MOONDATA UPDATE- 2002 AND RELATED EME TRIVIA by Derwin King, W5LUU
The distance from the earth to the moon and cosmic noise from the direction of the moon are predictable, cyclical variables that affect the quality of the EME communications path. Data on the signal-to-noise degradation (DGRD) attributable to these factors, referenced in dB to the best possible conditions, are listed on the next page for each Sunday at 0000 UT in 2002. These provide a guide to the 144MHz and 432 MHz weekend conditions and other relevant data.
In 2002 the average EME conditions continue to deteriorate as moon perigee occurs at greater hours of right ascension where the sky noise (temperature) is generally higher. This trend toward higher DGRD will continue for the next 3 to 4 years as the position of perigee vs RA proceeds along its near 9 year cycle. DGRD will then begin to improve and will be very low again in 2007-2010 as perigee is within a few hours RA of cold sky. Meanwhile don't give up. As can be seen there are several VERY GOOD weekends in April - August of 2002. However, there are no good contest weekends in the traditional Sept.-Nov. ARRL contest period. When DGRD is good then Declination is too low for most of us. I recommend ARRL 2002 EME Contest dates in the April-June period for VERY GOOD conditions and High Declinations. Best days during 2002 and the DGRD are: Jan 1 (,5dB), Jan 29 (.2dB), Feb 25 (.3dB), Mar. 25 (.5dB), Apr 21 (.8dB), May 18 (1.0dB), Jun 14 (.9), Jul 12 (.7), Aug 8 (.6 but NM), Sep 4/5 (.6), Oct 2 (.8), Oct 29 (1.1), Nov 25/26 (1.3), Dec 23 (1.2). Good luck and 73.
W5LUU WEEKEND MOONDATA - 2002 FOR SUNDAYS AT 0000 UTC
Date 2002 |
Dec.deg. |
RA hrs. |
144 MHz Temp.K |
Range Factor |
DGRD, dB 144 MHz |
DGRD, dB 432MHz |
MoonPhase |
CONDITIONS |
Jan. 06 |
-0.6 |
12.9 |
313 |
0.76 |
2.8 |
1.3 |
Moderate |
|
13 |
-24.2 |
19.2 |
773 |
1.82 |
7.2 |
3.9 |
NM-14h |
Very Poor |
20 |
-0.5 |
0.8 |
277 |
2.24 |
3.9 |
2.7 |
Moderate |
|
27 |
24.3 |
6.8 |
388 |
0.64 |
3.4 |
1.5 |
FM-2d |
Moderate |
Feb. 03 |
-5.0 |
13.6 |
328 |
0.65 |
2.9 |
1.1 |
Moderate |
|
10 |
-23.6 |
19.8 |
450 |
2.01 |
5.3 |
3.0 |
NM-2d |
Poor |
17 |
3.2 |
1.3 |
290 |
2.26 |
4.0 |
2.7 |
Moderate |
|
24 |
24.2 |
7.4 |
322 |
0.66 |
2.8 |
1.2 |
FM-3d |
Moderate |
Mar 03 |
-8.9 |
14.1 |
361 |
0.47 |
3.0 |
1.1 |
|
Moderate |
10 |
-22.4 |
20.5 |
339 |
2.12 |
4.4 |
2.7 |
Poor |
|
17 |
7.0 |
1.8 |
313 |
2.24 |
4.3 |
2.8 |
NM+3d |
Poor |
24 |
23.6 |
8.0 |
221 |
0.77 |
1.7 |
1.0 |
Good |
|
31 |
-12.3 |
14.7 |
395 |
0.37 |
3.2 |
1.1 |
FM+2d |
Moderate |
Apr 07 |
-20.7 |
21.1 |
336 |
2.14 |
4.4 |
2.7 |
Poor |
|
14 |
10.7 |
2.4 |
350 |
2.14 |
4.6 |
2.7 |
NM+2d |
Poor |
21 |
22.3 |
8.7 |
182 |
0.87 |
1.2 |
0.9 |
VERY GOOD |
|
28 |
-15.2 |
15.2 |
431 |
0.41 |
3.6 |
1.2 |
FM+1d |
Moderate |
May 05 |
-18.6 |
21.7 |
316 |
2.10 |
4.2 |
2.6 |
Poor |
|
12 |
14.0 |
3.0 |
365 |
1.98 |
4.6 |
2.6 |
NM-11h |
Poor |
19 |
20.0 |
9.4 |
179 |
0.89 |
1.1 |
0.9 |
VERY GOOD |
|
26 |
-18.0 |
15.7 |
485 |
0.61 |
4.2 |
1.6 |
FM-1d |
Poor |
Jun. 02 |
-16.1 |
22.3 |
259 |
2.08 |
3.5 |
2.5 |
Moderate |
|
09 |
16.9 |
3.5 |
357 |
1.81 |
4.3 |
2.4 |
NM-2d |
Poor |
16 |
16.8 |
10.1 |
190 |
0.79 |
1.2 |
0.8 |
VERY GOOD |
|
23 |
-20.5 |
16.4 |
646 |
0.88 |
5.6 |
2.1 |
FM-1d |
Very Poor |
30 |
-13.3 |
22.8 |
244 |
2.10 |
3.3 |
2.4 |
Moderate |
|
July 07 |
19.3 |
4.1 |
370 |
1.68 |
4.3 |
2.4 |
NM-3d |
Poor |
14 |
13.1 |
10.8 |
206 |
0.59 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
VERY GOOD |
|
21 |
-22.7 |
17.1 |
994 |
1.15 |
7.6 |
3.0 |
FM-2d |
Very Poor |
28 |
-10.1 |
23.3 |
244 |
2.16 |
3.4 |
2.5 |
Moderate |
|
Aug 04 |
21.5 |
4.6 |
421 |
1.62 |
4.7 |
2.5 |
Very Poor |
|
11 |
9.2 |
11.4 |
231 |
0.34 |
1.4 |
0.5 |
NM+3d |
VERY GOOD |
18 |
-24.4 |
17.8 |
2692 |
1.34 |
11.9 |
5.4 |
Very Poor |
|
25 |
-6.6 |
23.8 |
249 |
2.25 |
3.5 |
2.6 |
FM+2d |
Moderate |
Sept 01 |
23.3 |
5.2 |
487 |
1.64 |
5.3 |
2.7 |
Very Poor |
|
08 |
5.5 |
12.0 |
259 |
0.13 |
1.5 |
0.5 |
NM+17h |
Very good but NM |
15 |
-25.4 |
18.5 |
1912 |
1.41 |
10.5 |
5.5 |
Very Poor |
|
22 |
-2.9 |
0.3 |
264 |
2.32 |
3.8 |
2.8 |
FM+4h |
Moderate |
29 |
24.8 |
5.8 |
485 |
1.69 |
5.5 |
3.0 |
Very Poor |
|
Oct. 06 |
2.0 |
12.5 |
310 |
0.05 |
2.1 |
0.6 |
NM-11h |
Good but NM |
13 |
-25.4 |
19.2 |
738 |
1.39 |
6.6 |
3.4 |
Very Poor |
|
20 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
279 |
2.34 |
4.0 |
2.8 |
FM-1d |
Moderate |
27 |
25.7 |
6.5 |
415 |
1.70 |
4.7 |
2.7 |
Very Poor |
|
Nov 03 |
-1.6 |
13.0 |
313 |
0.15 |
2.2 |
0.7 |
NM-2d |
GOOD |
10 |
-24.8 |
19.9 |
436 |
1.32 |
4.5 |
2.3 |
Poor |
|
17 |
4.5 |
1.4 |
293 |
2.31 |
4.1 |
2.8 |
FM-3d |
Poor |
24 |
25.7 |
7.2 |
339 |
1.59 |
3.9 |
2.2 |
Moderate |
|
Dec. 01 |
-5.5 |
13.5 |
323 |
0.37 |
2.5 |
0.8 |
NM-3d |
GOOD |
08 |
-23.6 |
20.5 |
344 |
1.29 |
3.7 |
1.9 |
Moderate |
|
15 |
8.1 |
1.9 |
316 |
2.26 |
4.3 |
2.8 |
Poor |
|
22 |
24.7 |
7.9 |
229 |
1.36 |
2.4 |
1.6 |
FM+2d |
GOOD |
29 |
-9.7 |
14.1 |
357 |
0.60 |
3.1 |
1.2 |
Moderate |