XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, rec.radio.amateur.digital.misc

EI7GL....A diary of amateur radio activity

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Meteor explodes over the English Channel (20th of March 2021) - Were there
any unusual radio signals??

Posted: 21 Mar 2021 01:10 AM PDT https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2021/03/meteor-explodes-over-england-on-20th-of.html



On Saturday the 20th of March 2021 at approximately 14:53 UTC, a large
meteor entered the earths atmosphere and burnt up over the English Channel.

According to a news report on the BBC website, this resulted in a large
sonic boom as the meteor exploded.Massive bang over #Dorchester around 20 minutes ago. Any sound nerds know what it is? #Dorset. pic.twitter.com/tHnHEifhhF— Ollie Peart (@Ollieep) March 20, 2021
The meteor probably burnt up at a height of about 100kms which meant it
would have been visible over quite a large area.

The photo above is from a dashcam on the island of Jersey.

This image from a weather satellite shows a flash over the Bristol Channel. Note however how much the photo is distorted which suggests that perhaps
the photo was taken from a geostationary satellite over the equator and it
is looking at the UK from a low elevation. That 'white dot' may not be
actually over the Bristol Channel but it could be maybe 200kms further
south. Note that while the clouds in this picture might be say 10kms above
the ground level, the flash is about 100kms up.
There are other reports of a meteor burning up over the English Channel....
see HERE





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Any unusual radio signals???

As this large meteor burnt up at a height of about 100kms above the earths surface, it would have left a trail of ionised gas in its wake.
I know it's a long shot but I wonder if anyone noticed any unusual signals
at about 14:53 UTC on the 20th of March 2021?
Example. Were you on a digital mode like FT8 on 28 MHz, 50 MHz or 70 MHz?
If your WST-X programme is still running from Saturday then you can go back
and have a look. Your logbook of received signals is up on the PSK Reporter website for 24 hours after the event.
Example. Were you listening on the FM band (88-108MHz)? Were you using an
SDR receiver and recording the band?
If you heard anything then get in touch or leave a comment.
Roughwork for myself below...28 MHz
F6BLP
Rcvr Band Mode Distance Time (UTC)
G0HIU 10m FT8 757 km 14:55:59
EI7GL 10m FT8 715 km 14:55:59
PE1IWT 10m FT8 821 km 14:55:59
GW7KNF 10m FT8 662 km 14:55:56
G4HZW 10m FT8 683 km 14:55:56
PA3MZ 10m FT8 699 km 14:55:56
PA3DOL 10m FT8 779 km 14:55:56
EI2FG 10m FT8 705 km 14:55:56
EI2FG
F4UJU EI2FG 10m FT8 883 km 15:00:41
F6BLP EI2FG 10m FT8 705 km 14:55:56
G4RGK EI2FG 10m FT8 495 km 14:54:41
F6KHM EI2FG 10m FT8 466 km 14:53:56
GW7KNF
EA1AHY GW7KNF 10m FT8 1061 km 14:59:41
EA1NE GW7KNF 10m FT8 1195 km 14:57:11
F6BLP GW7KNF 10m FT8 662 km 14:55:56
F6KHM GW7KNF 10m FT8 500 km 14:55:26
G4RGK GW7KNF 10m FT8 275 km 14:54:44
F6KHM
G0OPI 10m FT8 322 km 14:55:59
GW7KNF 10m FT8 500 km 14:55:26
G4RGK 10m FT8 442 km 14:54:29
EI2FG 10m FT8 466 km 14:53:56
EA1UR 10m FT8 646 km 14:53:27
G4RGK
I'll have to work on this when I have more time but early results seem to
show something did indeed happen off the north coast of Normandy and
Brittany.


28 MHz signals...EA1NE G4RGK 10m FT8 1087 km 14:57:14 IN72PD
G4RGK G0KTN 10m FT8 112 km 14:56:15
CT1EWD G4RGK 10m FT8 1576 km 14:55:59 IM58KP
G4RGK G3ZDF 10m FT8 83 km 14:55:41
G4RGK G7OED 10m FT8 86 km 14:55:14
G4RGK DO1RJB 10m FT8 488 km 14:55:14 JO31CD
G4RGK CT2IWW 10m FT8 1277 km 14:55:12 IN51WF
G4RGK F5SRH 10m FT8 440 km 14:55:11 IN97AQ
F6DWO G4RGK 10m FT8 402 km 14:54:59 JN18FO
G4RGK EA1MX 10m FT8 936 km 14:54:44 IN73XK
G4RGK GW7KNF 10m FT8 275 km 14:54:44 IO72VV
G4RGK EA1A 10m FT8 941 km 14:54:44 IN73WJ
G4RGK EA1UR 10m FT8 1087 km 14:54:42 IN53TF
G4RGK G4HZW 10m FT8 220 km 14:54:41
G4RGK EA1KE 10m FT8 973 km 14:54:41 IN63XN
G4RGK EI2FG 10m FT8 495 km 14:54:41 IO61AW
F6KHM G4RGK 10m FT8 442 km 14:54:29 IN78RJ
50 MHz


Path between F4BKV and Ireland on 50 MHz. See times below...F4BKV EI4DQ 6m
FT8 880 km 14:54:14F4BKV 6m FT8 880 km 14:53:44


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Back on 28 MHz as my 10m antenna returns from the dead

Posted: 20 Mar 2021 12:57 PM PDT https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2021/03/back-on-28-mhz-as-my-10m-antenna.html





Back in mid-February 2021, my vertical half-wave for 10-metres cracked into
two pieces after a windy few days. After seeing half of the antenna
sticking out of a hedge, I had pretty much given up on it and thought it
was a dead duck.
I looked at other options such as buying a new antenna or building
something and didn't really decide on anything.
With the current spell of mild dry weather over Ireland, I finally got
around to examining the broken antenna this weekend. It had a reasonably
clean break so I cleaned it up, cut off a damaged section with a hacksaw,
put in a slot for the lower section to compress and tighten and hey presto, it's back in action!
As the antenna was so wideband anyway, losing 10cms or so of it had no
impact on the VSWR at the bottom end of 28 MHz.
I left on the radio on 28 MHz today and this is what I heard on the FT8 frequency...

There is evidence of some weak Sporadic-E around Europe as well as some F2 propagation to Israel, Africa and Brazil. The solar flux is down at 74
which is pretty much rock bottom.
I have to admit that I have a soft spot for the 10-metre band. Even though
I have no real interest in making contacts, it's good to be back listening
on the band again.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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