rigidly followed.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
> On 12/5/2018 9:00 AM, Mike Cizek W0VTT wrote:
> > MSK144 on 50.260 WSJT-X v2.0 More info here:
> > https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html
> > You will find the Ping Jockey chatroom very friendly and helpful:
> > https://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]