Forward Scatter Meteor Observations of Leonids 2001
Observer: Ton Schoenmaker
Location: Roden, Netherlands (06 26' E, 53 08' N)
Frequency: 55.275 MHz
Transmitter: Spanish TV channel E3 (video); transmitters in Gamoniteiro
(50 kW) and Aitana (60 kW); all stations within 100 Hz of nominal
frequency; distance ~1500 km
Antenna: 3-elements horizontal Cushcraft 50 MHz Yagi tuned to 55.3 MHz;
geographical azimuth 210 degrees (SW)
Receiver: Yupiteru MVT-9000 in USB mode; sensitivity 0.5 uV at 12 dB S/N
Observing: 800 Hz audio signal from earphone socket was rectified, digitised
and fed into a PC via the parallel computer port. HP VEE was used
to process the digitised signal and to store 15-minutes counts of
reflections stronger than 0.22 uV (-120 dBm). Also for all
individual meteors date, time, duration (dead time) and maximum
signal are stored.
Like previous years counting of the Leonid reflections was difficult. This was due to many long duration reflections caused by fast and bright Leonids. Therefore the dead-time corrected counts (Figure 1) as well as the hourly dead-time percentages (Figure 2) are given. Figure 2 shows also the dead-time percentages corrected for radiant elevation. Forward scatter conditions (observability) were best around 5h00m and 9h00m UTC and worst around 7h15m.
Although the results may have been influenced by individual long reflections, the elevation corrected dead-time percentages show a peak around 11h UTC. The Leonids were still remarkable active on November the 19th.
Ton Schoenmaker, Dutch Meteor Society and IMO
Meester Homanstraat 8, NL 9301 HP Roden, Netherlands
E-mail: schoenmaker@NFRA.nl
Call: PA0EFA
