10 Years to Reflect Back on HSMS Experiences!
by WA5UFH Randy Tipton

I started operating HSMS on May 8, 2001 using an old Mirage amplifier and a TS-660. From the very outset because of the thrill of making long distance contacts while the band was dead we begin to focus our operating time and research to High Speed Meteor Scatter. (HSMS) I started using experimental modes including Fast Hell and later HSCW with the limited pool of operators. Most of the HSMS guys were two meters only at that time. My first contact was with Dick (SK) W5SNX using both Fast Hell and HSCW. When WSJT came about my first FSK441 contact on six meters was with Dick on Oct 2, 2001. Because few were using six meters for HSMS I decided we needed two meters if we were to continue this new pursuit. I purchased an IC-746 with an ebay Mirage amplifier to make my first two meter contact with Bob (SK)  WB5APD using FSK441 on Sept 9, 2005. The ebay Mirage brick gave out in January 2008 and I upgraded to another solid state amplifier the THP-350vdx. I also upgraded the six meter amplifier to a TE systems solid state 0552G. I have never had an antenna over 70 ft in the air and my current antennas are 5 elements for six meters and 9 elements for two meters. What you can take away from this equipment run down is modest stations can make many HSMS contacts even extended distances.

Since May 28, 2011 we have logged 1353 contacts on two meters and 2610 contacts on six meters. With any mode you work duplicate contacts and HSMS is no different. Out of the above contacts we have 295 initial on two meters and 462 on the magic band which equals 175 and 236 grid squares respectively all using HSMS.  My best distance on two meters is 1462 miles and six meters 1567 miles. It should obvious that using HSMS one can earn VUCC or add to his grid count.

From the outset we were very excited about HSMS and started the WSJTGROUP. This included a Yahoo email reflector and later webpages. Later Random Hour and the North American High Speed Meteor Scatter Contests (NAHSMS) were reorganized with the help of many others like K2TXB, N5SIX, K1JT, N6ENU, WB2FKO, W5WVO and the Super Seven Meteor Scatter Group. The WSJTGROUP created a few Awards and WA3LTB became the awards manager. Today the wsjtgroup webpage’s are located at www.ykc.com/wa5ufh and I like to think it is a good place for newbie’s to begin learning the processes involved for operating HSMS. This can be a magical trip for you; from listening to ole white noise static when the band is dead to learning how to make contacts via the daily random meteors.

The most significant things I noticed over this time period, besides the continuous improvements to WSJT, was the balance of operators shift from two to six meters. This is no doubt due to the fact that the “magic band” it is “King” of meteor scatter. Two other significant changes are the number of rovers / portable stations and the creation of the Ping Jockey Logger by N0UK. In my opinion HSMS is at a peak now and could only become better with an increase in 2 and 1 ¼ meter activity. Even new grids are being activated by stations using WSJT modes with contacts being made out to distances over 1000 miles during dead band conditions! Contacts on 222MHz are now possible when the band is dead, maybe it is time to rethink 1 ¼ meters!

What is possible with high speed meteor scatter can be explained with general physics and geometry. Those disciplines are not my strengths but I do have a basic knowledge of what is happening.  To go with those sciences I will attempt to analyze my contacts and make some general observations. I will try to determine what the best times to operate for extended distances are and just how important are meteor showers. That does not mean extended contacts are not possible anytime during the year with random meteors; however looking at my contacts perhaps some dates during meteor showers or dates around meteor shower are better than others. I acknowledge that honest attempts, persistence and patience are necessary for almost all pure meteor scatter contacts over +- 1150 miles. I will also do a little analysis of my six meter contacts but the focus will be on extended contacts for two meters.

What do I mean by extended meteor scatter contacts?  Many old timers have referred to the “barrier region”, the distance where contacts become more difficult often times requiring well over 20 minutes and up to 2 hours! I consider this distance to be anything over 1150 – 1200 miles. (The barrier region will differ between systems based on the take off angle i.e. antenna height)  On the other hand some distances ( +- 500 to 1000 miles)  with average equipped stations on six meters provide contacts that appear to be “almost automatic” . Even non-prime time contacts (usually early morning hours are considered the prime times) are “near automatic” but may take longer to complete. I refer to these easier distances as “sweet distances”. These contacts, especially on the magic band, generally have more than one ping per sequence and only a few sequences occur without hearing the other station.  Sweet distances make daily contacts when the band is otherwise dead! I have not found this to be true on two meters for “sweet distances”. Shorter contacts on two meters, although easier than longer contacts, are not ‘as automatic” for the same distances as found on six meters. This is a fact, higher the frequency the more difficult meteor scatters contacts become. Only a few even attempt meteor scatter on 432MHz. For my analysis since shorter meteor scatter paths less than 1000 miles are routine and almost automatic, I will not use those data points. Also since the behavior of meteor scatter is vastly different between 2 & 6 meters we will not combine the data.

Three good examples of ‘sweet distances’ for six meters from my location (EL19pa) are K0RI, KS7S and W5VWO. Distances are between 724 – 825 miles and when we run on six meters I start out expecting a completion. Now on two meters with KS7S and K0RI my confidence for completing drops way down even during prime time. (W5WVO is not on two meters)  Midday sometimes not even a single ping would be copied after 20 minutes of running with Jim or Lou. I have no data for this since I log only completions but this is reality for my station and I think most would agree. Thus the same station that might be easily worked in the sweet distance scenario on six meters requires more time on two meters and often times ends with no completion. I will acknowledge that sometimes two meter contacts go fast for these shorter distances however it is not the expectation.

Meteor showers should be the best times to operate without a doubt. (Table 1 Lists the Major Meteor Showers) My logs prove this out thus stations wishing to push the distance envelope should not ignore meteor showers. I had thought my data would suggest the days prior to and immediately following a shower would provide similar distance contacts for that specific shower. Because of so many Class II and minor showers in the mix with "Major Showers" it was impossible to determine but interesting enough all my contacts over 1200 miles could be attributed to a meteor shower. (Except for 3 contacts) For a detailed listing of all meteor showers go to http://www.amsmeteors.org/2010/12/2011-meteor-shower-list/

 

Table 1
Major Meteor Showers (Class I)
source: http://www.amsmeteors.org/2010/12/2011-meteor-shower-list/
Shower Name                 Window                     Peak          km/sec

Quadrantids (QUA)

Jan 01-Jan 10

4-Jan

42.2

Lyrids (LYR)

Apr 16-Apr 25

22-Apr

48.4

Eta Aquarids (ETA)

Apr 28-May 21

7-May

66.9

Delta Aquarids (SDA)

Jul 21-Aug 23

30-Jul

42

Perseids (PER)

Jul 13-Aug 26

13-Aug

60.5

Orionids (ORI)

Oct 04-Nov 14

22-Oct

67.3

Leonids (LEO)

Nov 07-Nov 28

18-Nov

70.6

Geminids (GEM)

Dec 04-Dec 16

14-Dec

35

Ursids (URS)

Dec 17-Dec 23

23-Dec

32.6

 

 The average velocity for these 9 meteor showers is 52 km/s. The Perseids, Eta Aquarids and Orionids are well above that average. The distance record contacts which are published indicate that for six meters the record distance was during the eta Aquarids in May. For both two meters and 222MHz the record distance contacts were during the Perseids in August. These NA record distances are published on the WSJTGROUP webpage. (See Table 2)

Table 2
Known & verified HSMS Records:
            
222 MHz   AF6O & W7XU     222MHz 1270 mi / 2043 km Aug 12,2007   15:22 Perseid
144 MHz   K2DRH & N6RMJ 144MHz 1572 mi / 2530 km  Aug 13,2009  06:50 Perseids
50 MHz     VE3CDX & N8JX    50MHz  1627 mi / 2618 km   May 16,2008 15:22 eta Aquarids

A good example of how meteor showers overlap are the Perseids, Delta Aquarids, Orionids and Leonids. (See Table 3) These showers have velocities from 60.5 to 70.6 km/sec. I found that during showers like these on two meters our expectation is longer distance contacts, stronger signal strength and short pings.  During these showers burns on two meters are typical 1 – 3 seconds and on six meters much longer up to 2 minutes! (Longer burns on two meters do occur however there is a world of difference between burns, signal strength and ping widths on both bands) Note these are my observations over the past years.

Table 3
Overlapping Meteor Showers
Meteor Shower          Window                      Peak                km/sec

Delta Aquarids            Jul 21-Aug 23            Jul 30               42.0
Perseids                       Jul 13-Aug 26                         Aug 13            60.5
Orionids                      Oct 04-Nov 14            Oct 22                         67.3
Leonids                       Nov 07-Nov 28           Nov 18            70.6

 

When grouping my contacts by months the data for months December and May included contacts made during the North American Meteor Scatter Contests. Thus when you view the six meter bar graphs, December indicates many contacts due to the winter contest.  

Here is an assumption I have made. The best showers to work would be those where the meteors are orbiting in the opposite direction of the Earth thus striking the atmosphere head-on should be faster than those orbiting in the same direction as the earth.  I do not know which showers fall into this group. I did not have the expertise to work that logic thru my logs and perhaps could be studied and shared. Our analysis is somewhat subjective however it does indicate there are months, usually coinciding around major showers, where longer distance contacts were made and logged. 
 

General Findings:
Black = two meter comment : Red = Six Meter comment.

1.       April and September provided no contacts over 1300 miles.  Six meters provided no contacts over 1300 miles for January, February, March, April, July, October and November.

2.       The best month for working distances over 1300 miles was August with 14 out of 43 total contacts made for that month.  The next best months were July and November with 5 completions for each. The best month for working distances over 1300 miles was August with  3 out of 8 total contacts made for that month. The next best month was May with 2 completions.

3.        58% of my completions over 1200 miles occurred in July, August and September.  61% of the completions over 1200 miles on six meters occurred in July, August, November and December.

4.       The best month to work distances over 1200 miles was August with 32.6% of the contacts occurring in August. The next best months at 26% were July and November. The best month to work distances over 1200 miles was December with 13 contacts or 22% of the total contacts make over 1200 miles. The next best month was August with 9 completions or 15% of the total.

5.       October appears to be the best month to work distances 1000 – 1200 miles. This was a surprise to me however you will notice the Orionids Meteor Shower occurs in October with a higher speed of 67.3km/s. December on six meters appeared to be the best month to work distances between 1000 – 1200 miles. The Geminids and NAHSMS contests influenced this no doubt. Only one contact on six meters over 1300 miles during the Geminids, this shower has meteors of lower velocity.

6.       December, month of the slower 35km/s Geminids, provided the most contacts between 1000 – 1100 miles (18). December is the month of the NAHSMS contest which might have skewed the numbers. August, month for the Perseids, has 14 contacts for the same distance range and the most total contacts over 1000 miles.  Six meters also provided the most contacts between 1000 – 1100 miles with 27 total contacts for December out of 179 total for all months. October, month for the Orionids produced 19 contacts for the same distance range of 1000 -1100 miles. The Orionids during October seemed to outperform the Perseids in total contacts completed over 1000 miles with 36 total completions during October. Guys do not ignore the Orionids!

7.       For distances between 1000 – 1200 miles there was a good distribution between months however for months August, September and December they provided the highest numbers. The same thing can be said about six meters however 179 completions between 1000 – 1100 miles, 58 completions for 1101 – 1150 miles and 59 completions between 1151 and 1200 miles. 

A Table of contacts over 1200 Miles For Two Meters is provided. This has not been done for six meters as it is time consuming and our focus is mainly 2 meter extended distance contacts)

A Quick analysis of Table 4 indicates that 44 contacts over 1200 miles with 29 associated with a major meteor shower  and 11 associated with a minor shower. Note there were 4 contacts not associated with any shower. For our  analysis I included the entire window of time for each shower and have ignored the Predicted Peak Days. (Do not ignore the shower “Peaks” however my data suggests contacts are possible during the entire shower window. Meteor Shower Velocity km/sec were all high for these contacts over 1200 miles which should be no surprise for us.

The Six Meter and Two Meter bar graphs show by month the contacts that were completed using HSMS mode FSK441 during dead band conditions

In summary I have learned not only about WSJT but just exactly what is possible with propagation mode meteor scatter. Without the wonderful application, WSJT provided by K1JT (Joe), I probably would have left amateur radio. Even after 10 years I have the same enthusiasm for making contacts during dead band conditions.  Now what I would suggest to you, if you are experiencing “burn out” or just want to expand your capabilities get involved with HSMS or EME. Mix technology and these time-old propagation modes for a lifetime of enjoyments.