DrRobin

Hi,

In a previous life armed with a radio amateur license, a VHF set (2m band) and a 100W amplifier we used to go out on the moors and try Meteor Scatter.  Normally VHF is limited in range to about 100 - 200 miles, slightly further if you get a Tropospheric reflection, but with a reflection from a meteor trail which are very high in the sky, 1,500 to 2,000 miles is possible.

You either transmit your call sign and then leave a break and a station in say Italy or Spain will respond if you are lucky enough to be transmitting when a meteor comes through.  Or, you just listen for a strong station and reply when they leave a break.  The whole conversation is over in a couple of seconds.

Small meteors cause a very brief reflection and the distant station is head as a 'ping'.  Larger meteors or several at once can give several seconds of reflection and as the ionised trail moves, a Doppler shift can be heard requiring tuning of the receiver to be able to hear the whole conversation.  Really good operators will make 3 or 4 contacts, exchanging calls signs and signal strength reports in one long reflection.

It never ceased to amaze me the distance that could be obtained on a band that is normally relatively short range.

I haven't used a FUNCube so couldn't say how well it would work but we used to build our own Yagi (usually a 9 or 15 element) at 145MHz and fix pointing towards southern Europe.  I would have to say I haven't done any of this for nearly 30 years, but it was very interesting at the time.

Robin

Robin

And the wait goes on. Not sure what is happening at Imaging Source?