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Meteor scatter (MS) is the reflection of radio signals from the ionised trails from  Meteors (Iron Rocks) burning up in the upper atmosphere. This effect can be used by radio amateurs to make contacts at distances of up to around 2,200km. Meteors burn up in the atmosphere at a height of between 90-105km. The ionised meteorite trail will reflect VHF radio signals, which would otherwise travel straight into Space. 

Meteor Scatter radio contacts rely on multiple meteors to reflect small parts of each message over a period of time, usually around 20 minutes, but sometimes up to 1 hour. The mostly metallic (iron) meteors burn up in the atmosphere and leave an ionised trail of particles, which VHF radio signals can bounce off, for any time period from 100 milliseconds to over 2 minutes. The frequent time for reflections  is often around 250 milliseconds or just a quarter of a second!

You haven't time to speak normally, so you can use a series of audio tones to represent each letter of the alphabet and play this through your radio using a computer soundcard. You speed up the tones so that your short message instead of lasting perhaps 20 seconds, is transmitted in under 0.25 seconds, repeatedly over and over again.

Imagine a spy radio 'burst transmitter' sending a secret Morse Code message at hundreds of letters per minute very, very quickly to avoid detection and direction finding by the enemy! The techniques used for Meteor Scatter communication speeds are quite similar.

The receiving station listens and when a meteor is in just the right place he/she will hear your signal and then they slow your message down again to read it, using their computer soundcard and
WSJT software. You take it in turns to transmit and receive in set periods of every 30 seconds. Over 20 minutes, on average, the entire message is transferred in both directions to complete the contact. In this time maybe 4-6 meteors will occur.



Meteors may come at any time, but sometimes they come in showers, which can be predicted. During showers there are more meteors than usual and QSOs (contacts) are easier to make. Most work on 144 MHz is done during
Meteor Showers. A MS trail reflects 50MHz for longer time than 144MHz, so it is easier to work MS on 50MHz. Actually you do not need to wait for a MS shower at all to make QSOs, you can arrange skeds via the ON4KST 50/70/144/432 MHz online Chat.

Meteor Scatter signals sound like brief enhancements of the signal you are listening for. Out of the noise pops your QSO partner at 59+ for mostly less than a second, but then he fades fast away again. Sometimes bursts are many seconds long and you may be lucky to make a QSO in one burst. But as ever on VHF you have to be fast..

Meteor Showers

Meteor Showers

Active Period

Approximate activity maximum

Peak recorded Radio reflection hourly rate

Quadrantids

Jan 01-Jan 05

Jan 04

522 (2009)

Delta Leonids

Feb 15-Mar 19

Feb 25

353 (2010)

Virginids

Jan 25-Apr 15

Mar 24

299 (2009)

Lyrids

Apr 16-Apr 25

Apr 22

403 (2010)

eta-Aquarids

Apr 19-May 28

May 05

488 (2005)

Comet 209P TBC??

May 24-May 31 May 24/31 540 (2007)
Pegasids Jul 07-Jul 13 Jul 10 495 (2007)

Southern delta-Aquarids

Jul 12-Aug 19

Jul 28

500 (2007)

Perseids

Jul 17-Aug 24

Aug 12

527 (2009)

a-Aurigids

Aug 25-Sep 08

Aug 26

492 (2007)

Delta-Aurigids

Sep 05-Oct 10

Sep 9

298 (2007)

Piscids

Sep 01-Sep 30

Sep 20

396 (2009)

Orionids

Oct 02-Nov 07

Oct 14

653 (2014)

Leonids

Nov 14-Nov 21

Nov 19

700+ (2002)

Puppid-Velids

Dec 01-Dec 15

Dec 07

306 (2005)

Geminids

Dec 07-Dec 17

Dec 14

521 (2005)

Ursids

Dec 17-Dec 26

Dec 22

243 (2007)

 

Amateur Radio Meteor Scatter

 

When transmitting signals within the Amateur Radio VHF bands you should prepare yourself to make the QSO in small bits of mostly a few seconds. There is a procedure for MS-QSOs agreed on in IARU Region 1. If we all follow it, the QSOs are much easier.

PLEASE NOTE: Meteor Scatter guidelines suggest that if possible,

Northbound and Westbound transmissions should be made in the 1st period

and

Southbound and Eastbound transmissions should be made in the 2nd period.

This will avoid you causing QRM by transmitting when other local amateurs are listening! This guide is often ignored by stations who are unaware of it and results in havoc, with you trying to listen for weak signals at the same time that a nearby strong station is transmitting. (However for stations in central Europe it can be difficult to comply because different stations in the same Country may be working to the West and the East at the same time, so you should arrange a scheduled QSO on a frequency away from 50.280 MHz or 144.360 MHz in that case).

It is also best practice when calling CQ to indicate another frequency you are listening on, for example CQ 270 when calling on 50.280 MHz, meaning you are listening for replies on 50.270 MHz and as soon as you hear one you QSY your transmissions there also.

 

 

METEOR SCATTER REPORTING SYSTEM

The report consists of two numbers (often '26' as shown below)

First number (burst duration)  

Second number  (signal strength)

2 : up to 5 sec 

6 : below S2 or below 5 dB

3 : 5-20 sec

7 : from S2 to S3 or from 5dB to 10dB

4 : 20-120 sec 

8 : from S4 to S5 or from 10dB to 15dB

5 : longer than 120 sec

9 : above S5 or above 15dB

 

 

 

 

PRIMARY EUROPEAN METEOR SCATTER FREQUENCIES & DATA MODES

Old Region 1 Band plan had 50.200-50.300 MHz for Meteor Scatter (still largely in use as of 2017)

FREQUENCY

MODE

COMMENT

50.230 MHz* JT6M (30s periods)

 

Most European MS activity was seen here in 2016, but in 2017 has declined dramatically in favour of MSK144 mode on 50.280 MHz.
50.235 MHz* ISCAT-B Some European activity this mode in 2013, better performance than JT6M, but not adopted by many users with MSK144 preferred
50.270 MHz* FSK441

 

Not ideal for 50MHz use, JT6M mode superior for longer reflections found on 6m
50.260 MHz* PSK2k

 

Newer none WSJT mode, difficult to install, but fully automatic. Moved up to 50.360 MHz in 2015 now replaced by MSK144 mode
50.280 MHz* (+/- 15 kHz) MSK144 (15s periods) 99% European activity this mode and frequency, seen here since 2018, with 15s periods and extremely popular. Software in use is either WSJT-X by K1JT or MSHV by LZ2HV
50.325 MHz ISCAT-B Some European activity this mode in 2014, better performance than JT6M, but not adopted by many users with MSK144 preferred

New Region 1 Band plan since 2012 suggests 50.320-50.380 MHz for Meteor Scatter

(largely not adopted yet by European MS community)

FREQUENCY

MODE

COMMENT

50.325 MHz ISCAT-B Some European activity this mode seen here 2014
50.330 MHz JT6M Much more European activity this mode seen here 2015, but now MSK144 preferred by most
50.360 MHz  

MSK144

 

Designated frequency as of 2018 for this newer mode, but 99% of activity remains on 50.280 MHz
50.370 MHz FSK441 No European activity this mode seen here 2013
70.174 MHz MSK144 100% European activity this mode seen here since 2018
70.230 MHz was JT6M  European activity this mode seen here 2013, 2016 now in 2018 largely replaced by MSK144 mode on 70.174 MHz

+/- 10 kHz

70.280 MHz FSK441 European activity this mode last seen here 2017 now replaced by MSK144

+/- 5 kHz

144.360 MHz MSK144 Designated frequency as of 2018 for this newer mode
144.370 MHz FSK441 European activity this mode seen here 2013 +/- 20 kHz appears to have been replaced by MSK144

NOTES

*The new Region 1 (European) band plan, that came into effect on 1st January 2012, is largely being ignored by the VHF community, as all data modes in Europe were recommended to move above 50.300 MHz to free up space for more SSB voice, however 50 MHz is often capable of Intercontinental communications and there remains much US JT65 FT8 data activity below 50.300 MHz so that is where European stations remain to work them.

 

 

Meteor Scatter

 

 

 

500-2350km

Most meteorites have a significant iron metal content and when they burn up in the atmosphere at heights between 85-90 km they leave behind metallic ionised trails which reflect VHF signals back to Earth, that would otherwise be lost in space. Signals are typically of very short duration, but can be strong typically from -2 to +13db. During the most intense meteor showers the duration of signal reflections and be several minutes.

Extremely rare, once or twice in a lifetime, events can have so many meteors hours burning up that the E layer permits reflections lasting for several hours, just like Sporadic-E propagation. I have only ever witnessed this once with the Leonids shower in November 2002, with 700+ meteors per hour being recorded.

Summer months are best for the major showers, but winter months are active too. Random meteors occur all the time, day or night, and there are far more meteors than can be seen visually. Can be a mode that can revolutionise 50/70/144 MHz SSB contacts using software such as WSJT or MSHV by LZ2HV (latest MSK144 mode with 15 second intervals, very popular in 2017) for long distance contacts. My favourite propagation type!

The lowest distance 200 km MS contacts can be very difficult to complete due to the high angles required, fewer meteors trails being in just the right place and nearby radio signal obstructions such as mountains, mid distance MS contacts around 600-1000 km being far easier.

Whilst most stations use directional horizontal beams and 100W or more, success can be achieved with omni-directional antennas such as horizontal loops and surprisingly even with vertical colinears.

Meteor Showers

Meteor Showers

Active Period

Approximate activity maximum

Peak recorded Radio reflection hourly rate

Quadrantids

Jan 01-Jan 05

Jan 04

522 (2009)

Delta Leonids

Feb 15-Mar 19

Feb 25

353 (2010)

Virginids

Jan 25-Apr 15

Mar 24

299 (2009)

Lyrids

Apr 16-Apr 25

Apr 22

403 (2010)

eta-Aquarids

Apr 19-May 28

May 05

488 (2005)

Comet 209P TBC

May 24-May 31 May 24/31 540 (2007)
Pegasids Jul 07-Jul 13 Jul 10 495 (2007)

Southern delta-Aquarids

Jul 12-Aug 19

Jul 28

500 (2007)

Perseids

Jul 17-Aug 24

Aug 12

527 (2009)

a-Aurigids

Aug 25-Sep 08

Aug 26

492 (2007)

Delta-Aurigids

Sep 05-Oct 10

Sep 9

298 (2007)

Piscids

Sep 01-Sep 30

Sep 20

396 (2009)

Orionids

Oct 02-Nov 07

Oct 14

471 (2009)

Leonids

Nov 14-Nov 21

Nov 19

700+ (2002)

Puppid-Velids

Dec 01-Dec 15

Dec 07

306 (2005)

Geminids

Dec 07-Dec 17

Dec 14

521 (2005)

Ursids

Dec 17-Dec 26

Dec 22

243 (2007)

 

Reflections of radio signals can last from around 250 milliseconds (1/4 of a second) to 30 seconds plus, but the vast majority are extremely brief. It can take a long time to complete a QSO in the region of 30 minutes or an hour, unless there is a major Meteor shower. In November 2002 the Leonids shower was the best ever with over 700+ meteors each hour. So many meteors were striking the atmosphere that an almost continuous reflective layer was formed with amazing easily completed verbal QSO's, almost like Sporadic-E signals that lasted for many hours continuously.

For Meteor Scatter the 50 MHz band is by far the best, 144 MHz is usable too but more difficult and 432 MHz and higher almost unheard of.

To easily hear Meteor pings tune your transceiver to a distant strong VHF Band 1 TV station video carrier or VHF FM Radio station and you will hear nothing until the signal is reflected briefly by a passing meteor! Please note that during the Summer months Sporadic E (Es) may allow you to hear the TV or radio carrier continuously.

The Spanish TV Transmitter shown above, closed down in 2010, but in 2011 the TV Transmitter in Prague shown below was active. Sadly almost all Band 1 TV stations are closing down, replaced by UHF digital instead.

Unfortunately Band 1 analogue TV is being phased out in Europe and so the availability of these TV carriers is being much reduced for monitoring Meteor Scatter. There are some alternatives, such as the French GRAVES space surveillance radar system on 143.050 MHz CW.

 

It is also possible to carry out some interesting Radio Astronomy using the signals from Band 1 TV carriers and your Radio receiver to detect Meteor reflections and create imagery of the fireballs or meteors burning up in the atmosphere using SpectrumLab software.

 

 

 

   Meteor Scatter 

Weekly Visual Meteor activity outlook

 MS Euro Live

 Meteorscatter.net

MS procedures

Radio Meteor observatories on-line

Meteor Scatter Flow Chart

 

Meteor Showers

Meteor Shower Calendar

 

WSJT software

 Meteorscatter

ON4KST 50/70/144/432 MHz Chat

WSJT E-Group

 Radio Meteor Gallery

WSJT / FSK441 guide

Radio Meteor Observation Bulletin

Leonids Meteor Storm calculator for your area

Live Aurora/Es/MS last 10 minutes

Meteor Scatter Sounds

Kenwood TS-2000 settings for WSJT

Radio reflection detection by G7IZU

 

Norman Lockyer Observatory Solar Planetary And Meteor (SPAM) Detection

OSWIN VHF 36kW 53.5 MHz Meteor Scatter radar site

SKYMET VHF Meteor Radar System

OH5IY MS activity

 

Solar Planetary And Meteor (SPAM) Detection Forum

 

ESA/RSSD Meteor Research Group

International Meteor Organisation

Meteor Shower Calendar 2015

 

 

 

Radio Meteor Observatories Online (www.rmob.org)

Scatter daily activity analysis  (Click on thumbnail below)

SKiYMET Meteor Scatter daily activity analysis

NLO Meteor Detection Live 3D Spectrogram

 (click below)

Virgo Meteor Sky view applet

(click below)

 

   

I used to record radio detected Meteor Shower ping activity on 55.250 MHz over several years using the excellent and reliable data from Dave Swan, however I have had to stop for a couple of years due to the primary transmitter in Portugal closing down. Dave in 2013 is now back again using 143.050 MHz. The table below shows the recorded data and is useful for working out the best dates for MS propagation, albeit random meteors occur at any time.

Please note that there are far more radio reflections and of longer duration at 55 MHz compared to 143 MHz, so in the table below 2004-2010 are 55 MHz observations and 2011 onwards are 143 MHz observations. The demise of Band 1 TV transmitters on 48 MHz and 55 MHz has effectively destroyed the best means for radio meteor observation sadly. If only here in the UK we could setup some replacement CW amateur radio transmitters in the far North and South to provide a reliable constant alternative as are in use in Belgium.

Meteor Showers

Active Period

Approximate activity maximum

Speed

Visual ZHR

Peak Radio Hourly Rate (RHR) 55.250 MHz (to 2010) or 143.050 MHz (from 2011)

(2004)

(2005)

(2006)

(2007)

(2008)

(2009) (2010) (2011) (2012) (2013) (2014) (2015) (2016)

Quadrantids

Jan 01-Jan 05

Jan 04

 

120

328

328

322

503

472 522 403 363 264 371 306 244  

Delta Leonids

Feb 15-Mar 19

Feb 25

 

3

N/K 

N/K 

N/K 

216 157 253 353       154 109  

Virginids

Jan 25-Apr 15

Mar 24

 

5

N/K 

N/K 

N/K 

217 158 299 317       N/K 91  

Lyrids

Apr 16-Apr 25

Apr 22

 

18-90

N/K 

100

147

317 197 N/K 403       254 170  

eta-Aquarids

Apr 19-May 28

May 05

 

60

250

488

206

330 323 N/K N/K       133 155  

Comet 209P TBC??

May 24-May 31 May 24/31   N/K N/K N/K 338 540 309 N/K 500       N/K N/K  
Pegasids Jul 07-Jul 13 Jul 10   3 N/K  300 370 495 N/K N/K N/K       362 518  

Southern delta-Aquarids

Jul 12-Aug 19

Jul 28

 

20

275

250

419

500 N/K N/K 396       242 N/K  

Perseids

Jul 17-Aug 24

Aug 12/13

 

110

448

330

346

369 333 527 362 219     262 322  

a-Aurigids

Aug 25-Sep 08

Aug 26

 

N/K 

N/K 

N/K

N/K

492 N/K N/K N/K N/K     N/K N/K  

Delta-Aurigids

Sep 05-Oct 10

Sep 9

 

5

N/K 

N/K

275

298 N/K N/K N/K       N/K    

Piscids

Sep 01-Sep 30

Sep 20

 

3

N/K 

N/K

319 

301 288 396 356       224    

Draconids

Oct 06-10

Oct 9

Very slow

20-500+

N/K 

N/K 

N/K 

N/K  N/K  N/K  N/K  300  N/K  N/K  N/K     

Orionids

Oct 06-Nov 07

Oct 21

 

40-70

N/K 

303

428

350 315 471 364       653    

Leonids

Nov 14-Nov 21

Nov 18

 

100+

700

in 2002

N/K

261

300 281 344 319 453 246 293 254    

Puppid-Velids

Dec 01-Dec 15

Dec 07

 

10

150 

306

279

304 N/K N/K N/K N/K N/K        

Geminids

Dec 07-Dec 17

Dec 14

Medium

120

325

521

434

486 435 469 473 394 325 303 437    

Ursids

Dec 17-Dec 26

Dec 22

 

10

162 

234

237

243 N/K N/K N/K N/K N/K N/K      

 

 

UK Radio Meteor analysis shows that the best times for working random Meteor Scatter is between 0000-1300hrs with few meteors outside these times, obviously Meteor Shower peak times do differ from this general rule. I have found operating FSK441 for random Meteor Scatter during the afternoon and early evening has not been as good, but DX can be worked with perseverance. Full Meteor Shower list can be found here. An excellent website dedicated to the study of live Meteor reflections is that of G7IZU.

Below - Dave Swan's (G1BLO) radio meteor reflections at 55.250 MHz and live observation histogram at 62.1927 MHz as received in the UK, a very good indicator of meteor activity. The Geminids meteor shower peak on 14th December 2003 can be clearly seen at 0400hrs UTC on the December 2003 chart shown below.

 

70 MHz (4M)

70.230 MHz

JT6M or FSK441

 Meteor Scatter

70.260 MHz

FSK441

 Meteor Scatter

70.280 MHz

MSK144

 Meteor Scatter

144 MHz (2M)

144.370 MHz

FSK441

 MS calling frequency

144.340-144.399 MHz

FSK441

 

432 MHz (70CM)

432.370 MHz

FSK441

 MS calling frequency

432.360-432.400 MHz

FSK441

 

When calling CQ with FSK441A (WSJT) on 144.370 MHz most amateurs have adopted the method of sending 'CQ 385' which indicates they are calling split by transmitting on 144.370 MHz BUT listening on 144.385 MHz for replies, this avoids congestion. When the original station hears your reply on 144.385 MHz they then QSY to 144.385 MHz and both stations complete the QSO on .385. They do not work split after the CQ is answered.

    

Shown below is a still image of my FSK441 QSO (using WSJT software) with ES6RQ on 21.12.2003 on 144.360 MHz a distance of 1116 miles and my best DX via Meteor Scatter so far. The burst captured below shows the signal I received from my friend 'Ants' in Estonia. I was only using 50 watts with my FT-847 and a 9 element Tonna Yagi at 150m asl to reply and you can see my MS signal report received in Estonia of 27.

A map of Stations I have worked on 144MHz Meteor Scatter from IO84 is shown below. The maximum practical range for MS QSOs is considered to be around 2300km, with my best distance so far being 1796km. I have managed to work stations via MS in Iceland, France, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Slovenia, Norway, England, Holland, Denmark & Spain.

Antennas: Most stations use directional long yagis mounted on rotators, with significant gain for MS contacts, I have used antennas with slightly larger beam widths and less gain such as Log Periodics or currently Omni directional horizontal loops in recent years. I have witnessed on air in 2014 a few stations using vertical collinear base station aerials to good effect for MS contacts which surprised me very much, but clearly can also work. The exchanged signal reports were also much better than expected and not a lot different to other stations!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

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144 MHz (2 metres)

432 MHz (70 Centimetres)

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