12-08-20: The 2020 Perseids 144MHz Meteorscatter s2s event

If you are serious then go to Virgo app and install “Virgo”. It shows the heading from your locator for current meteor showers at the current time

Doesn’t look like I can be “serious” and put it on my iPhone, not without downloading additional software and a load of fiddling about.

I’ll just beam mainly East but try to make sure I give all compass points a fair crack.

With a Moxon the beam direction is not that critical.

Checking this morning the beam heading (to be orthogonal to the meteor trail) would have been slightly East of South. Perseids are in a circumpolar position so are always “visible” but beaming East would, at best, put you along the trail path. You would still probably get reflections but not at maximum efficiency.

Just checked - perfect right now for Northern Scandinavia (45 degree beam heading)

really interesting video on MS. Never really understood it or wanted to try bu tthat video explains it really well and it maybe worth a go in the future. :slight_smile:

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MMMonVHF will probably publish these data on 1st August. Old fashioned OPs make their own paper app from that. :slightly_smiling_face:

Here come the detailed times.

[…]the peak is expected to occur on August 12 between 13h and 16h UT with ZHR around 110 hr-1.**

A filament crossing has been recovered from 2018 data, on August 12 around 20h UT (λsol=139.79 degs). The filament is thought to be an accumulation of meteoroids in a mean-motion resonance.
A similar filament encounter (ZHR=100 hr-1) is predicteded by Peter Jenniskens at λsol=139.89 degs, equivalent to 2020 August 12, 10h UT.[…]

The Perseids Radiant is circumpolar (that means, is above horizon the entire day) for every observer northern of about 32 degs N latitude during shower activity.

For a Central Europe observer (say, in JN59 square and surroundings) the radiant is relatively low above horizon in late afternoon/early evening (15-18 UT) and rather high above horizon in early morning (03-06 UT). Optimal height of radiant above horizon for best radio efficiency can be found between 21 UT and 01 UT, and between 08 UT and 12 UT.[…]

Direction of radio path vs Time for best efficiency (UT):
N/S: 8 - 11 and 23 - 02
NE/SW: 8 - 13
E/W: 10 - 13 and 20 - 23
NW/SE: 20 - 02

This calculation is valid for the center Europe observer[…]

Source: MMMonVHF

Three SOTA stations already put their alerts.
perseids_alerts

I will be glad to make any MSK144 sked on 12th August 0600 - 1200z, and wx depending on 11th August 2000 - 2300z. Summit will be Schalke DM/NS-008 JO51EU. I updated my alert accordingly.

Ahoi
Pom

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Excellent Pom. Hopefully the amended event time of 0600-1200z will encourage more participants and alerts. Looking forward to it, and thanks for your efforts in organising it.

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I was out on Tuesday for the 144 MHz activity night and already heard lots of strong pings and bursts in the SSB portion, but wasn’t prepared for MGM. Anyway, the rates are rising! :star_struck:

Ahoi
Pom

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Indeed Pom, I was taking part from a South Wales SOTA summit on Tuesday night and definitely heard several pings.

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I’m wondering what antenna system I should use. Maybe there’s some experienced MS OP who can advise.

I have a 5 ele DK7ZB OWL design (1.5m boom) with roughly 8.3dBd (free space) and a 3dB elevation angle of 62°, which I used successfully for SOTA-style MS operation. The shortest distance on MS (Geminids) was 890km and it worked like a charm.

I also have another antenna of the same design, so I can stack them at a distance of 1.9’ish metres. This gives nearly 3 dB forward gain but reduces the vertical angle. Great for tropo, but MS?

Will the stacked system be any better to make a qso with M1EYP/P (850km) or is the wider vertical angle of the single yagi more desirable? Both systems would have a fixed elevation.

Ahoi
Pom

Short update

no more stations have alerted,so the SOTAwatch screen shot is still up to date.

Skeds:
M1EYP/P G/SP-004 DP9X DM/NS-008 11.8. 2200 - 2230z
M1EYP/P G/SP-004 DP9X DM/NS-008 12.8. 0800 - 0830z (if no qso on Tue)

Fingers crossed for the first MS s2s QSO! :slight_smile:

Ahoi
Pom

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All set.

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I’m monitoring 144.360 in MSK144
Only heard 2 ON stations so far …
Luc ON7DQ

I’ve disconnected antenna, laid it on the ground and abandoning til morning. Electrical storm ongoing and close by. Wishing I wasn’t here…

We’ve had flashing and banging non-stop for over 2hrs. I’ve never seen anything like this in Scotland before.

Not often I regret a SOTA expedition. This is one I really wish I hadn’t bothered with. Although the 70cm contest was quite good.

Tom,

do whatever is safest. no MS contact is worth risking your radio or your mobile phone for. oh, and your life… yeah. there will be more meteors… make sure you are around to enjoy them.

Andrew vk1da/2uh

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I did. I only really had one option - remain in tent with antennas down and disconnected, keeping myself dry and insulated from ground.

Pleased to have managed 3 hours sleep and even more pleased to have awoken to a quiet morning. Now to look for some rocks.